MAS extends Eco Go Beyond sustainable schools programme to India

Bodyline’s manufacturing unit, Intimate Fashions India supports programme rollout

Fifteen years since its inception, the MAS Eco Go Beyond sustainable development education programme was recently extended to India, marking the first time that leading apparel manufacturer, MAS Holdings has taken this initiative outside of Sri Lanka.

The Eco Go Beyond programme was launched in the Kayarambedu Government High School and the Nandiwaram Government Boys School, in partnership with MAS’ strategic business unit, Intimate Fashions India (Pvt) Ltd, a manufacturing unit of Bodyline Trading (Pvt) Ltd. The launch allowed students to engage and learn from award-winning film maker and educator Ramnath Chandrashekar and participate in experiential learning to identify sustainability issues in their environment.

“At MAS, we believe that the local communities that surround our operations are a key part of the ecosystem that strengthens our business. That’s why we want to make sure that we help sustain them, just as they sustain us. Over 15 years ago, we recognized the need to invest in sustainable development education as a longer-term intervention in creating change, and we established our sustainable schools programme, Eco Go Beyond, in response to this need. We are thrilled to be able to extend this initiative to India and are grateful to the wonderful educators we’ve partnered with here, who share our beliefs,” said Amanthi Perera, Head – Social Sustainability at MAS Holdings.

With 15 years in operation in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Eco Go Beyond programme has been activated in over 120 schools across the country. The programme incorporates sustainability concepts through three phases of sensitization, activation, and reward. MAS believes that schools can be catalysts in driving change—as spaces devoted for learning with allocated time, resources, and educators, they proved to be the most effective places to influence a captive audience.

The launch in the Kayarambedu Government High School and the Nandiwaram Government Boys School were attended by students, educators, guest speakers, community leaders, as well as representatives from MAS Holdings, Bodyline, and Intimate Fashions India.

MAS hopes to continue its expansion of the Eco Go Beyond programme in India and beyond in years to come, venturing into other communities and localities which MAS operates in, as part of its MAS Plan for Change commitment to create ‘thriving communities’.