NDB Bank recently organised a beach clean-up initiative at Kapumgoda Beach, Pamunugama, as part of the Bank’s "Adopt a Beach" project. This event, held in partnership with Clean Ocean Force Lanka, is a reflection of NDB’s commitment to environmental sustainability and community engagement. On Saturday, November 9, 2024, over 100 NDB employees volunteered their time and effort to help protect the coastline and address the issue of marine pollution affecting Sri Lanka’s beaches.

The "Adopt a Beach" initiative, in which NDB has taken responsibility for a stretch of Kapumgoda Beach, ensures regular cleaning efforts while supporting the local community. Notably, the project includes a focus on the livelihood development of women in the Kapumgoda community, furthering NDB’s commitment to empowering communities and creating sustainable, positive change.

Throughout the event, NDB employees worked together to collect litter and debris, significantly reducing pollution on the beach, amounting to a total of over 400 kg. The collected waste was sorted, with recyclable materials sent for processing, aligning with NDB’s dedication to promoting environmental consciousness and fostering sustainable practices.

This clean-up event was an embodiment of NDB’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, emphasising employee volunteerism and proactive engagement in tackling pressing environmental issues. Through the "Adopt a Beach" initiative, NDB aims not only to contribute to cleaner oceans but also to inspire collective action for a healthier environment.

Commenting on this initiative, Lasantha Dsanayake, VP Group HR, and the Chairperson of the Bank’s Sustainability Committee said, “The Bank ‘adopted’ this stretch of beach in 2023, and today marks the culmination of this project with over 100 staff present to ensure we give back to the community a clean beach. It’s not only one day of the year that we clean this beach; we have partnered with ‘Clean Ocean Force’ to clean this beach daily. To date, over 7,400 kg of debris and trash have been collected from this beach since the day the beach was adopted. We are pleased to say that NDB will be extending the project for another year to ensure sustainability and a clean beach for the community. This project not only ensures environmental conservation and pollution control but also encompasses livelihood development and poverty alleviation—key areas in the Bank’s sustainability agenda.”

Adding to this sentiment, Jerome Fernando, Founder and Chairman of Clean Ocean Force, commented, “Today marks a very special day because NDB Bank partnered with Clean Ocean Force a year ago to ‘Adopt’ this beach at Kapumgoda. ‘Adopting’ a beach means that this beach is cleaned on a daily basis. The importance of daily clean-ups is that the trash brought in by the waves onto the shore is cleaned daily, thus preventing the trash from going back into the ocean. This protects marine life as well as humans. The importance of this beach at Kapumgoda is that it is a public beach, and beaches play a very vital role in the blue economy of Sri Lanka. We empower women who are from very low economic status in the community, thereby ensuring they have a sustainable livelihood. The trash is collected daily, weighed, sorted, and all recyclable material given to recyclers.”

NDB Bank extends its gratitude to Clean Ocean Force Lanka, the authorities involved, and each employee who participated in this meaningful activity. This initiative underscores NDB’s on-going commitment to driving sustainable change and empowering communities to contribute positively to the environment.

NDB Bank extends its gratitude to Clean Ocean Force Lanka, the Authorities involved and to each employee who participated in this meaningful activity. This initiative underscores NDB’s on-going commitment to driving sustainable change and empowering communities to contribute positively to the environment.