Heritance Ahungalla, one of Aitken Spence Group’s deluxe hotels in Sri Lanka, has employed people and source suppliers from the neighbouring villages as part of the ongoing investment drive to embrace sustainability. More than 65 percent of the Hotel’s staff have been recruited from the local villages, including children of retired staff members, differently-abled persons and youths from the North and East who secured employment after one-year’s training at the Aitken Spence School of Hospitality.
“We are proud of our growing team of young men and women from the surrounding communities,” said Refhan Razeen, General Manager – Heritance Ahungalla. Staff also receives training in English, French and German languages, computer skills, leadership training programmes and medical facilities.
Heritance Ahungalle has also implemented measures to conserve energy and preserve the ecological balance around its property, for which the hotel won a Bronze Flame award at the 2011 Sri Lanka National Energy Efficiency Awards.
Malin Hapugoda, Managing Director – Aitken Spence Hotels said that the group being aware of the role tourism plays to aggravate global warming and environmental degradation, Heritance Ahungalla was recently certified for Energy Management System ISO 50001:2011 and is the first resort in the world to receive the said certification.
