There’s a book entitled ‘A Man In His Time’ that sits, like a Gideon Bible, in each of the rooms of Jetwing Hotel Group’s 38 luxury properties, each scattered across Sri Lanka, however, the life story of Herbert Cooray – entrepreneur and unwitting sustainability visionary - might better read: ‘A Man Before His Time’.

Because if you are to understand why Sri Lanka’s largest ‘family-run’ hotel group leads the way in Asia for sustainability practices, then you need to start on 27th January 1929 when the group’s founder was born.

For in that moment, you will also meet Herbert’s mother, Lucy Wijegunawardena and father Jeramius, one a nurturing protector, the other the firmer hand of discipline and order.

But, taken together, they were loving parents who shaped Herbert’s destiny and played an instrumental part in producing the man who pioneered Jetwing’s trailblazing story.

Bullied at school, a lifelong socialist, cricket lover, anti-establishment figure and a committed non-conformist, Herbert was a maverick, a university dropout and a free thinker who did his own thing and, in doing so, often rattled his parents.

He knew hardship, food rationing and the injustices of imperial Ceylon but, by the age of 27, had begun his transformation from socialist to successful entrepreneurial capitalist. Wind the clock forward another 70 years and you have a hotel group with 38 properties, across 16 destinations with one paradise island thrown in for good measure!

But, more than that, you have a breathtaking showcase of sustainability practices that would put most hospitality organisations to shame.

Home grown water delivers 650 bottles a day!

Cinnamon wood

....is used to fire hotel boilers

“Our founder, my grandfather, Herbert Cooray, believed that hospitality cannot exist isolated from the local communities and the environment,” Hashan Cooray, Director of Marketing and Development at Jetwing Hotels, tells me.

“This philosophy has guided us for over 50 years, long before the term ‘sustainability’ became widely recognized.

"Our journey began with a strong focus on community empowerment and equitable tourism and, in the early 1990s, we expanded this vision to include environmental stewardship, pioneering initiatives such as wastewater treatment plants, and early adoption of circular economy principles across our properties.”

And, when you visit one of the group’s hotels, you quickly realise this is more than ‘marketing speak’. One of its showcase properties is the 5-star Jetwing Lake at Dambulla, close to Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks in Sigiriya, at the heart of Sri Lanka.

Here 180 staff not only beaver away front of house to ensure that guests want for nothing, but, behind the scenes there is a complex ‘eco’ machine also at work.

Food for the soul...

...a 300kw solar panel system

...or a little luxury at Jetwing Lake

There are biogas and composting units, a 300kw solar panel system which runs the hotel's daytime power needs before clicking into the national grid at night, an organic farm, water bottling plant, delivering 650 glass bottles of drinking water a day for use in hotel rooms, and even a separate treatment plant providing a daily supply of 100 cubic metres of ‘black’ and ‘grey’ water for lawns, showers and sinks: even drinking bottles are recycled. Little escapes Jetwing’s eco army!

“Cinnamon bark is used to create spice then the wood waste fuels our boilers” one of the engineers tells me proudly, “with the energy delivered generating steam to run our air conditioning chillers,” he adds.

In 2018 & 2019 the Jetwing Lake won the Presidential Gold Award for Sustainability as well as the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Gold Award.

Hashan Cooray is fiercely proud of his grandfather.

“His life philosophy continues to shape Jetwing’s identity long after his passing. His belief that business must serve a greater purpose—uplifting communities and protecting the environment—is deeply embedded in our culture and operations.

“At Jetwing, sustainability isn’t a separate initiative; it’s woven into everything we do—from the experiences we craft for our guests to the spaces we create for our associates.

“Grandfather was ahead of his time. He envisioned a business that was inclusive, responsible, and connected to the world around it—at a time when many companies operated in isolation from social and environmental concerns. His values laid the foundation for a way of thinking that has only grown stronger with time.

“As we transition into the third generation of our family business, we remain committed to evolving that vision. We actively seek to learn, adapt, and build upon the principles he instilled—ensuring that his legacy continues to guide us in a world that demands ever-greater responsibility and innovation; while also aiming to inspire others to follow suit.”

The smell of cinnamon wood also greets you at Jetwing St Andrew’s, a colonial gem exuding timeless elegance, with beautifully appointed rooms, refined dining and cosy spaces in the heart of Nuwara Eliya

Here the badminton court sits side by side with the hotel herb garden and, like its sister properties, St Andrew’s eco strategy sits at the heart of daily operations.

The same is true of Jetwing Jungle Lodge, a luxury reserve located in the south west close to Yala National Park.

Refurbished last year, 1222 solar panels power much of this facility. There’s a composting unit, a biogas plant and, for fear of sounding, boring, more of the same: this is eco at work but more than just lip service.

Jetwing Hotels’ Sustainability Strategy is built around six areas of focus: climate action, resource efficiency, heritage stewardship, empowered family, impact sourcing, and thriving community. These focus areas were carefully chosen based on where Jetwing, as accommodation providers, could create the most meaningful and measurable impact.

“When we first formalized our strategy,” adds Hashan Cooray, “our priorities included energy and carbon, waste and water, biodiversity, community and culture, family, and sourcing and production. These early areas of focus laid the groundwork for a more holistic and integrated approach to sustainability."

Sustainability was very much at the heart of Herbert Cooray’s philosophy—though it wasn’t called that at the time, says Hashan.

"Back then, the language was simpler, but the values were just as powerful. What we now define as 'sustainability' was, for him, a natural expression of care: care for people, for the environment, and for the communities that surrounded his work.

“He believed in doing the right thing,” adds his grandson, “treating people with respect, giving back to the community, and ensuring that the natural beauty of Sri Lanka was preserved for future generations. These weren’t strategic decisions; they were deeply held personal convictions.

“In many ways, Herbert Cooray was practicing sustainability before the term entered the business vocabulary. Today, we use more structured frameworks and terminology, but the essence remains the same: a deep respect for life, for nature, and for the people whose lives we touch.”

At the foot of every Jetwing email, brochure and literature, a phrase keeps greeting you: Jetwing ‘Your home of legendary Sri Lankan hospitality’.

But, with all things eco ever more at the forefront of people’s minds, few would disagree that the words ‘world-class sustainable practices’ might one day also find their way onto the Jetwing letterhead!

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