29/10/2025

ESG WEDNESDAY | OCT 29, 2025

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BPMB Group, ALAM fire up Malaysia’s sustainability drive

Maybank upgraded to AAA, highest possible MSCI rating PETALING JAYA: Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) has received an upgrade in its MSCI ESG Rating from AA to AAA, representing the highest possible MSCI Rating as of Sept 8. The evaluation benchmarks May bank’s performance against leading peers in the industry. The upgrade was driven by improve ments in key areas of Maybank’s ESG performance, particularly within the Environmental and Social pillars. Maybank’s Environmental Pillar Score rose to 9.5 out of 10, anchored by the bank’s efforts in Financing Environmental Impact, supported by its relatively low to moderate exposure in financing activities to environmentally intensive sectors and the establishment of a dedicated team overseeing ESG risks in financing activities. Maybank’s improvement in the Social pillar score was driven by stronger performance in Human Capital Develop ment, Access to Finance and Consumer Financial Protection. This was reflected through strong efforts to attract and retain talent relative to peers, capitalise on financing opportunities and continued dedication to consumer protection, particularly through privacy commitments that empower individuals to control their personal information. Maybank president and group CEO Datuk Sri Khairussaleh Ramli said this achievement underscores their com mitment to creating long-term value for their stakeholders, positively contributing to the environment and communities their serve besides underscoring the focus of their M25+ strategy, which prioritises sustain ability and responsible growth as key drivers of their long-term vision. MSCI ESG Ratings assess companies on their resilience to financially relevant, industry-specific ESG risks and opportunities. Companies are rated on a scale from AAA (top-tier) to CCC (lower tier) based on how well they manage those risks relative to their industry peers.

KUALA (BPMB), its subsidiaries, Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd (EXIM Bank) and SME Bank Malaysia Bhd (SME Bank), is stepping up collective action with Amanah Lestari Alam (ALAM) to accelerate Malaysia’s sustainability journey. The pledge of the BPMB Group’s collective action was the highlight at the Climate Change Forum – Suara ALAM: Road to COP30 Belém 2025 jointly hosted by ALAM together with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental (NRES) and the Malaysian Green Tech & Climate Change Corporation (MGTC) recently. The collaboration intends to build on initiatives already in motion - from capacity building and green trade financing for businesses, to reforestation, marine conversation and efforts that reinforce Malaysia’s position as a megadiverse country of global significance. BPMB Group ensures that every transaction aligns with national priorities and sustainability goals by investing in projects that deliver economic growth, social equity, and environmental stewardship. Its MIND and Sustainability Framework introduced in 2024 with the Measuring Impact on National Development Model developed with the World Bank Group serves o Ahead of COP30, collaboration shows real change is already in motion together with LUMPUR: Bank Bhd Pembangunan Malaysia

(From left) CEDAR CEO Amirul Imran Ahmat, Reef Check Malaysia CEO Julian Hyde, Mohammad Hardee, NRES deputy secretary-general (environmental sustainability) Datuk Nor Yahati Awang, Ali, MUFG Bank Malaysia CEO and country head Motohide Okuda and ALAM CEO Wan Faizah Che Din.

grassroots climate action. Early partners include MUFG Bank (Malaysia) Bhd, supporting ALAM’s Be-Leaf reforestation programme, while Reef Check Malaysia has become the platform’s first recipient of RM100,000 seed fund to scale its marine conservation efforts. “Sinar ALAM is not just an idea - it is a living platform where communities lead, and partners rally around them. By giving people ownership, the solutions are more meaningful and lasting,” said ALAM chairman Datuk Ali Abdul Kadir. As Malaysia counts down to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the collaboration between BPMB Group and ALAM shows that real change is already in motion.

financing facility to accelerate adoption of sustainable practices, while also equipping businesses to navigate global requirements such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). “Across BPMB Group, we are clear on one thing: financing the future means financing sustainably. Every investment, whether in infrastructure, trade or SMEs, must bring Malaysia closer to a low-carbon economy and a just transition,” said SME Bank chief corporate strategy officer Datuk Wira Dr. Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim who also represented the BPMB Group. In addition, BPMB has seeded RM390,000 into Sinar ALAM, ALAM’s new crowdfunding platform for The collaboration will further enhance the Bank’s offering through the Sustainability Impact Programme (SIP), adding value to its clients while contributing to the Bank’s growth in new sustainable business financing, with a target of RM17 billion by 2028, having achieved RM15.2 billion as of August 2025. Alliance Bank chief sustainability officer Roy Heong said: “As the bank supports our client’s transition with our Sustainability Impact Programme, we are committed to providing the advisory and sustainable financing solutions needed for this journey. This collaboration with Control Union will allow us to offer beyond banking solutions such as assessments and verifications needed to measure the positive climate impact through these projects.” Control Union Malaysia managing director, Supun Nigamuni, shared his aspiration on this partnership and

as the guiding principle. The framework embeds ESG considerations across governance, operations and decision-making. Beyond this, SME Bank has already approved over RM11 billion in sustainable financing since 2022, issued Malaysia’s first Sustainability Sukuk worth RM2 billion, and trained more than 1,500 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in ESG standards through its Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research (CEDAR). It is now charting a Customer Transition Blueprint and measuring Scope 3 emissions to reinforce its Net Zero 2050 goal. Additionally, EXIM Bank introduced a RM1.5 billion green

Control Union and Alliance Bank to enhance firms’ ESG readiness KUALA LUMPUR: In an effort to improve access to sustainable financing, Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd and Control Union Malaysia Sdn Bhd (CU) inked an memorandum of understanding (Mou) aimed at strengthening ESG readiness their readiness to access sustainable financing. said: “Working with Alliance Bank allows us to create measurable impact by supporting businesses in meeting sustainability standards and accessing green financing opportunities.”

Meanwhile, Peterson Control Union Group CEO Johan Maris said: “This collaboration reflects our group’s global commitment to advancing sustainable finance and supporting the transition towards more responsible industries. “By combining Alliance Bank’s financial expertisewith our independent assurance and sustainability verification, we are helping businesses in Malaysia not only access green financing but also build long-term resilience in a changing world.” Alliance Bank was recently recognised at the ESG Business Awards 2025, taking home the “Collaborative Partnership Award”and “Stakeholder Engagement Award” for Malaysia which is a testament to its commitment towards sustainability.

amongst companies in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing,logistic and other high emitting industries. Alliance Bank, is known for providing holistic sustainable propositions comprising financing and beyond banking solutions for clients and the industry. This collaboration will serve to enhance the bank’s offerings with the help of CU, that provides third-party sustainability verification, certification, and ESG assessments. Under the agreement, CU will act as a preferred service provider to deliver independent assurance and ESG readiness assessments in line with local and international standards. Together, the parties aim to promote greater awareness, capacity

Supun and Heong posing with the memorandum of understanding.

Banking & Finance building, and higher adoption of sustainability practices. The collaboration also covers joint

initiatives such as ESG coaching, training, and advisory support to help businesses, especially SMEs, enhance

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