Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) added strength to its corporate sustainability
agenda, signing two key partnership for mangrove conservation, with the Center for
Sustainability of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura and Biodiversity Sri Lanka. CDB’s
business strategy cascades into 2 key enabling pillars, ‘Sustainability Agenda’ and ‘Tech
Disruption’. Of these, the Sustainability Agenda is further strengthened through the company’s
commitment to mangrove conservation, as part of a larger focus on Bio Diversity.
CDB’s Sustainability Agenda is aligned with 7 of 17 United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals. The company considers Conservation and Biodiversity as an important factor under its
sustainability commitments and has identified Mangrove Conservation as a key focus area
within it and is committed to pursue it.
CDB partnered with the Center for Sustainability of the Department of Forestry and
Environment Science, University of Sri Jayawardenepura to establish a ‘Mangrove Resource
Center’ at Ittapana, Kalutara. The Ittapana-Horawala Thotupola mangrove forest complex is
considered one of the most threatened mangrove complexes on the island, and is in dire need
of conservation to protect its unique ecosystem. It is home to diverse ecosystem services
including flood hazard control and groundwater refill, acting as a breeding ground for fishes, a
reservoir of biodiversity, carbon secretions, and many more. There is also economic benefit in
ensuring its continued life, contributing to the economic upliftment of the rural population in
the Ittapana and Horawala areas and to the country’s economy as a whole.
The Anawilundawa Sanctuary is one of Sri Lanka’s six RAMSAR wetlands and spans 1,397
hectares and encompassing forest wetlands, including mangroves, coastal saltwater eco-
systems and freshwater lakes housing numerous endangered species of fish, amphibians,
mammals, reptiles and birds. The “Life to our Mangroves” project was launched on the 08th of
February, 2022 with CDB partnering Biodiversity Sri Lanka to enhance the resilience and
renewal of this mangrove eco- system committing to conserve 1 hectare of the total area, while
generating socio-economic development for the surrounding communities.
An MOU was signed between CDB and the Center for Sustainability of the Department of
Forestry and Environment Science, University of Sri Jayawardenepura to establish a Mangrove
Resource Center at Ittapana, Kalutara.
