Sri Lanka’s leading private sector bank, HNB PLC reinforced its environmental stewardship by unveiling three major initiatives: the launch of its ZeroPlastic Commitment Certification pilot at HNB Towers, attainment of carbon neutral certification under ISO 14064-1:2018, and Platinum Sponsorship of the 2nd International Conference on Plastics, Innovations and Environmental Sustainability (ICPIES 2025).

Through the ZeroPlastic pilot—conducted in partnership with the ZeroPlastic Movement and Control Union Sri Lanka—HNB will roll out a Single-Use Plastic Mitigation Plan, conduct employee awareness workshops, and third party verification on compliance with the ZeroPlastic Commitment Standards.

Notably, having measured and offset its organizational emissions via verified renewable-energy projects, HNB has also achieved carbon neutral status, awarded by the Sri Lanka Climate Fund which is under the Ministry of Environment.

Meanwhile, as Official Banking Partner and Platinum Sponsor of ICPIES 2025 (24–25 September), HNB aims to support a mainstreaming of sustainable reforms by facilitating dialogue between experts, policymakers and business leaders to explore practical solutions for reducing plastic pollution and advancing circular economy practices. Organised by the Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSD) in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering Technology of the Open University of Sri Lanka and the University of Moratuwa, ICPIES 2025 aims to catalyse scientific dialogue, innovation, and policy alignment to address the environmental challenges posed by plastic use and disposal.

Commenting on the initiative, HNB Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Damith Pallewatte, said: “At HNB, as a responsible corporate citizen, our objective is to ensure that we contribute to creating a sustainable world for our future generations. While we have been meticulously reviewing our loans, over the past decade, through a comprehensive Environmental and Social Management System developed with the assistance of foreign development financial institutions, to assess and manage the impact we create, we have supported many projects which include renewable energy projects totaling to over Rs 13Bn contributing positively towards a greener economy.  We have surpassed many milestones in this journey. Launching ZeroPlastic initiatives and securing carbon neutral status reflect HNB’s unwavering commitment to systemic change—one that inspires businesses, policymakers, and communities to join us in protecting our nation's uniquely rich environment heritage.”

These milestones build on HNB’s Green Pledge—first introduced in 2009—which has already fuelled high-impact projects such as the conversion of 95 branch rooftops to solar power, the adoption of a paperless-office policy, and the implementation of an Environmental and Social Management System for all lending activities.

A portion of the Bank’s CSR budget is also allocated to offset the unavoidable negative impacts of its lending activities and the Kanneliya Reforestation project and the Kottowa Thundola conservation project are examples for such efforts to offset the negative impacts created through financing for small hydropower projects in the past.

HNB Senior Vice President/Chief Strategy Officer, Priyanka Wijayaratne added: "Environmental responsibility must begin at home. As we progress, we are committing our own head office to become free of single-use plastic. By supporting national efforts to reduce plastic pollution and promote a circular economy, we aim to lead by example through measurable internal change and active industry engagement."

HNB has become the first bank to initiate the implementation of the ZeroPlastic Commitment Standard, aiming for certification in plastic reduction at its Head Office. The pilot includes a single-use plastic mitigation plan, employee training, and third-party audits, with plans to expand across 250+ customer centres nationwide.

Global estimates by UNEP suggest circular economy approaches could reduce plastic pollution by 80% by 2040, a potential Sri Lanka can tap into through collaborative action. HNB’s initiative aligns with this potential, offering a localised model for driving systemic change in plastic use, collection, and disposal.

The Bank’s environmental programme is further reinforced by its recent carbon neutral certification, awarded by the Sri Lanka Climate Fund under the Ministry of Environment. Certified in accordance with ISO 14064-1:2018, HNB has measured and offset its organisational emissions through verified renewable energy projects.

Sri Lanka has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 as part of its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. By aligning with this goal, HNB reinforces its role as a leader in sustainable finance, demonstrating measurable progress in both climate action and plastic waste mitigation.

 HNB Chief Operating Officer, Sanjay Wijemanne (fifth from left) handing over the sponsorship as the Official Banking Partner and Platinum Sponsor of the 2nd International Conference on Plastics, Innovations and Environmental Sustainability (ICPIES 2025) to the Open University of Sri Lanka Vice Chancellor Sr Prof. P.M.C. Thilakarathne in the presence of (from left) HNB Asst Manager–Sustainable Business, Shanel Perera, Manager – Sustainable Business, Hemantha Seneviratne, Vice President Marketing & Corporate Communication, Upul Adikari, Senior Vice President – Strategy, Priyanka Wijayaratne , Open University of Sri Lanka ,Conference Chair Prof. Bandunee Athapattu, Dean/ Faculty of Engineering Technology Dr. L.S.K. Udugama, Programme Chair Dr. Chamila Dias , Organizing Committee Chair W.D. Manoj, Finance & Registration Chair, Asanka Senevirathna and Publicity Committee Member Thushari Gamage.