Suwanda Industries (Pvt) Ltd also more commonly known as ‘Cycl Sri Lanka’ is the sole Sri Lankan manufacturer of the world’s largest incense stick brand, Cycle Pure Agarbathi, and also the value addition arm of the world’s largest exporter of incense and fragrance products, N. Ranga Rao & Sons (NRRS). Cycle Sri Lanka provides employment to women and empowers them to build sustainable communities to provide for themselves and their families. Women although comprise 50% of the population are not adequately represented in decision making in resource allocation. Savings of the poor are taken away to the urban centres and hardly reinvested to improve livelihoods of them or the place they live in. Access to capital too is inadequate. Poor families face difficulties in making strong investment decisions as individual households. Therefore it is a strong belief of Cycle Sri Lanka that this initiative will help women fulfill their potential and help the associate an income or provisions for the betterment of the society they live in. Such initiatives shift attitudes, resulting in higher self-respect and enrich positive attitudes for innovations.

The company practices multiple quality checks before the products are sent out to the end consumer and all packaging is of recyclable materials, environmental protection is also a core value of the company - as blessings cannot be heeded whilst taking away the nature that provides life in itself. Suwanda Industries manufacture and distribute a wide range of products including Agarbathies, Dhoop, Cones, Sambranis, Home Fragrances, Air Care and Prayer products. The company’s commitment to incorporate sustainability highlights their priority to implement sustainable business practices, and become a responsible corporate organisation. Hence the company has taken enormous steps to ensure that Corporate Social Responsibility is given highest priority moving forward.

Knowing that actions are always louder than words - Cycle Sri Lanka became the first and only company in its industry in Sri Lanka to be awarded CarbonNeutral® Certification. A Joint venture between two long-standing CarbonNeutral® status holders, NRRS and Eswaran Brothers Exports (Pvt) Ltd, Suwanda Industries’ certification was awarded by The Sustainable Future Group (SFG), regional partner of the proprietor of the globally recognised CarbonNeutral® Certification, Natural Capital Partners in the UK. This was post a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Assessment was conducted for Suwanda Industries by a specialised consultancy firm providing Integrated Sustainability Solutions in the Asian region, The Carbon Consulting Company (CCC), which included both direct and indirect emissions sources of the company’s organisational operations. The CCC Team presented several options for reducing Suwanda Industries’ operational emissions, following which the results of the assessment were independently verified by SFG. The carbon offsetting process was carried out in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol of Natural Capital Partners, ensuring its credibility and alignment to international standards. The incense manufacturer then selected an internationally registered Carbon Credit generation project to support, in return for a matching amount of validated credits to offset their Carbon Footprint. Suwanda Industries is a part of an elite list of exclusive global clients of Natural Capital Partners, who currently work with more than 300 companies in 33 countries, and have contracted more than eight million tonnes of carbon from over 350 projects across 32 countries.

When you pray with Cycle, your prayers can indeed heal the planet.

One prayer at a time. One incense at a time.

Vice Chairman of Suwanda Industries Sri Lanka, Mr. Subramaniam Eassuwaren, commented on the company’s commitment to sustainability, “Concern for the environment and environmental sustainability is at the core of our company’s founding principles. We believe in giving back to society and by going carbon neutral we are positively impacting climate change and the challenges it poses to society at large. We understand the importance of corporate responsibility when it comes to the environment and we are proud to lead and inspire others with our actions.”

“With the impacts of climate change intensifying rapidly, integrating sustainability in manufacturing is very timely. The efforts taken by Suwanda Industries to recognise their impact on the environment and the significant steps taken to offset the impact are admirable. This has enabled them to become a company with less harm to the environment while being transparent, and has facilitated participation in making positive change” remarked Sanith de S. Wijeyeratne, CEO of CCC.

Climate change, pandemic and economic situations can appear intimidating and overwhelming, yet in taking these bold steps - Cycle Sri Lanka has committed it’s organization to becoming a more sustainable company that provides not only employment and products with no environmental harm, but also one which provides hope for a nation through prayer. Therefore, Pray with Cycle – for a better future.

For more information on NRRS, please visit www.nrgroup.co.in.