27/08/2025

ESG WEDNESDAY | AUG 27, 2025

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Bridging solutions with corporate action

CelcomDigi empowers SME partners to uplift capabilities

PETALING JAYA: CelcomDigi Bhd recently onboarded close to 100 Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SME) and exclusive sales partners from over 60 companies in the first batch of its CelcomDigi Vendor Empowerment and Excellence Programme (VEEP). VEEP is a

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sustainability & ESG Association Malaysia (SEAM), a new national platform uniting ESG practitioners, corporates, government agencies, and policy architects, held its soft launch recently. Founded by experienced sustainability and ESG professionals, SEAM aims to drive meaningful ESG adoption through real-world implementation, not just reporting. The association’s cornerstone is the IDEA C Framework – a structured approach designed to help corporates identify ESG opportunities, diagnose gaps, engineer solutions, activate change, and communicate measurable impact. SEAM fills a critical market gap by connecting ESG-certified professionals and solution providers with businesses seeking verified, scalable sustainability practices. With Malaysia’s 12th Malaysia Plan and global sustainability trends pressing companies toward net-zero targets, SEAM will also function as a key knowledge partner to government agencies in developing ESG related policies, frameworks, and standards tailored to the local context. “In today’s ESG landscape, we see a persistent disconnect – corporates are eager to act but struggle to find credible, implementation-ready solutions, while many ESG innovators lack access to the right decision-makers within organisations,” SEAM founding president Liang Yit Wen said. “SEAM is here to close that loop. “We

o SEAM platform brings together sustainability practitioners, govt agencies and policy architects

strategic initiative designed to uplift SMEs within the company’s supply chain, equipping them with practical knowledge, tools and access to opportunities to raise their business standards and credibility. The first phase of VEEP kicked off with a focus on building ESG fundamentals across the supply chain using the Simplified ESG

profiles or enhancing stakeholder trust, we help corporates embed ESG in a way that drives both organisational resilience and planetary well-being.” SEAM secretary Martin Heng said: “Malaysia’s ESG movement is at a tipping point, and we believe that collaboration is the catalyst. Our upcoming national conference in December will serve as a Sustainability ‘action lab’ – a space where policymakers, technologists, investors, and practitioners can converge to accelerate tangible progress. “From green financing and digital tools to regulatory readiness, it’s about connecting the dots and helping Malaysia lead with action, not just aspiration.” SEAM’s membership is open to ESG certified professionals, consultants, implementors, compliant corporates, and relevant institutional alliances. The association will also work closely with stakeholders such as regulators, certification bodies, and capital market players. SEAM’s long-term vision is to be the trusted association for shaping world-class sustainability and ESG policies and to position Malaysia as a regional sustainability leader through public-private collaboration.

provide a trusted, neutral platform that brings both sides together, helping businesses take action confidently, and enabling solution providers to scale their impact. “Our aim is to turn ESG from ambition into execution, and from pledges into measurable value.” As part of its future initiatives, SEAM also aims to facilitate access to sustainable finance by working with capital providers to support members’ eligibility for Green Loans and sustainability-linked financing. By enabling businesses to validate and communicate ESG performance through structured metrics and verified outcomes, SEAM strengthens their case for green funding, helping to unlock the capital needed for meaningful climate action and operational transformation. SEAM vice-president Alex Yeoh said: “ESG is no longer just a reporting exercise, it’s a strategic lever for business growth. “Through SEAM’s ecosystem model, we ensure that sustainability solutions don’t just tick boxes but actually create commercial value. “Whether it’s unlocking new revenue streams, attracting top talent, improving risk

Disclosure Guide (SEDG) for SMEs in Supply Chains incollaboration with Capital Markets Malaysia. The modules covered will help SMEs to integrateresponsible practices, and to measure and disclose the ESG impact of their business. The initiative aligns with Bursa Malaysia’s expectations for corporates to build ESG-ready supply chains which are essential for enhancing credibility, unlocking growth opportunities, and meeting the risingdemand for ESG-aligned business partners. CelcomDigi chief corporate affairs officer Joachim Rajaram said ( pic ): “SMEs form over 97% of Malaysia’s business landscape and are projected to deliver 45% of the country’s GDP this year, making them a driving force of our economy. “Supporting their growth is a strategic priority for us as part of our ESG commitment to build a sustainable value chain. “With Malaysian companies making up over 72% of our value chain, we see a clear opportunity to empower Malaysia’sbusiness landscape by starting within our own ecosystem.” He added that the partnership with CMM lays the groundwork for responsible business practices and they aim to build acomprehensive programme that supports the growth and sustainability of SMEs within their value chain to cover accelerating digitalisation, cross-sector collaboration to expand access to more business opportunities, and to funding and commercialisation channels.

Yeoh (left) and Liang.

MCE ranked among top performers in Shared Prosperity Assessment KUALA LUMPUR: MCE Holdings Bhd has been recognised as a model company and Gold Award recipient under the Sustainability Shared Prosperity Organisation Assessment (SSPOA), an initiative by the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) to honour organisations that promote equitable, performance-based wage systems and sustainable, ESG-driven business practices. MCE was assessed alongside other organisations through MPC’s digital platform and was evaluated under the large company manufacturing category. and inclusive employment practices, performance-linked incentives, and ongoing investment in sustainability. It also underscores MCE’s solid performance across all five assessment pillars, with particular strengths in workforce development and operational excellence. MCE Group managing director Dr Goh Kar Chun said: “We are proud to receive this recognition, which acknowledges the effort our team has invested in building a resilient and inclusive organisation. “It strengthens MCE’s position as a forward-looking company committed to driving inclusive growth, advancing productivity, and contributing to Malaysia’s transformation into a high-value, innovation led economy.” business performance with employee well being and sustainable growth. It reflects a mutual value system in which incentives are fairly distributed in accordance with both individual and organisational performance. MCE is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) specialising in the design, engineering, and manufacture of automotive electronic and mechatronic parts for the Malaysian and regional markets. The group also actively pursues

Companies are scored based on a 1,000 point framework across five strategic pillars: People, which focuses on fair employment and talent development; Process, which assesses productivity and operational practices; Product, which looks at innovation and quality; Prosperity, which evaluates shared economic value creation; and Planet, which reflects environmental sustainability initiatives.

Introduced in 2023, the SSPOA is designed to identify and recognise organisations that demonstrate excellence in implementing the Productivity-Linked Wage System (PLWS) and Employee Shared Commitment (ESC), aligning

diversification into non automotive sectors through high-value contract manufacturing, supporting its long-term growth and innovation agenda.

This recognition highlights MCE’s strong commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, reflected in its fair

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