MAS Intimates Thurulie – the most innovative and perpetual project from Sri Lanka – is acknowledged by the Globe Sustainability Innovation Award 2010. The Globe Award statuette will be presented to representatives from MAS Intimates Ltd. on April 29th at a gala dinner at the Nordic Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.

“MAS Intimates is the world's first purpose-built eco-manufacturing plant for apparel. 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 … and as a true innovation generating profit and value for people and planet”, the jury states in the motivation for the award.

The Globe Sustainability Innovation Award is now presented for the fourth consecutive year. The goal of the award is to discover and recognize economically, socially and ecologically viable innovations that contribute to developing a sustainable society.

“We are delighted to select MAS Intimates Thurulie as this year’s winner of the Globe Award for Sustainable Innovation. The effort by MAS Intimates Thurulie and Marks & Spencer to create a sustainable AND world-class production facility represents an innovation that will impact the global supply chain. It exemplifies the big bold bets in sustainable innovation that are rewriting the rules of business – and improving the world for the better”, says jury group Chairman Philip DesAutels, Microsoft’s Director of Academic Evangelism and researcher at Bentley University.

The competition was fierce and the runners-up were extremely innovative companies like Beakon Technologies AB from Sweden; Danone Sp z o. o. from Poland (winner of Globe Award Polish Edition 2009); Marine Current Turbines Ltd. from the UK; Plantagon International AB from Sweden and Southwest Windpower Inc. from the US. Inspiring and prospective MAS Intimates (Pvt) Ltd. however, impressed the jury the most and was unanimously selected the winner.

The general mission of the Globe Sustainability Awards is to highlight and acknowledge particular cases and initiatives within the sustainability field. Globe Award has been given out since 2007 in four cathegories: Sustainable research, innovation, reporting and cities.

All Globe Award’s laureates will be awarded at a prestigious gala dinner at the Nordic Museum on April 29th in Stockholm, Sweden. The ceremony is held in connection the Globe Forum sustainability conference on April 28-29th in Stockholm.

For information about the other Globe Award winners, see www.globeaward.org.


For more information please contact:

Lars-Olle Larsson, Chairman of the Globe Award jury, Partner PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sweden
Mobile: +46-709 29 39 83, e-mail: lars-olle.larsson@se.pwc.com

Martina Nee, Manager Globe Award, Globe Forum, Stockholm, Sweden
Mobile: +46-733 17 53 55, e-mail: martina.nee@globeforum.com

Carin Balfe Arbman. Press Contact Globe Forum, Stockholm, Sweden
Mobile: +46-706 33 35 08, e-mail carin.balfe.arbman@globeforum.com


The jury’s full motivation:

"We are delighted to select MAS Intimates Thurulie as this year’s winner of the Globe Award for Sustainable Innovation. MAS Intimates is the world's first purpose-built eco-manufacturing plant for apparel. 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."

The Jury:

The jury consists of highly experienced and internationally recognized experts. The overall chairman of all jury groups is Lars-Olle Larsson, Partner PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sweden

Philip A. DesAutels – Chairman, Microsoft’s manager of Academic Evangelism; Researcher at Bentley University, USA

Pierre Berthon – PhD, Holds the Clifford F Youse Chair of Marketing / Strategy at Bentley University, MA, USA

Charlotte Masiello-Riome – Communication Expert Consultant for UN Food and Agriculture Organization, UK

Francesca Polini – Former Global Communications Director for Greenpeace; Founder of Wecare, UK

Prof. M.S. Swaminathan – UNESCO Ecotechnology Chair; Chairman of the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai (Madras), India


About the MAS Intimates (Pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka:

“MAS Intimates Thurulie is the world's first purpose-built eco-manufacturing plant for apparel. The company acclaimed sustainability plan. Transforming the supply chain towards sustainability was one of its targets. Marks & Spencer teamed with MAS Intimates to design and construct a model green factory for apparel as part of Plan A. As a model, it was intended to demonstrate feasibility and technology as well as inspire other manufacturers to follow suit.” www.masholdings.com