Outstanding Malaysian corporations that have excelled tremendously in ESG and corporate social responsibility were honoured at the recent 9th edition of Sustainability & CSR Malaysia Awards 2024 for their ESG achievements and for boosting the socio-economic transformation of Malaysia. The recipients of these awards were selected by a panel of high caliber judges representing corporate and social bodies. The annual event afforded the opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of inspiring Malaysian companies for their sustainability and corporate social responsibility efforts in creating a better Malaysia, especially through their heart-warming and impactful initiatives in helping the marginalized and underserved communities in this nation.
The ceremony was officiated by Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development.
Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad presented the awards in appreciation of the efforts and achievements of 60 Malaysian listed and private companies together with GLCs. They were honored, recognized and awarded for rising up to reach out to needy communities and to engage in sustainability endeavours for the betterment of all Malaysians.
Among the recipients of the awards are Yayasan Bank Rakyat, YTL, Yayasan MR D.I.Y., UDA Holdings, Prudential Assurance, Fedex, OSK Holdings, KPJ, Mah Sing, Hong Leong Bank, Sunway Group, 7-Eleven, McDonalds, Uniqlo, Zakat Selangor, Sarawak Energy, Standard Chartered, Flex Penang, Flex Johor, Air Selangor, Bank Pembangunan, Malakoff, Alam Flora, Lembaga Pelabuhan Johor, Radium, AEON, Touch ‘n Go, Capitaland, Bernama TV, KPS Berhad, Pos Malaysia, PKNS, Watson’s and Prudential.
At the event, six outstanding personalities who champion ESG and CSR causes were also honoured. Among them were Ahmad Fariz Hassan, the CEO of KPS Berhad who received the Sustainability Leadership Award, a recognition of his dedication to CSR and sustainability stewardship. Datuk Sr Mohd. Salem Kailany, the CEO of UDA Holdings received the Community At Heart Leadership Award for his various initiatives in giving back to society. Other recipients included Charles Brewer, CEO of Pos Malaysia and Wan Salwani Wan Yusoff, CEO of Besraya.
According to Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development remains committed to uplift the lives of its esteemed target groups. She said that the Ministry truly needs the support and participation of various agencies, NGOs, corporate, and private sectors to achieve greater progress in social and community development. “As we set out on this arduous mission, we recognize that success thrives not in individual endeavors, but in collective unity.
The judging Criteria for the Sustainability and CSR Malaysia Awards included clear purpose and goals of the company for the CSR initiative, the impact created or the significance of the CSR initiative, frequency of CSR events held, total amount of contributions given, transparency in reporting CSR initiatives, creative implementation of the CSR activities, strength of the CSR team and sincerity and the effectiveness of each initiative.
According to Dato’ R. Rajendran, Chairman of CSR Malaysia, ESG paves the way for a company to gain investor confidence, reduce operating costs, earn customer loyalty and improve both asset management and financial performance. The environmental, social and governance is a framework for sustainability management, ethical practices and conscious consumerism that is gaining widespread popularity in the business world. Good ESG strategies include a plethora of sustainability factors such as a company’s efforts toward reducing its carbon footprint, going green, encouraging diversity or introducing employee wellness programmes. Initiatives that matter the most to a business and are the easiest to implement should be the main focus.
CSR Malaysia’s Co-Chairman and Managing Editor Lee Seng Chee said that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, had provided a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reflect an urgent call for action by all countries in a global partnership. “First and foremost, I believe this also calls for a crucial paradigm shift in the mindsets of people for without the right mindset in place, nothing else will matter much. Robert Swan, a world-class speaker, polar explorer and the first person in history to walk to both the North and South Poles had once said, the greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”.
CSR Malaysia Carnival featuring some 20 NGOs and foundations was also held in conjunction with the event. The objective of the Carnival is to connect them to various corporate companies that were present at the event.
The event was organized by ‘CSR Malaysia’, an initiative of Pertubuhan Amal Tanggungjawab Kemapanan Dan Korporat Malaysia.
Donation cheques amounting to some RM60 million were also presented to charitable causes by the companies at the event.
Corporate Malaysia’s aspirations go beyond mere profits or building world class buildings or infrastructures. These caring organizations promote sustainable economies by helping marginalized communities and making environmental efforts to preserve our heritage for future generations. “Sustainability is much more than just a buzzword for the businesses of today. Sustainable economic growth promotes jobs and stronger economies while countering the effects of climate change, pollution and other environment factors,” said Lee, the Co-Chairman of CSR Malaysia.
Among the distinguished guests at the event were Y.A.M. Paduka Puteri Tunku Mariam bte Al-Marhum Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj and Tan Sri Faizah Tahir, Patron of CSR Malaysia.The event which was attended by some 700 corporate personalities not only celebrated the sustainability and CSR achievements of these outstanding corporations but also served as a source of inspiration for other corporations to emulate them.
