ESG Champions of Malaysia Recognised at The Sustainability and CSR Malaysia Awards 2023

Aug 2, 2023 | Faces & Happenings

The recent 8th edition of Sustainability & CSR Malaysia Awards 2023 saw outstanding Malaysian corporations that have excelled tremendously in ESG and corporate social responsibility honoured 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 calibre 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 marginalised and underserved communities in this nation.

The ceremony was officiated by Datuk Sri Hajah Nancy Binti Haji Shukri, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development. 

55 Malaysian listed and private companies together with GLCs were honoured, recognised and awarded for rising up to reach out to needy communities and to engage in sustainability endeavours for the betterment of all Malaysians.  Datuk Sri Nancy Shukri presented the awards in appreciation of their efforts and achievements.

Among the recipients of the awards are UMW Holdings, Yayasan Bank Rakyat, DRB-Hicom, YTL Construction, MR D.I.Y., UDA Holdings, Prudential Assurance, IOI Corporation, Fedex, OSK Holdings, SP Setia, Yayasan Sime Darby, TNB, Starbucks, Top Glove, KPJ, Mah Sing, Hong Leong Bank, Sunway Group, 7-Eleven, McDonalds, Media Prima Berhad, Kumpulan Perangsang, Pos Malaysia, Kenanga Investment Bank, Watson’s, Sun Life Malaysia, Alam Flora, Assunta Hospital, Edotco Group, Secret Recipe, Avarto Systems, Malaysian Sheet Glass, Lumut Maritime, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Oudganic Harvest, Disted College, Duopharma, Canon Marketing, Heineken, Flex Johor, UEM Edgenta, Malakoff, Biovisma, Hershey Malaysia, Capitaland Retail, Eastern Pacific Industrial Corp, Magnum Corp, Eupe Corp, Eco Foodsoft, Hektar REIT, Land Custody & Development Authority, Wipro Unza, Flex Penang and Lotus’s Stores.

At the event, six outstanding personalities who champion ESG and CSR causes were also honoured. Among them were Dato’ Ahmad Fuaad bin Mohd Kenali, the CEO of UMW Holdings Berhad who received the ESG Champion Award, a recognition of his dedication to CSR and environmental stewardship.  Datuk Sr Mohd. Salem Kailany, the CEO of UDA Holdings received the Sustainable Community Builder Award for his vision and achievement in ESG. Other personalities include Dato’ Sydney Quays, Dr Eswaran Nadarajan, Zulkifli Mawardi and Professor Dr Vikneswaran Nair.

According to Datuk Sri Nancy Shukri, the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development remains steadfast in its tireless pursuit of uplifting the lives of its esteemed target groups. “As we set out on this arduous mission, we recognise that success thrives not in individual endeavours but in collective unity. Therefore, we truly need the support and participation of various agencies, NGOs, corporate, and private sectors to achieve greater progress in social and community development.”

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, 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. As such, 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.

CSR Malaysia’s Co-Chairman and Managing Editor Lee Seng Chee believes that transparency on sustainable and socially responsible practices need to be given due attention and action as the demand for it is on the rise. Stakeholders in the likes of investors, customers, employees as well as non-governmental organisations, to whom companies are accountable to, would want to evaluate the impact a company’s operations has on the planet. Valuable insights that can assist in creating long-term value for stakeholders can be gained from diligent environmental, social and governance or ESG analysis and reporting. “It most certainly can cause a great paradigm shift in the financial metrics of a company and provide a useful channel for better investment choices.”

CSR Malaysia Carnival featuring some 15 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 organised by ‘CSR Malaysia’, an initiative of Pertubuhan Amal Tanggungjawab Kemapanan Dan Korporat Malaysia.

Donation cheques amounting to some RM50 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 organisations promote sustainable economies by helping marginalised 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 environmental factors,” said Lee, the Co-Chairman of CSR Malaysia.

Among the distinguished guests at the event were Datuk Dr Maziah Binti Che Yusoff, Secretary General of Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development, Y.A.M. Paduka Puteri Tunku Mariam bte Al-Marhum Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Patron of CSR Malaysia and Tan Sri Hamad Kama Piah, Group Chairman of UMW Holdings.

The event which was attended by some 550 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.