The John Keells Group commemorated WED through many environmentally-friendly initiatives spearheaded bythe Foundation. As a lead up to WED, a poster campaign was carried out across the Group’s business premises with the posters being printed on recycled paper as part of the “Green” theme. As the Group’s contribution to The Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign – a worldwide tree planting initiative facilitated by the United Nations Environment Program – the Foundation initiated a tree planting campaign which witnessed the planting of trees across the Group’s different business locations.

The “Plant for the Planet” initiative was kicked off on 4th June 2010 with Group Chairman, Mr. Susantha Ratnayake, planting a Na sapling at the John Keells Holdings PLC premises at Glennie Street. Several Group companies contributed to the initiative by planting trees within their own premises, and some others took it a step further, planting trees in public areas as well. Strategic Group IT, a Group centre function, planted 20 Ehala saplings in the Vihara Maha Devi Park with the collaboration of the Colombo Municipal Council, while Group company Ceylon Cold Stores planted 12 fruit and other saplings in its factory premises in Ranala. Other such noteworthy contributions by Group business units are the initiatives by Cinnamon Lodge Habarana in the planting of 100 trees in total within the hotel premises as well as close to famous Habarana Tank, and Yala Village which planted over 50 trees which belong to the dry zone such as Kohomba, Kumbuk, Agil and Esala.Bentota Beach Hotel’s contribution to the tree planting initiative was the inauguration of its “Herb Garden” with spice plants unique to Sri Lanka within the hotel premises as well as the planting of 30 coconut plants within the hotel premises with the participation of both staff and guests. Other Group companies which actively contributed to the tree planting initiative are Chaya Blu, Chaya Citadel, Cinnamon Grand, Cinnamon Lakeside, John Keells Stock Brokers, Lanka Marine Services, Tea Small Holder Factories PLC and Union Assurance PLC.