hydrate caribbean
A Great Partnership!
Partnering with Newport’s Hydrate Programme to ensure that Sheraton continues to be “The Mall That Has it All”, the baton was handed over to Harris Paints from the former sponsor of the free, water station at the mall yesterday.
The initiative’s goal of providing clean, drinking water to all, while reducing plastic waste, goes hand in hand with Harris Paints’ long history of environmental leadership.
Harris Paints leading the way.
“The company (Harris Paints) has been the chief proponent for the advancement of water-based paint solutions in the region since the early 1980s. For many years, high-odour, oil products that contain harsh chemicals were the go-to for many standard applications. At Harris Paints, we were the first paint company in the region to introduce half a dozen or more, ground-breaking, durable, water-based alternatives that are safer for use and kinder to the environment,” explained Dwayne Drakes, Retail and Export Manager of Harris Paints.
“Beyond products, Harris Paints was among the island’s first two recipients to be awarded Tier Five accreditation in the Green Business Barbados programme, with initiatives in the areas of energy conservation, waste management, employee well-being and productivity.”
Drakes said he considered The Hydrate Programme so significant, that the company would like to extend the concept, where possible, across the region to other territories where they operate, such as Jamaica.
“We recognize that water is a key resource and will grow more critical to us all in years to come. On top of recently doubling our investment in renewable energy, Harris Paints is also expanding our capacity to harvest rain-water and recycle water used in production. So by 2025, we aim to have the capacity to run our production plant free from public water.”
Pure Water at Sheraton Mall a Hit!
Karen Oliver, Marketing Coordinator for Sheraton Mall, confirmed the necessity of the hydration station at this highly trafficked public space, highlighting its frequency of use by visitors to the mall.
“We at Sheraton are honored to be taking part in the initiative here today. It has been two years since the Pure Water Station was installed at Sheraton Mall and it is integral to our commitment as we aim to reduce the carbon footprint, which led us to partner with Newport Water.
“Each day the water system is frequented by hundreds of Barbadians going along their busy days to work, the gym, shopping, and even children who visit the mall after school, and tourists. Like Newport, Sheraton believes that pure water should be accessible. It is a pleasure to see that Harris will continue sponsoring this worthy endeavour.”
Oliver ended by thanking Harris Paints and Newport for being “creative, innovative leaders in the green space of Barbados”.
Drakes echoed her remarks, saying, “I’d like to thank our partners Hydrate Barbados and Sheraton Centre for making this initiative possible. This drinking station provides the opportunity for thousands of people to not only access fresh water, but to refill their own bottles, significantly reducing plastic waste.”
The new design of the station features Harris Paints’ newest products – Ultima Plus Pure Interior Paint, which is the first Zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint to be introduced in the region.
“This represents the gold standard in environmental safety. It has been internationally quality tested and awarded the Green Wise Gold certification, which is one of the most exacting standards in the global paint industry. So we are very proud, and it’s another first for Harris Paints and for Barbados,” Drakes stressed.
Tyla Miller, Business Development Executive at Newport, highlighted that the Sheraton Hydration Station has been amongst the most utilised and noticed stations across the programme’s network on island, providing more than 79,000 bottle fills thus far.