MAS marks 20 years of sustainability leadership through Eco Go Beyond sustainable schools programme

MAS Holdings is commemorating 20 years of its Eco Go Beyond Sustainable Schools Programme, celebrating two decades of sustainability education that has impacted over 377,000 students across 250 schools and engaged young people, educators, families and communities along the way.

Launched in 2006 in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Eco Go Beyond was founded on the belief that education could play a powerful role in shaping a more sustainable future. Working with schools in communities connected to MAS, the programme has sought to move beyond awareness alone, helping students understand sustainability challenges, explore their own role within them, and turn learning into action.

Over the past two decades, Eco Go Beyond has evolved alongside the global sustainability agenda and the changing needs of the students, communities, country and the planet. Its approach has progressed from school-based learning to student-led projects that create significant impact at the community level, while building knowledge, confidence and agency among the next generation.

For MAS, the anniversary also represents an opportunity to look ahead at the role sustainability education can play in an increasingly complex world. Suren Fernando, Chief Executive Officer of MAS Holdings, commented on this milestone, stating, “building a more sustainable future requires us to invest not only in the solutions of today, but in the people who will shape what comes next. Through the Eco Go Beyond sustainable schools programme, MAS remains committed to nurturing a generation of young people in Sri Lanka and beyond who have the knowledge, confidence and sense of responsibility to lead meaningful change.”

Reflecting on the programme’s journey, Amanthi Perera, Director – Sustainable Business at MAS Holdings, who was involved in Eco Go Beyond from its beginnings, said: “Twenty years is a significant milestone, but what stands out most is the collective commitment that has made it possible. Eco Go Beyond has endured because decision-makers, educators, students, parents and communities have continued to believe that sustainability education matters and have rallied around that purpose. The impact is not only in the number of young people we have reached, but in the ideas, choices and actions they have carried forward into their own lives and communities.”

At the heart of the success of Eco Go Beyond is the idea that sustainability education becomes most meaningful when learning is connected to everyday life. Students are encouraged to identify challenges within their schools and communities and develop practical responses, creating opportunities to apply what they learn beyond the classroom, and extending the programme’s influence beyond individual students. Over time, Eco Go Beyond has continued to refresh its content and delivery to remain relevant to emerging environmental and social priorities, while retaining this emphasis on learning through participation and action.

As Eco Go Beyond enters its third decade, MAS will continue to develop the programme in response to emerging sustainability challenges, while holding on to the belief that has guided it from the beginning: that the future is shaped not only by the choices made today, but by the values, knowledge and agency placed in the hands of the next generation. 

About MAS Holdings:

MAS Holdings is one of South Asia’s largest design-to-delivery solution providers in apparel and textile manufacturing. With a global community of 100,000, MAS spans across 13 countries with its portfolio expanding from intimate wear, sports and performance wear, athleisure, and swimwear into wearable technology, FemTech, logistics and fabric parks worldwide. Over three decades, MAS has earned global recognition for its ethical and sustainable working environment as well as its craftsmanship and product excellence. The company’s efforts to drive positive impact and create sustainable change in its products, lives and the planet are outlined in the MAS Plan for Change.