At Dilmah, sustainability isn’t a strategy. It’s a standard. A promise we live by. A value we brew into every cup.
From the moment Merrill J. Fernando first declared that “business is a matter of human service,” we’ve done things differently. Our founder believed that the goodness in your cup should be matched by goodness for people and planet. That philosophy has shaped every leaf we grow, every community we support, and every tree we plant.
People First: The MJF Foundation
Named after our founder, the MJF Charitable Foundation is the soul of our purpose. Since 2002, it has helped transform lives across Sri Lanka by channeling a minimum 15% of our pre-tax profits into projects that uplift, educate, and empower.
From building schools and vocational centres to supporting people with disabilities and empowering thousands of women with new skills, the MJF Foundation is how we turn success into service. Every pack of Dilmah helps make it possible. When you choose our tea, you help someone else choose a brighter future.
Empowering Women
Over 2,000 women have gained new skills and livelihoods through the Women's Development Programme.
Supporting Differently-Abled Children
More than 3,500 differently-abled children receive care and support through the Rainbow Centre.
Youth Education
3,900+ youth have been educated and empowered through the Empower Culinary School and vocational training programs.
Scholarships
Over 500 individuals have benefited from the MJF Scholarship Programme.
Healthcare Support
Donated equipment worth LKR 64 million to strengthen the healthcare sector during COVID-19.
Kindness at Home: Impact in Australia
Our mission doesn’t stop at the equator. In Australia, we’re proud to partner with organisations making a difference on the ground - supporting communities, spreading warmth, and turning every cup into a small act of care.
From our Cups of Kindness campaign with The Salvation Army - which saw over 150,000 cups of tea and vital funds donated to support Australians doing it tough - to our more recent partnership with Cancer Council Australia, we’re always looking for ways to brew impact closer to home. Through special packs, we’ve helped raise awareness and contribute to life-saving research, because we believe tea can offer comfort in tough moments, and connection where it’s needed most.
Protecting Nature: Dilmah Conservation
Tea begins with the land, and so does our responsibility. That’s why we launched Dilmah Conservation in 2007 - to safeguard Sri Lanka’s fragile ecosystems and the wildlife that calls it home.
We’ve planted over one million trees, established Sri Lanka’s first private climate change research station, and achieved carbon-neutral tea production. From reforestation to research, we’re working to ensure that the landscapes behind your brew are protected for generations to come.
One of our most beloved efforts is the support of the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe. Here, orphaned elephant calves receive care, rehabilitation, and eventually, a return to the wild. These gentle giants are a living symbol of Sri Lanka, and with every sip, you help them roam free.
Reforestation
Planted over one million trees to restore forest cover in Sri Lanka.
Climate Research
Established Sri Lanka’s first dedicated research station for climate change, led by a corporate entity.
Wildlife Protection
Supported the Department of Wildlife to gazette Kayernkerni coral reef as a marine sanctuary.
Elephant Conservation
Actively support the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, caring for orphaned elephant calves until they can return to the wild.
Biodiversity Initiatives
Initiated the 'Bee a Keeper' project to protect, research, and educate about precious wild bees.
Kindness at Home: Impact in Australia
Our mission extends beyond Sri Lanka. In Australia, we’ve supported communities through campaigns like Cups of Kindness with The Salvation Army, donating 150,000+ cups and vital funds to Australians doing it tough.
More recently, our partnership with Cancer Council Australia has helped raise awareness and support life-saving research. Because tea is for sharing, comforting, and connecting. And when kindness starts at home, it has a habit of spreading far and wide.
Our Impact
Every Cup Counts
Whether it’s a reforested hillside in Sri Lanka or a community shelter in Sydney, Dilmah tea connects you to something bigger.
By choosing Dilmah, you become part of a movement - not of marketing, but of meaning. A movement that believes in ethical trade, in standing by farmers, in serving with heart, and in leaving the world better than we found it.
This is what we mean when we say: Let’s make the world a better tea.
