The 4th International Conference on Resource Efficiency and the Circular Economy recently concluded successfully in Colombo, emphasising measures to drive sustainable industrial growth in Sri Lanka.
This conference was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development in collaboration with the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) of Sri Lanka, focusing on resource efficiency, energy transition, and the concept of a circular economy to enhance industrial competitiveness. Furthermore, the discussion explored how businesses can strengthen their competitiveness and their ability to face challenges through practical approaches to sustainable industrial growth, such as enhancing resource productivity, adopting low-carbon technologies, and implementing circular business practices. Furthermore, the conference covered a wide range of topics, including industrial resource efficiency, material reuse, green markets, energy management, and corporate sustainability.
Delivering the keynote address at this year’s conference, titled “The Next Step for Industries: From Sustainability Commitments to Circular Competitiveness”, Mr. K. S. Venkatagiri, Executive Director of the CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre and former Chair of the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN), discussed the relationship between sustainability commitments and industrial competitiveness.
At this conference, two expert panel sessions were held on “Resource Efficiency for Sustainable Growth” and “Circular Economy Approaches for Sustainable Development.” These sessions featured in-depth discussions on enhancing business performance through more efficient resource utilisation, as well as the exchange of resources among industrial parks and individual industries.
This event also included the presentation of the internationally recognised GEN Awards 2026, implemented by the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC).