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At Eco Team, we are guided by our own environmental and community policies that we have developed in line with national and international acceptable practices. We seek to educate all stakeholders (including our clients) in order to get the maximum participation and acceptance for this policy. |
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Our Environmental Policy |
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We consider environment conservation our utmost priority. We strive to minimize environmental impact at all of our locations, and in the activities/programmes that we offer. We are particularly concerned about the carrying capacities of sensitive sites, and therefore do not handle large groups in any natural habitat. |
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Eco Team always encourages recycled material when doing purchasing. We discourage the use of cellophane and all other non-biodegradable material. We educate our local suppliers on these issues and advise them to adhere to this when supplying others as well. |
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| Our Community Policy |
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It is our policy to encourage local industries. As far as possible, our programmes and activities are designed to give our clients a taste of the skills, long history, nature friendliness and practicality of local and rural industries. By doing this we contribute to the continuation of their industries that are not otherwise financially beneficial in the modern times. Whenever we conduct an activity where food and lodging is involved, the majority of items are found locally. We discourage serving imported food and beverage items and always promote locally produced food items and beverages. By doing this, we aim to maximize the economic benefit to the area. |
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We are also concerned with the social cultural impact on the local community. Wherever possible we educate and train unemployed members of the communities to work with us, even when they are not in our full time employment. We also encourage our clients to support schools in the areas that they visit, through systematic educational support schemes. |
| Specific Projects, supported by EcoTeam |
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| "Adopt a baby elephant" |
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Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home is an orphanage for 30 baby elephants, which are being taken care of with minimum human interaction as they are separated from their mothers. Mothers of these babies are either killed or lost due the never-ending elephant-human conflict in Sri Lanka. The transit home provides food, medical care, and everything a baby elephant needs. When the elephants are big and strong enough, they are released into the wilderness and start living a 'normal' life back in the wild. |
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As the Wildlife Department can't afford to do this project alone due to the huge cost, they invited private sector contribution also. Eco Team Pvt Ltd was one of the first to sponsor the cost of maintaining one baby (called Malathie) for two years. After becoming of age, Malathie was released into the Udawalawe Jungle earlier this year. |
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| Pambahinna Rural Hospital Project |
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Pambahinna Hospital is located in a small hamlet in the Ratnapura District. The hospital serves the villagers in that village and many others villagers nearby. We initiated a complete renovation of this hospital through the Overseas School of Colombo. |
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| Seelogama Nursery School |
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In the small village of Seelogama (in the district of Ratnapura), we have initiated a complex project to raise the standards of the only pre-school in the area. The International School of Amsterdam is sponsoring the finances, ensuring that the project can facilitate not only the physical improvement of the buildings, but also take care of the educational needs of the children, requirements of the teachers and health issues. We have successfully completed the first phase of this project and currently on the verge of completing the second phase. |
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| Provision of employment opportunities and training to SOS |
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SOS is a world wide NGO which offers an alternative to foster care by providing children with families and permanent homes and communities. We work very closely with its Sri Lankan chapter and have offered 4 opportunities in our staff. They work and live with us and have a strongly bonded community around them with their 'parents', 'brothers' and 'sisters'. |
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| English Classes/Training and Development for Eco Team local staff - September 2004. |
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In September 2004, Eco Team began a programme of English Classes for our local staff in order to raise the standard of the service we offer our guests. Although the majority of staff already had a basic grasp of the English language, the introduction of formal classes was considered an essential part of a wider programme of training and development. |
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The classes are being conducted by Charlotte Crowe from the UK who is presently Eco Team's Marketing and Product Development Officer. Charlotte has previously taught English in Ecuador in South America and is reponsible for not only the teaching element but also the design of the syllabus. |
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Charlotte says, "The enthusiasm amongst the staff has been overwhelming and I've been impressed with how quickly they have picked up the complicated basis of the English grammatical system. Not only are the classes important in terms of the improvement of the standards of English, but also in valuing and motivating our 'front-line' staff who meet the guests who come on our programmes." |
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In addition to the English Classes, the syllabus involves sessions on Customer Care, Team work, Team Leader Training and First Aid (see below for more information on Eco Team's recent First Aid Workshop). |
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Eco Team First Aid Workshop in collaboration with Sri Lanka Wild Life Conservation Society and Escape Tourism,
2nd December 2004 |
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Usually Wasgamuwa National Park is one of the location for our luxury campsites. However, from 2nd December, it provided the setting for a First Aid Training Programme for 8 of our Eco Team staff members who were invited to take part by Sri Lanka Wild Life Conservation Society and Escape Tourism. |
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The workshop, known officially as the 'Preliminary Emergency First Aid Course' was conducted by Nicci Parry and sponsored by the SLWCS. Nicci, who was trained as a professional guide in Zimbabwe, educated the team on the responsibilities of a First Aider, including assessing a casualty, administering CPR, controlling bleeding, treating large wounds and burns, immobilising bone and joint injuries, giving appropriate treatment to other injuries, monitoring and recording vital signs, and finally passing on information when handing over the casualty to a trained medical team. |
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Eco Team would like to thank Mr Chandeep Corea of the SLWCS for inviting us to take part, providing accommodation and looking after us so generously. Special thanks should also go to Nicci Parry for her excellent knowledge and ability to make learning fun and easy. |
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