Our founder and chairman Tan Sri Sir Dr. Jeffrey Cheah believes that “our efforts at Sunway are driven by our recognition that realising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) is not the sole responsibility of governments. It requires the commitment of all sectors of society – the private sector, academia, civil society, and, of course, every single individual,” and that “we are all in this together.”

At Sunway, we recognise the need for leadership to help effect meaningful change and transformation in advancing the sustainability agenda. We see advocacy as a catalyst for meaningful change, and this is in line with our vision to be Asia’s model corporation for sustainable development.

We believe in harnessing the collective strength of corporations, academia and every single individual including our own staff as we learn, understand and innovate to put in place a harmonious eco-system and actionable plans to advance the UN-SDGs.

A Shared Commitment to Learn Together

The ever-evolving landscape of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) presents both opportunities and challenges that we are actively navigating.

We strongly believe in the “progress over perfection” motto where we are determined to consistently take progressive steps, however small, on this steep learning curve. By adopting a growth mindset, we will be better equipped to navigate the complexities, challenges and mistakes as learning opportunities.

We recognise that each organisation has their own unique sustainability journey, and that by sharing our experiences, insights and even our vulnerabilities with our stakeholders including industry experts, we can learn from one another and work together, and collectively identify potential risks and opportunities in ESG and sustainability.

Throughout the years, Sunway was invited to engage and speak in prestigious forums organised by various regulatory bodies, professional bodies and multinational corporations to share and learn together with fellow participants.

Shaping a sustainable supply chain

As a conglomerate that spans 13 businesses, we see the unique position we are in to advocate sustainable practices across our value chain.

Our pioneering Green Lease Partnership Programme – the first in Malaysia through our Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) division – communicates and fosters sustainable practices among our business partners, towards driving sustainable solutions.

Our retail arm Sunway Malls also launched the Sustainability Collaboration Alliance Network (SCAN), a five-way partnership involving the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development at Sunway University, Malaysia Retail Association, and Malaysia Retail Chain Association.

Sunway Malls aims to propel the sustainability agenda forward for retail businesses through this alliance.

As part of the initiative, a three-tier learning programme titled ReX (Retail Extended Learning) was introduced to drive sustainable business practices and decision-making among retail business practitioners.

Furthering our commitment to advocating sustainable and responsible business practices, we conduct a comprehensive Sustainability Risk Assessment for our suppliers in alignment with the Sunway Sustainable Procurement Policy.

This assessment is steered by the Simplified ESG Disclosure Guide (SEDG), rolled out by the Capital Markets Malaysia (CMM) to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) navigate ESG disclosures, encouraging them to measure and document their sustainability progress, and eventually enable our Scope 3 emissions reporting.

Through these initiatives, we align business practices with environmental and societal advancements.

Tying it All Together

Sunway’s commitment to sustainability and ESG transcends organisational boundaries, embodying our vision to be Asia’s model corporation in sustainable development.

In line with this aspiration, we will continuously advocate sustainable development by imparting our knowledge and experiences, and through learning from our industry peers, business partners as well as experts in the field.

As we navigate this path together, humility remains at the forefront, driving us to harness collective strength for impactful, sustainable change.