MAS Intimates Thurulie announced Winner of Globe Award for Sustainability Innovation 2010

MAS Intimates Thurulie, the eco-manufacturing facility of MAS Holdings was feted with the coveted Globe Award for Sustainability Innovation for 2010.

The jury, consisting of a group of eminent global personalities chaired by Philip DesAutels, Manager of Academic Evangelism, Microsoft, and researcher at Bentley University selected MAS Intimates Thurulie as a prime example of innovation that converges sustainable development with successful business ethics.

The Globe Sustainability Innovation Award is presented in four categories: Sustainability Research, Sustainability Innovation, Sustainability Reporting and Sustainable City. Six criteria were used to evaluate and judge the candidates nominated for the Sustainability Innovation Award, namely Prime (genuine innovation), the economic viability, social viability, ecological viability, renewability, and ethical viability.

Last year, Tesla Motors won the Sustainability Innovation Award for their Model S Sedan, the world’s first highway-capable mass produced 100% electric vehicle. This year’s runners-up include some of the world’s most innovative companies such as Beakon Technologies AB (Sweden), Marine Current Turbines Ltd. (UK) and Southwest Windpower Inc. (US).

The jury commended the innovative efforts taken by the company to offer more to society than employment opportunities and a stable economy, stating, “We are delighted to select MAS Intimates Thurulie as this year’s winner of the Globe Award for Sustainable Innovation. The creation of this facility in the highly competitive clothing industry stands out as a prime example of sustainable innovation, and serves as a model for the convergence of sustainable development and successful business. The project exemplifies the potential of the triple-bottom-line perspective to move business beyond an exclusive focus on profit, to deliver wider value to people and the planet. The MAS Intimates facility demonstrates that novel design can be used to reduce the ecological impacts of production while enhancing value to the community. Furthermore, as Marks and Spencer’s sustainable manufacturing prototype, the initiative will impact production and supply chains around the world. MAS Intimates Thurulie stands out as a principled approach to sustainable development and as a true innovation generating profit and value for people and planet.”

Commenting on the award, Dian Gomes, Managing Director of MAS Intimates and Thurulie stated, “We took an opportunity to rewrite industry standards and take the message of sustainability to the fore in Sri Lanka and the world. It is an honor to be recognized for this pioneering effort that we saw as a challenge to innovate the unconventional. We saw it as a challenge, and we conquered it. This is what we do. We steer the industry in a new direction.”

MAS Intimates Thurulie is the world’s first purpose-built eco-manufacturing plant for apparel. British retail giant Marks & Spencer teamed with MAS Intimates to design and construct a model green factory for apparel as part of Plan A, a company-wide sustainability program. Built in 2008, Thurulie was intended to demonstrate feasibility and technology, and inspire other manufacturers to follow suit. It is powered by 10% solar energy and 90% hydropower, and uses 50% less water than similar plants.

Thurulie was awarded the LEED Platinum Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the World’s first LEED Platinum new built factory.

The Globe Award Ceremony will be held in Stockholmon the 29th of April 2010 alongside the Globe Forum Business Sustainability Conference on the 28th-29th April in Stockholm.