Meet the 100: Dhanushka De Silva, SriLankan Airlines

The E+E 100 are the VPs, directors, managers and engineers who are making significant strides in driving our industry. Watch for the report featuring all 100 at the end of June, or see the complete list here. And stay tuned for the Call for Submissions coming in the fall, when you can nominate your favorite sustainability or energy management professional!

Now, meet Dhanushka De Silva, Environmental Compliance and Planning Manager for SriLankan Airlines.

De Silva is responsible for the airline’s environmental conservation and regulatory compliance, as well as the company’s Green Social Responsibility programs. He has been with SriLankan Airlines for 20 years.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in the last year or two?

Taking an initiative and establishing it with people, changing their mindset. The biggest challenge is getting immediate colleagues — the team working with you — on board with initiatives. If that works perfectly, then the customers and third-party suppliers see what you are doing and how well that is captured by your colleagues.

Reducing costs is a big challenge as well, especially when it comes to environmental management.

How have you addressed these challenges?

Making information available and being transparent about what you are doing is the way to get everyone to buy in. Our airline has been here for about 30 years. Me saying that we have to think about costs, efficiency enhancements, the environment, the future — there’s resistance at first.

In 2008, when we were starting our aviation fuel management program, a barrel of oil was $180. We had to cut costs and do efficiency management. When we developed this program, there was huge resistance from the pilot community. Suddenly we’re trying to restrict their fuel.

We had to quantify the savings and show them: You are reducing the carbon footprint by this much. SriLankan Airlines’ emissions are going to go down. Your fuel expense is going to go down. Efficiency is going up. It’s all yours. We’re just helping you. Now they come up and say, if we do this, we can save this much fuel.

What advice would you give other professionals as they try to accomplish their sustainability or energy management goals?

Be consistent. Do the right thing by the company and the environment because the big picture is the environment. Yes, there will be heartaches. There will be criticism. But if you’re being honest with yourself and doing the right thing, everything will work out. That is my experience.