Resplendent Ceylon-Sustainability Initiatives
The portfolio of Resplendent Ceylon’s small luxury boutique hotels combine to form the Resplendent Journey – a collection of unique and carefully curated experiences that define Sri Lanka. These experiences delve into the culinary, natural, and cultural heritage of the island with fascinating narrative to showcase to guests what is truly Sri Lankan.
The national parks and forest reserves, the ocean, the heritage sites, the recipes, crafts and folklore, and above all the people who preserve with them centuries of history and heritage need to be protected and conserved. And as company that derives economic value from these assets, we are serious about our responsibility to leverage our pioneering corporate DNA to deliver meaningful sustainable outcomes.
“Business is a matter of human service” is one of the pillars that define our ethos – it is the mantra of Merrill J Fernando, Chairman and founder of our parent company Dilmah.
Initiatives Across Resorts
No plastic policy – Cape Weligama, Wild Coast Lodge and Tea Trails do not use plastic water bottles and straws. Glass water bottles are provided in room and guests are offered reusable aluminum bottles for excursions outside the resort.
Volunteer work – Clean ups
The staff of all three properties initiate waste management activities in areas surrounding the resort at least once a month. These include beach cleanups at Cape Weligama, removing plastic and litter from jungle roads in and around Yala and cleaning up Castlereagh Lake.
Energy – since 2019, all properties have implemented aggressive measures to monitor and minimize energy wastage.
WILD COAST TENTED LODGE
Energy efficiency
- 155kva solar plant meets 30% of the resort’s energy needs during high occupancy periods.
- The air conditioning units in the cocoons help to generate hot water for the room by using a condenser unit that sits outside of the building, to collect heat that the air conditioner compresses and expels from inside. The heat passes through a copper heat exchanger that connects to a home or building’s hot water tank.
- No public areas areas are air conditioned (restaurant, bar, reception, etc.) as they are naturally ventilated through innovative design
- Tents are made from a unique fabric to manage temperature to reduce air-conditioning needs
Water Management
- All of the water used in the resort is taken from the ocean and passed through a desalination unit and then pumped round the resort.
- Waste water is recycled via an STP and used to fill a network of ponds which offers animals respite in the dry season.
Waste
- All food waste is converted into cooking gas and organic manure.
Conservation
- The Lodge is supporting leopard research by partnering with Wilderness and Wildlife Conservation Trust
- Our camera traps set up in the area provide data of leopard and other species observations
Game drives & Excursions
- We use shared jeeps for game drives to reduce our carbon foot-print in the park (private jeeps are offered at a premium)
- We do not use any disposable packaging for refreshments on game drives and excursions, reducing out waste footprint further
- Wild Coast Lodge adopts an “animal-first” approach during Safaris but avoiding crowded sightings and giving animals plenty of space during sightings
- We enforce a Code of Conduct for our jeep driver partners to ensure optimal conduct inside the park in a way that is not detrimental to biodiversity
Structures – The public areas are constructed of sustainable bamboo and reclaimed recycled teak shingles.
Food – As much food as possible is sourced from the local areas so to reduce transportation fumes.
Staff – Staff are often involved in good works projects such as supporting the nearby Bundala School and tree planting.
CAPE WELIGAMA
No plastic policy – Cape Weligama has stopped using single use plastic water bottles and straws. Glass water bottles are provided in room and guests are offered reusable aluminum bottles for excursions outside the resort.
Community Sustainability
MJF Cape Weligama Centre
The first center fully supported by Resplendent Ceylon, the Cape Weligama Centre supports the community living around the hotel. Weligama’s main source of income is through fishing. With the increased costs competition for the ocean’s resources, the community is working hard to diversify its economy and opportunities. Tourism is the most obvious industry. The MJF Centre at Cape Weligama is the only center of its kind supported by a company.
The Centre officially opened in September 2017. It currently consists of an MJF Kids programme providing educational support, scholarships, music, art, dancing, chess and pottery for children aged 13 and below. From 2018 onwards in plans to introduce programmes for Women and youth in terms of livelihoods and life skills support.
Experiences
A visit to the local fish market with one of our senior chef’s is a popular guest experience and an opportunity for Resplendent Ceylon to harness the tourism economy to support the local community and offer locally sourced produced to guests.
Our surf experiences are also conducted by partner who work with local surf instructors, many of whom are ISA (or equivalent) certified, so that the tourism economy supports relevant and professional skills development at a high level.
Staff Initiatives
Our “good works” initiatives (funded entirely by our staff) initiates several projects a year. In 2019, our staff contributed essential items to a cancer hospital in Weligama. They also gave the charming Weligama Railway Station a facelift with a fresh coat of paint and installed some colourful posters of old Ceylon around the station.
CEYLON TEA TRAILS
Ceylon Tea Trails has the smallest carbon footprint of the three resorts. No air-conditioning isrequired as the climate is naturally cool.
Water is sourced from natural sources such as streams and wells.
Food Waste – All food waste goes to a local piggery, avoiding landfills in in the hill country.
No plastic policy – We use glass bottles and next to no use of plastic
Community Service – We support the MJF Crèche, a daycare centre for the children of tea pluckers and factory workers
Staff – Staff are often involved in good works projects such as lake cleanups, tree planting, supporting the local temples and schools.
Conservation:Tea Trails, in partnership with Dilmah Conservation, supports the Wilderness and Wildlife Conservation Trust in its leopard research project, but housing a research station and supporting in reforestation activities.
