KVPL rubber plantations receive first Sustainability Framework Certificate

Sri Lankan Tea and Rubber Plantations Company Kelani Valley Plantations PLC (KVPL) this week received the first Sustainability Framework Certificate. 

“The natural rubber sector is a high priority for us. It has been a driver for deforestation and has caused significant social and environmental issues,” said Peter Feilberg, Executive Director of Preferred by Nature.

The Sustainability Framework (SF) was originally created by Preferred by Nature to meet the growing demand for a universal land use verification standard, which can be used by all companies no matter the size. It is also a versatile tool that can easily be adjusted to commodity specific issues such as natural rubber and to local sustainability risks. 

“A large share of natural rubber is grown by millions of smallholder farmers, each with very small land holdings. This makes it a challenging sector in terms of addressing sustainability issues. By using a risk-based approach, we believe the Sustainability Framework can introduce efficiency while still covering all critical areas of sustainability in a rigorous way,” said Peter Feilberg.

KVPL has been benchmarked as one of the most ethical and sustainable plantations companies in Sri Lanka and the certificate issued by Preferred by Nature is a significant step in KVPL’s commitment in leading the way towards a sustainable rubber sector:

“The integration of a sustainable approach among all aspects of business is our key concern as a responsible corporate entity. The Sustainability Framework from Preferred by Nature will be a comprehensive and all-inclusive method for us to be the front-liner in sustainable business operations,” said Anura Weerakoon, Director/C.E.O. of KVPL.

The demand for natural rubber is expected to increase by some 3-5 percent by 2022, mainly due to growth in demand from the production of latex and the tyres and automotive industry.

The Sustainability Framework consists of 28 sustainability criteria and addresses sustainability issues on multiple levels. Full implementation of the Sustainability Framework allows verified businesses to use the Preferred by Nature Hummingbird Seal with their products.

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Learn more about the Sustainability Framework here.