MAS Foundation for Change, the non-profit arm of South Asian apparel
tech conglomerate, MAS Holdings, announced direct-to-consumer intimate apparel brand Adore Me, a
Certified B Corporation™, as the funding partner for its recently launched mangrove restoration
project.
Sri Lanka, where the MAS Foundation for Change is headquartered, is a mangrove hotspot, home to 22
species of plants – yet some estimate that 50% of the island’s mangroves have been destroyed by
farming, tourism, settlement, and pollution.
The MAS Foundation for Change is an independent non-profit organization aimed at tackling the social
and environmental challenges faced due to biodiversity loss, ocean pollution, and lack of access to clean
water. The Foundation focuses on three areas of impact, including creating cleaner oceans, improving life
on our planet, and providing access to water. As part of its efforts to improve life on our planet, the
MAS Foundation for Change has identified mangrove restoration as an important step towards
improving biological diversity in coastal areas, as marine life breeds among the trees’ roots.
Speaking on this partnership, Director of the MAS Foundation for Change, Sharika Senanayake
said, “The MAS Foundation for Change is thrilled to be working with Adore Me on this mangrove
restoration initiative. Mangroves are a critical component of enhancing coastal ecosystems, as they
support marine life, help protect against natural disasters, store 3-4 times more carbon than terrestrial
forests, and provide livelihoods to coastal communities. This partnership supports the Foundation’s
goals by restoring mangroves across 2.5 hectares of deforested land in the Trincomalee district in Sri
Lanka. We are grateful for Adore Me’s continued support of the MAS Foundation for Change’s work to
create a positive impact on our planet.”
“Mangroves are the nurseries of the sea, protecting against natural disasters and providing
livelihood—but mangroves in Sri Lanka have been destroyed by pollution, tourism, and farming. By
partnering with MAS Foundation for Change, we – at Adore Me – sponsor the replantation of over 2,500
mangrove seedlings in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province” said Alix Coucardon, VP Brand & Consumer
Insights at Adore Me.
In 2019, Adore Me embarked on a company-wide transformation to incorporate sustainability into every
corner of its operations including the formal launch of the Adore Me Cares program, the publication of
its first ESG Report in July of 2022, and achievement of B Corp Certification in September 2022.
The mangrove restoration project will continue until December 2025. The first phase includes
establishing an onsite temporary mangrove nursery, measuring land using GPS technology, preparing
land, manually transporting plants to the site, and planting seedlings. The maintenance phase will involve
Press Release
replanting and maintaining the seedlings annually for three years. A bi-annual project assessment will also
be conducted to measure the survival rate of the plants.
To complete this project, the MAS Foundation has partnered with the Department of Forest
Conservation and will further enlist the support of Jaffna University and Eastern University of Sri Lanka
to facilitate research projects to measure impact. These projects will include an annual biodiversity
survey and the calculation of carbon sequestration.
Adore Me’s contribution to the project is another reflect of the company’s commitment to sustainability
and environmental responsibility. By partnering with MAS Foundation for Change, Adore Me hopes to
raise awareness about the importance of preserving and restoring mangrove forests in Sri Lanka and
around the world.
For more information on the mangrove restoration project in Sri Lanka, please contact the MAS
Foundation for Change.
Image captions:
Image 1 and 2 – MAS Foundation for Change x Adore Me Mangrove Restoration
About MAS Holdings:
MAS Holdings, the largest apparel tech company in South Asia, is among the most recognized 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. Over 35 years of operations, MAS has gained global recognition for its ethical
and sustainable working environment and for the organization’s tireless efforts in social development
and women’s empowerment. 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 planet. Through these initiatives, MAS aims to inspire all employees to be changemakers,
enabling dreams and enriching the fabric of life on our planet.