Creating Sustainability Mindsets

With a vision for education that empowers people to assume responsibility for creating a sustainable future, UNESCO Bangkok recently partnered with MAS Holdings, an apparel manufacturer in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

MAS Holdings has a history of ethical business practices that predate the concept of CSR.   When three brothers established the organization, development of a healthy and safe workplace was simply regarded as a good business practice.   However, 20 years on, this ethical approach to manufacturing is setting the organization apart in the competitive apparel sector.
  

Despite price-driven competition from China, brands such as Victoria's Secret and Marks & Spencer are seeking more from their suppliers.  Consumer pressure for goods to be ethically manufactured has created an opportunity for MAS Holdings to position themselves as a sustainable manufacturing alternative.

To support this vision, MAS Holdings developed a CSR strategy of their own.  Called 'MAS Go Beyond', this programme seeks to empower the organizations' 92 percent female workforce as well as develop a new generation of sustainability-minded Sri Lankan youths; the future employees and leaders of the organization.

A meeting of the minds

This focus on developing sustainability mindsets is of particular interest to UNESCO Bangkok as the organization demonstrates how businesses can take on the responsibility to teach employees, schools and communities in which they live and work.  

A recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with MAS Holdings triggers the establishment of such a partnership.   Synergies were identified which capitalized on MAS Holdings experience in developing in-school workshops and UNESCO's capacity to provide technical support in the area of ESD. 

The partnership will roll out an education project aimed at creating an understanding of sustainable development. In-school workshops will be conducted for schools followed by a project activation phase, which will enable the morphing of ‘sustainable development' from an abstract concept to a ground reality that impacted the everyday life of the audience of 15 - 18 year old youth.

A showcase example

Schools work on self designed projects which identify an existing sustainability problem and means to address the issue based on the learning gained from the workshop. This phase provides an opportunity for experiential learning.  The projects focus on ‘society' ‘economy' and ‘environment' in the contexts of home, school and community and will be showcased through school-based exhibitions.

Key to this project will be the development of a toolkit that will support replication of this project throughout the region.  Beyond providing tips for ‘bringing ESD to life', the toolkit aims to supply ESD providers with content and pedagogy that can be utilized in local communities.

There is a lot of potential in the region to allow for the success and development of this project and UNESCO is looking forward to embracing this opportunity with its sector leading partner, MAS Holdings.

Workshops aim to begin in May 2008 with an award ceremony in early October.  UNESCO Bangkok welcomes all enquiries about the programme to be directed to Derek Elias, Coordinator for ESD in Asia Pacific: d.elias[at]unesco.org