MAS Holdings (MAS) has been selected as a finalist for the
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion category at the 13th Reuters Events: Responsible Business Awards 2022 –
the world’s leading celebration of responsible business excellence.
Group Human Resources Director of MAS Holdings, Dinali Peiris, stated, “We are thrilled to be
shortlisted in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion category for the work that we are doing to create a
diverse and inclusive organisation for our 118,000 employees across 17 countries. The diversity of our
employees’ perspectives, experiences and skill sets has been instrumental in defining MAS’ offering
to our customers, our communities, and all our stakeholders, and we continue to learn from them every
day.”
MAS is committed to building a diverse workplace with equal opportunities, focusing on having 30%
women in management by 2025, and fostering inclusion with a special emphasis on persons with
disabilities.
Through its flagship women’s empowerment program, Women Go Beyond (WGB), MAS has provided
3.7 million opportunities for women in areas such as career advancement, women’s health and
reproductive rights, preventing gender-based violence, providing childcare support, mentorship and
sponsorship for women, and leadership and skills development. MAS’ efforts to create gender equality
include flexible work arrangements, recruitment policies, gender-sensitive communication, reducing
unconscious biases and setting goals and strategies to hold leaders accountable to improve female
representation in management.
Employing a rights-based approach in the inclusion of persons with disabilities, MAS proudly grows with
over 380 colleagues with disabilities ranging from vision, speech, hearing, cognitive and physical
impairments employed within the business. Through the Supported Employment model, MAS provides
the 4E framework of Employ, Engage, Enable, Empower, to help employees with disabilities integrate
into the organisation. MAS goes a step further to extend its work with persons with disabilities to the
products they make, with a focus on creating adaptive apparel solutions for their customers, believing
that clothes should be designed for everybody and every body.
The Reuters Events Responsible Business Awards are the world’s leading Awards celebrating leadership
in sustainable business. It is more than acknowledging excellent sustainability strategies. The Responsible
Business Awards recognise those that are truly having an impact on business, society, and the
environment – delivering a new blueprint for business in the 21 st century.
For the past 13 years, the Reuters Events Responsible Business Awards have served as the benchmark
for businesses from across the globe that are looking to showcase real leadership against their
international peers.
PRESS RELEASE
“It has been inspiring to see the quality and number of entries we’ve received for this year’s Awards.
There’s been a lot of new faces joining us in 2022, showing the progress we as an industry are making
towards a more sustainable future. There are some truly amazing initiatives and innovations across the
globe that are driving new responsible ways of doing business. We look forward to celebrating their
successes back in person at our ceremony in London in October.” Ed Long, Head of Sustainable
Business Events.
Finalists for the Diversity, Inclusion and Equity category, including a brief overview of their leading
strategies can be found here: https://events.reutersevents.com/sustainable-business/responsible-business-
awards/finalists
About MAS Holdings:
MAS Holdings, the largest apparel tech company in South Asia, is among the most recognised design-to-
delivery solution providers in apparel and textile manufacturing. Home to a community of over 118,000
people, today, MAS spans across 17 countries, with established design locations placed in key style
centers across the world. Catering to the demands of a dynamic and ever-changing industry, the MAS
portfolio has expanded exponentially; into brands, wearable technology, FemTech, start-ups and fabric
parks worldwide.
Over 35 years of operations, MAS has gained global recognition for its ethical and sustainable working
environment and for the organisation’s tireless efforts in social development and women’s
empowerment. Product excellence and craftsmanship have placed MAS on the world map as an industry
leader, showcasing unfailing delivery in innovative manufacturing and design. Today, the company’s
efforts to drive positive impact are outlined in the MAS Plan for Change, a commitment to create
sustainable change under three areas of focus: products, lives, and the planet. Through these initiatives,
MAS aims to inspire all employees to be changemakers, enabling dreams and enriching the fabric of life
on our planet.
Image captions:
Image 1 – MAS female team members on the factory floor
Image 2 – Building childcare facilities
Image 3 – MAS creates adaptive wear for consumers with disabilities