DPL’s sustainability agenda has evolved throughout the years and plays an integral part in us contributing positively to the environment, resources and the community we are in.
We believe that enhancing sustainability practices plays a big role in creating a better future for everyone while being good for business.
Our Approach to Sustainability
5% reduction in carbon footprint per pair
- We replaced fossil-fuel based power sources with biomass energy in 2016
- Installed wastewater heat recovery systems that can be used to generate heat instead of fuel
- Source sustainable firewood via sawdust and rubberwood
- Initiated a massive tree plantation program in Monaragala in 2020
Sustainable water sourcing
- We use recycled wetland water in 9% of production operations through our Water Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs). Wastewater is treated through a process of separation, biological treatment and chemical coagulation/flocculation and finally a wetland treatment which relies on natural microbial, biological, physical and chemical processes.
- We continuously invest in our ETPs to increase their capacity, treatment efficiencies etc.
64% of raw materials procured locally by 2021
- DPL Firstlight which was initiated in 2012 is a program to develop local suppliers
- It established a unique pricing formula for procurement that eliminates middlemen’s margins and brokerage
- We also provide technical support, input materials such as Fertilizer, collection cups, rain guards and high quality tapping knives
- CSR initiatives targeting the DPL Firstlight communities
DPL Firstlight is our biggest sustainability project
‘Firstlight’ symbolizes the dawn of a new day and the best time for tapping rubber trees. Dawn is the beginning that brings hope. The Firstlight initiative reflects DPL’s commitment towards business sustainability in which economic, environmental, and social factors are integrated to empower smallholder rubber farmers to achieve their full potential and make the transition to a brighter future.
We do this through multiple mechanisms such as buy-back guarantees, fair pricing, supplier development, wide community engagement through education and capacity building while preserving forest cover. Every pair sold contributes 0.005$ towards ‘Firstlight’ through which we carry out projects such as the distribution of purified water for drinking that benefits 3000 families in the area.
