The world recently lost Merrill J. Fernando, founder of Dilmah Tea and a pioneering leader in ethical business and sustainability. Fernando, who passed away on July 20, 2023, at the age of 93, was a humble yet determined Ceylon entrepreneur. He built one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic brands by recognizing that success requires caring for people and planet.
Born in 1930, Fernando joined the tea industry as a young man in 1944. He quickly rose up the ranks before establishing Dilmah in 1974 with a bold vision. Unlike the big multinational blenders, Dilmah would focus exclusively on single-origin Ceylon tea and control quality from leaf to cup.
Through relentless drive, Dilmah grew from humble beginnings into a beloved global brand. But Fernando never compromised his values for growth. Long before most, he instituted ethical practices like sustainable agriculture, fair treatment of employees, and minimizing waste. These principles remain embedded in Dilmah today.
Through relentless drive, Dilmah grew from humble beginnings into a beloved global brand. But Fernando never compromised his values for growth. Long before most, he instituted ethical practices like sustainable agriculture, fair treatment of employees, and minimizing waste. These principles remain embedded in Dilmah today.
For Fernando, carbon neutrality was both a moral and business imperative. It strengthened trust with eco-conscious consumers, boosted reputation, and future-proofed operations for tighter regulations worldwide. His proactive stance turned sustainability from a potential liability into an asset.
After achieving initial carbon neutral status, Fernando set his sights even higher. Before retiring in 2019, he laid out bold plans for Dilmah to become carbon negative by 2030. This commitment to aligning with climate science established Dilmah as a sustainability leader in the industry. It also ensured Fernando’s environmental vision would endure under the next generation of leadership.
Since succeeding his father in 2019, Dilhan C. Fernando has admirably carried the sustainability torch forward. Dilmah continues working to improve manufacturing and distribution efficiencies, invest in renewable energy, and offset emissions through accredited projects in Sri Lanka and abroad.
The company’s most recent major milestone was having its carbon neutral certification renewed in 2022 for the 4th consecutive time. This reaffirmed that sustainability remains central to Dilmah’s identity and strategy.
In fact, Dilmah has expanded its scope, with new targets covering additional emission sources such as paper packaging. And the company is actively working with Sri Lanka’s Sustainability Development Council to shape a supportive policy environment for decarbonization.
Through these efforts, Dilmah continues walking the walk on sustainability under its new leadership. Dilhan Fernando is wisely building upon the strong foundation laid by his father rather than resting on laurels.
The progress at Dilmah shows that environmental stewardship must remain an ongoing journey, not a one-time achievement. Just as Merrill Fernando constantly raised the bar on sustainability until his retirement, the current leaders continue pushing boundaries today.
This ethos of continual improvement is Dilmah’s greatest legacy – and it’s exactly the mindset needed now across the business world. Every company should identify how they can embed social responsibility and eco-innovation into their culture and practices.
By remaining a sustainability pioneer, Dilmah provides an iconic example for Sri Lankan firms and global corporations alike to follow. They have proven that reducing environmental impact enables growth, resilience, and lasting brand value.
In this era of climate change, we desperately need more leaders who share Merrill Fernando’s vision and determination. Although he is no longer with us, his life’s work continues through Dilmah Tea and the countless people he inspired worldwide.
Fernando exemplified the power of ethical, compassionate business to drive positive change. His quiet yet unwavering focus was not wealth, but uplifting lives by sharing Ceylon tea globally while operating responsibly.
Let Fernando’s story motivate all executives and founders to integrate social purpose into their pursuit of profits. We must build business models that generate shared value, not extractive gain. Leaders should harness sustainability and innovation to build durable businesses that benefit all stakeholders – as Fernando did so masterfully through Dilmah.
The world owes much gratitude to sustainability pioneers like Merrill J. Fernando who see the future and lead by example. By carrying on his legacy of business excellence balanced with care for people and planet, we build a brighter tomorrow for all.
