Eco-friendly all the way at Ranweli

By Laila Nasry

The hotel blends perfectly with the environment...an example of man and nature living in perfect harmony. 

Ranweli is one of two hotel companies, conducting a pilot project on ISO 14001 through the Technology Initiatives for the Private Sector (TIPS).

ISO 14001 is an environment management systems standard, which has been developed in terms of a convention signed by 111 countries worldwide and one that needs third-party certification. Dr. Leslie Wildesen, a volunteer expert on the standard was in Sri Lanka, on a full grant from TIPS and USAID to help Ranweli in its initial process of seeking certification. 

Dr. Wildesen conducted a 'gap' analysis, which enabled her to identify the prevalent standards practised at the resort and those, which need to be introduced. Through the analysis, she together with the hotel management was able to recognise the main aspects such as laundry, energy usage, chemicals, water etc. and the need to interact harmoniously with the environment. This would prevent a disastrous impact on the surroundings, which could result in pollution, excess landfill and non-bio-degradable toxic waste. 

To achieve this symbiotic balance between the hotel industry and nature, a change was necessary. Thus a policy was needed. At this point things were made relatively easy by the fact that Ranweli did have an environmental policy. However, it needed a bit of revision to achieve more specific targets. "Ranweli is on the right track and it's great. They've been protecting the environment informally," says Dr. Wildesen. "Now it has to be documented."

The main objective is to bring the operations of the hotel in line with the policy, which is formulated according to the significant environmental impacts that have come about. Giving an example, Dr. Wildesen said the hotel will formulate its operations in such a way that it keeps to the policy of waste water management. The waste water from the kitchen will be utilised to water the plants. There will be low flow in toilets and showerheads, wash-water will be purified and re-used etc. According to her this standardisation of practices within the hotel will help curb "pretty typical Sri Lankan practices". 

There is a need to devise an action plan to achieve the targets in the policy. For this purpose, Dr. Wildesen has worked with Ranweli's top management, conducting daily briefings and informal training programmes. Then the management worked with their staff discussing day-to-day issues and how these issues could be solved in an environmentally friendly way. However, all questions relating to the environment cannot be addressed at once but are prioritised according to the impact on the environment, the severity, how long it lasts, probability, cost, regulatory requirements and their control over the problem.

Dr. Wildesen having finished the initial assessment will return, in July and October. By July she hopes the hotel would have developed their objectives and targets and a suitable action plan so that she will be able to develop the procedures for carrying it out. By October, Dr. Wildesen expects to have the procedures in place and running. She hopes to conduct a test audit to ascertain shortcomings and gather suggestions. This will be an initial preparation for the certifying audit for the ISO 14001 certification; before the International Standards Association issues the certification.

Following ISO 14001 certification, Ranweli will be expected to adhere to the procedures in the standard and achieve targets. This will be determined by an audit every three years at the hotel. Once the targets have been achieved, more targets will be set. It will be an on-going process of improvement. An annual management review will also be conducted.

The hotel will gain in the long run for they will be having a standard that is internationally accepted and recognised. Thus, Ranweli will be able to attract a better clientele, save money in the process through resource conservation by following expeditious procedures, protect the environment by taking care of solid waste etc., thereby enhancing its image in the local and international communities. However, there is no gain without pain and the initial investment for ISO 14001 was staff time. There is a certifying fee and an added cost for the establishment of equipment, but these are far outweighed by the benefits derived from having an international standard.

The biggest challenge for Dr. Wildesen is the fact that those who have to do most of the work don't speak English. "I'm not for scenarios where people are replaced by machines. The fact that the workmen don't know English and that most of the manuals and materials are in English is indeed a challenge. And it also calls for added cost specially when something needs to be translated," she explained. The certification process takes around 12 to 18 months, but since Ranweli has been working with the environment they are "heading in the right direction and hopefully could end the project by December". Once certified, Ranweli will join an exclusive group of 7,500 companies, which have been certified the world over. It may also have the distinction of being the first hotel project to get certification in Asia. 

Commending Ranweli and its management, Dr. Wildesen added, "The response was wonderful and the staff very enthusiastic. The best thing about them is the fact that they do care about the environment unlike most others."

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