Sri Lanka’s first privately-operated industrial zone, MAS Fabric Park received ISO 14001certification awarded for environmental management systems, making it a trailblazer for industrial zones in the country. The certification follows diverse efforts by the park to enhance its environmental performance and management system
Commenting on the certification, Park Director Misver Deane stated, “ISO 14001 certification is a key milestone in a systematic and long-term approach to building an environmentally responsible business. We remain committed to providing competitive and resource-efficient solutions to our customers at the park and facilitating a sustainable path for their businesses”. The certification initiative which was led by Harsha Deraniyagala Senior Manager-Hydro & Environment has further strengthened the zone’s capacity to streamline its environmental processes and account for its environmental performance.
The MAS Fabric Park’s journey under the supervision of Director Engineering Tenisen Arachchilage focuses on minimizing environmental footprint investing in many short-term and long range initiatives. In 2012, the park invested into a biomass-powered-boiler for its steam supply to customers resulting in substantial savings of heavy furnace oil. The boiler is also the second such in the country to receive evaluation from the Central Environmental Authority to co-incinerate industrial sludge ensuring a responsible disposal mechanism for sludge waste within the zone.
The MFP Eco Center that went live in April 2012, is a solution offered in collaboration with Green Keepers Pvt. Limited that supports a zero-burn and zero-landfill policy. The Recycle Facilitation Plant is an integrated waste solution that takes in all non-biological and non-hazardous waste in facilities making management of it easier. The Fabric Park Eco Center has processed 110,000 Kg of waste since its inception last year. The zone’s administrative buildings also support a unique rainwater harvesting model which is channeled directly to the raw water sump minimizing chemicals and energy used to treat water for fabric manufacturing plants.
The park’s ISO 14001 certification forms part of the larger journey of MAS Holdings’ Environmental Sustainability Initiative which has driven a concerted effort across all its 30 facilities to improve environmental performance. A key pillar of the group’s environmental sustainability strategic framework is standardization which was enabled through ISO 14001 certification of all facilities. To date, 28 facilities of the Group are certified resulting in considerable improvement in facility level environmental management.
Outside of the business boundary, MFP has also reached out to surrounding communities by setting up Osu Gammana -a herbal plant nursery –the first such to be housed within an industrial zone in collaboration with the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine which acts as a supply base local medicinal needs. In an effort to inspire the youth in the region, the park has linked up with three local schools to enhance knowledge on sustainable development. MAS Fabric Park is a fully owned subsidiary of MAS Investments, which forms part of MAS Holdings.
Currently housing eight entities involved in fabric manufacturing, sewing solutions, fabric printing and supply chain management, the park offers multiple shared services to investors. Playing a role of vertical integration within the group, the zone strengthens MAS’ core business.
In addition to shared services, the park offers luxury employee accommodation, training facilities, industrial catering, dining and clubhouse facilities, sports ground, gymnasium, swimming pool and adventure activities through its leisure and lifestyle arm, MIMT.
