Eswaran Brothers is the First Tea Company in the World to be Certified CarbonNeutral

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA, December 20, 2010 (Press-News.org) Eswaran Brothers Exports announced that it has achieved CarbonNeutral company certification, a major milestone in the sixty-seven year history of the family-owned tea company.

The Vice Chairman of Eswaran Brothers and a third generation tea taster, Mr. Subramaniam Eassuwaren, stated, "As part of a family that has been devoted to tea, this is an important landmark for us. It's among the initial steps we have taken in our drive to become a truly ethical and sustainable business while still maintaining profitability. It is also an extension of our heritage and values that have guided all our activities at Eswaran Brothers since my grandfather first started his own business in 1943. If the environmental problems that we face had been apparent during my grandfather's time, I am sure he would have called himself an environmentalist. We were always taught to look at our impact on our community."

He further stated: "We are very proud to be among the pioneers in both the global tea industry and in Sri Lankan business to achieve CarbonNeutral certification." The company is also ISO 14001 certified for its environmental management. Mr Eassuwaren continued, "At Eswaran, we are trying to see how we can reduce the environmental impact of our operations at every point. We have a lot to learn and have a long way to go, but we have definitely taken the important first steps to reducing our carbon emissions to net zero. The first steps involved calculating our carbon emissions produced in the existing processes within our operations. We obtained the services of Sri Lankan-based Carbon Consulting Company and UK-based Ecometrica who were able to measure the emission produced."

These included calculating the carbon emissions produced in the Eswaran Brothers' premises and from business travel, company-owned vehicles and third party deliveries. The carbon footprint was then reduced through internal initiatives and by purchasing carbon offsets from a biomass renewable energy project in a tea plantation in Sri Lanka.

Eswaran Brothers have been certified as a CarbonNeutral company in accordance with the CarbonNeutral Protocol, which is a global standard for measuring and monitoring Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. The Protocol is aligned with the WBSCD/WRIs GHG Protocol for company reporting and the principles of the PAS2050 for products and services.

Rani Virdee, Managing Director Asia Pacific, The CarbonNeutral Company, said, "Eswaran Brothers is a leading example to other businesses who are implementing an offset inclusive carbon management strategy that will not only help tackle climate change, but will reduce bottom line costs and enhance its reputation within the marketplace."

About Eswaran Brothers Tea Exports

Eswaran Tea Exports is a family owned Tea Company that has been in operation since 1943. With customers in over 43 countries, Eswaran Brothers Tea Exports provides total tea solutions, including Branded Tea and Private Labelling, to a global market. To learn more, visit http://www.eswaran.com and http://twitter.com/eswarantea.

For more information contact Subramaniam Eassuwaren at +94 77 7304588 or subra@eswaran.com.

The CarbonNeutral Company (www.carbonneutral.com) is a world leading provider of carbon reduction solutions. It as worked with over 300 major businesses and thousands of small- and medium-sized companies in 32 countries to develop offset inclusive carbon reduction programmes. Since 1997, it has purchased carbon credits from over 200 projects in 24 countries.