At DIMO volunteerism is shaping how its people live the company’s purpose of fuelling dreams and aspirations of the communities it serves. Today, through the DIMO Nature Club, employee volunteerism is at the heart of the company’s ambitious Sustainability Agenda 2030—a blueprint to build a resilient business, a resilient community, and a living planet.
A Platform for Passion
Launched in 2022, the DIMO Nature Club has quickly become the centerpiece of employee volunteerism in environmental and community development initiatives at DIMO. Open to all staff, it provides a structured platform for both conservation and social welfare projects, guided by a code of conduct that reflects DIMO’s core values. At its heart lies an annual plan, carefully designed to balance environmental and social initiatives while creating opportunities for meaningful employee volunteerism.
When it comes to conservation, the Club adopts an educate-before-action approach. Volunteers are first introduced to the importance of ecosystems and conservation practices before participating in hands-on activities. This ensures that employees contribute not only with enthusiasm, but also with knowledge. Social projects, on the other hand, follow a different path, encouraging employees to engage directly with communities, elders, and children in need, while also sharing their professional expertise to uplift others.
A key factor in sustaining participation is the active involvement of DIMO’s top management, whose presence inspires more employees to step forward. To keep volunteerism sustainable, the company has adopted a balanced model: field excursions are co-funded by both the organisation and participants, fostering financial ownership, while large community projects such as shramadana campaigns and charity drives are primarily funded by DIMO, with additional contributions from employees.
The Club limits the number of events each year to maintain focus and impact, typically organising at least one activity per month. Communication is kept simple: announcements are shared via email or WhatsApp, and participation is voluntary. With this interest-based approach, the Club ensures that every initiative is powered by genuine commitment.
From Forests to Communities
In just three years, DIMO Nature club has conducted 48 volunteer events. These range from conservation efforts to social welfare programmes, each tailored to address both immediate needs and long-term sustainability goals.
DIMO’s employee volunteerism extends deeply into environmental conservation, where the DIMO Nature Club has become a catalyst for awareness and action. Field excursions, a cornerstone of its initiatives, immerse employees in Sri Lanka’s diverse ecosystems; these range from the lush rainforests of Sinharaja, Kanneliya, and Runakanda, to the dry landscapes of Dambulla, the wetlands of Beddagana and Anawilundawa, and the flamingo-rich habitats of Mannar, to name a few.
Each journey is enriched by the presence of specialists, ensuring participants gain knowledge as well as experience. Beyond exploration, employees have engaged in impactful conservation projects such as cleaning programmes at Negombo Beach following the Xpress Pearl disaster, Sri Pada,and Kumana National Park after the Paada Yathra pilgrimage.
Longer-term initiatives, such as Life to our Forests in Kanneliya and the Mangrove Restoration Project in Galle, form part of DIMO’s environmental sustainability efforts under its Sustainability Agenda 2030, with employees actively volunteering to drive these projects and contribute to the company’s biodiversity goals.
Under the social projects segment, the first major volunteer effort was a Community Kitchen during the economic crisis in 2022, where DIMO employees, despite limited access to transport, came together to support community in Grandpass. Since then, members of the DIMO Nature Club have undertaken initiatives such as blood donation campaigns, pala dansala, painting the Children’s Ward at Apeksha Hospital, and engaging with elders’ and children’s homes to bring comfort, care, and emotional wellbeing to these communities.
These experiences not only strengthen employees’ connection with nature and society but also translate their learning into purposeful action, reinforcing DIMO’s commitment to conserving a living planet while fuelling both community aspirations and ecological resilience.
Tied to the Sustainability Agenda 2030
At DIMO, employee volunteerism is more than a goodwill gesture. It has become a strategic enabler of the company’s Sustainability Agenda 2030, driving impact across all three of its pillars: building a resilient business, creating a resilient community, and conserving a living planet.
Within the workplace, sustainability is embedded into everyday operations. Employees actively practice resource efficiency by reducing paper use, conserving energy and water, and upholding ethical conduct in their work. These small but consistent actions collectively strengthen DIMO’s vision of a resilient business.
Beyond the organisation, employees extend their efforts into communities through the DIMO Nature Club. By mentoring, training, and sharing their expertise, employees contribute to community development projects like Lassana Hetak training programmes for schoolchildren. These initatives support DIMO’s broader targets of creating a positive impact on one million individuals by 2030. This people-focused outreach reflects the company’s commitment to shaping a resilient community.
Equally significant is the contribution to conserving natural ecosystems. Volunteers are actively engaged in environmental projects such as the Galle Mangrove Restoration and the Life to forest reforestation initiative. These programmes not only enrich employees with hands-on conservation experience but also advance DIMO’s goals of carbon reduction, biodiversity restoration and zero landfill.
Transformation Within
One of the most profound outcomes of DIMO’s volunteerism culture has been the way it has reshaped employee relationships. Volunteer initiatives bring people together across departments in challenging yet purposeful settings. This spirit of shared experience has strengthened bonds, fostered teamwork, and created a sense of unity that extends well beyond the projects themselves.
Volunteerism has also proven to be a platform for developing leadership. The introduction of Club Ambassadors, employees who act as liaisons between the Sustainability Team and their respective departments, has nurtured new leaders within the organisation. These ambassadors play a critical role in driving awareness, encouraging participation, and embedding sustainability deeper into everyday work life.
Recognising and Scaling Efforts
DIMO places great importance on acknowledging the dedication of its volunteers. Each year, the DIMO Nature Club hosts an anniversary celebration where members are recognised for their contributions. Recognition goes beyond simple participation counts, considering the commitment shown and the impact created through initiatives, such as educational programmes conducted in all three languages across the country under Lassna Hetak key community development project of DIMO. This appreciation reinforces the value of volunteerism and motivates employees to remain engaged.
Looking ahead, DIMO plans to broaden the scope of its initiatives by inviting expert voices to enrich learning and expand the reach of its projects. A key focus will be on increasing the participation of employees from branches beyond Colombo, ensuring that the spirit of volunteerism becomes truly organisation-wide. By scaling participation while preserving authenticity, DIMO aims to build an enduring culture that reflects its sustainability vision for 2030 and beyond.