SriLankan Airlines launched a new ‘Corporate Policy on the Carriage of Fauna & Flora on Board SriLankan Aircraft’ on 22nd May 2018, to strengthen its numerous initiatives on species smuggling.
The policy reaffirms SriLankan’s resolve to follow established international conservation practices, including a total ban on transporting of wild game hunting trophies and any part of a species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES); ban on transporting non-human primates destined for laboratories or laboratory suppliers; and the strict adherence to national regulations and applicable best practices in relation to proper documentation and approvals of regulatory authorities.
Captain Suren Ratwatte, CEO of SriLankan, said: “We believe that the launch of this policy will send a strong message to species smugglers that we will not tolerate any activities that are unethical or endanger the survival of any species. It is important that we as a National Airline reaffirm our commitment to conservation and strengthen our policies and procedures.”
Pradeepa Kekulawala, Convener of SriLankan’s Green Initiatives and Head of Human Resources, said: “Our new Corporate Policy was formulated after much research on global trends in conservation, and a resolve to stay in the forefront of the anti-smuggling campaign for which we have gained a sound reputation over the last decade.”
