Full event: Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium (A-EPIC)
Three regional media powerhouses, Star Media Group, KG Media (part of Kompas Gramedia), and the Inquirer Group of Companies, have come together to form the Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium (A-EPIC).
This collaborative effort aims to champion sustainability and foster positive impacts in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) realms across the region.
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
This collaborative effort aims to champion sustainability and foster positive impacts in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) realms across the region.
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00:00Ladies and gentlemen, please join us in welcoming our guests of honour.
00:00:10Yang amat berhormat, Dato Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, accompanied by our distinguished guests.
00:00:30Sepenuh hati, jiwa, semangat, terus meyakini Malaysia Madani.
00:00:38Keyakinan jadi ikutan, pendirian jiwa ihsan, nilai hormat keras dimindah, daya cita luar biasa.
00:00:54Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing as we will be singing the national anthem, Negaraku.
00:01:24Negaraku, tersanggung dan maju,
00:01:33Jangan paham, rumah dunia beras,
00:01:45Raja kita selamat datang,
00:01:57Jangan paham, rumah dunia beras,
00:02:09Raja kita selamat datang.
00:02:23Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated.
00:02:25Assalamualaikum and a very good afternoon to Yang Amat Berhormat, Dato Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia,
00:02:32Yang Berhormat, Nick Nazmi bin Nick Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability in the Unity Government,
00:02:40His Excellency, Dato Indra Hermono, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Malaysia,
00:02:46Her Excellency, Maria Angela Brera Pons, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Malaysia,
00:02:53Excellencies, Ambassadors and Diplomatic Representatives from across Asia,
00:02:58Dato Tan Sri Wong Fun Meng, Chairman of Star Media Group,
00:03:03Dato Chan Seng Fat, Chief Executive Officer, Star Media Group,
00:03:09Dato Andy Budiman, Chief Executive Officer, KG Media,
00:03:14Dato Rudiad Arbolado, President and Chief Executive Officer, Philippine Daily Inquirer,
00:03:21Dato Azmi Amerikan, Group Managing Director, Saim Darby Property Berhad,
00:03:25Members of the Media, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
00:03:29Now before we begin, let us invite Mr. Mohamad Fuad bin Mohamad Nur for the Doa Risada.
00:03:35Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
00:03:38Let us begin with the recitation of Umul Kitab Al-Fatiha.
00:03:42Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Alhamdulillahirrahmanirrahim.
00:03:45Ar-Rahmanirrahim. Maliki yawmiddin. Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'im.
00:03:50Illina as-sirata al-mustaqim. Sirata al-lazeena an'amta alayhim.
00:03:54Ghayri maghdubi alayhim wa la ta'aleen.
00:03:57Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Alhamdulillahirrabbil'alamin.
00:04:01Hamdan yuwafi ni'mahu yukaafi'u mazidah.
00:04:04Ya Rabbana laka alhamdu kama yanba'il lijalal wajika wal a'zimil karimi wa a'zimi sultanik.
00:04:11Allahumma salli wa sallim ala Sayyidina Muhammad.
00:04:14Salatan tunjihi nabiha min jami'il ahwali wa'l-afad.
00:04:17Wa taqdila nabiha jami'il hajaz.
00:04:20Wa tutahhiru nabiha min jami'il sayyi'as.
00:04:23Wa tarafa'u nabiha aindaka aqdas darajas.
00:04:26Wa tubalighu nabiha al-aqsal ghayats.
00:04:28Min jami'il khairats fil hayati wa abadil mamads.
00:04:32Wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'in.
00:04:35Ya Allah, Ya Rahman, Ya Rahim.
00:04:37We come together in this moment to pray and seek your divine mercy and guidance.
00:04:41By your grace, we ask that you provide us with a clear direction,
00:04:44fortify our bonds of unity and enhance our endeavours
00:04:48in both our spiritual journey and worldly pursuits.
00:04:52Ya Allah, Ya Muhammad, Ya Aziz, Ya Jabbar.
00:04:55You who wield the ultimate power and majesty,
00:04:58we beseech you for your favour and wisdom.
00:05:01Bless our intentions and plans on this day and for the days ahead.
00:05:06Guide us with your unvarying light and lead us along the straight path,
00:05:10the path of peace and prosperity.
00:05:13Shield us from the calamities and harmful characteristics.
00:05:16Protect us from conflicts that may lead to separation and destruction.
00:05:21Ya Allah, Ya Hayyul Qayyum.
00:05:23Endow us with the strength and capability needed to devise
00:05:27and implement strategies for ESG sustainability.
00:05:31Let us strive for excellence and well-being as we work together
00:05:35towards the noble objective we seek.
00:05:38May the solidarity among the three nations gathered today,
00:05:41Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines,
00:05:45contribute to the global endurance of ESG initiative.
00:05:53Allahumma, Ya Malika dunya wal akhirah.
00:05:56Bless this nation of Malaysia and extend your mercy and protection
00:06:01to all who are connected with it.
00:06:03May everyone here be graced with your guidance towards the path
00:06:07that earns your pleasure.
00:06:09May Allah bless us and grant us forgiveness and mercy.
00:06:14May Allah grant us a good life and a good hereafter.
00:06:18And may we be punished by the fire.
00:06:20And may we enter heaven with the righteous.
00:06:22O' Mighty, O' Forgiver, O' Lord of the worlds.
00:06:25May Allah's peace and blessings be upon His Prophet Muhammad
00:06:28and upon his family and companions.
00:06:31And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
00:06:33Ameen, O' Lord of the worlds.
00:06:34Ameen, Ameen, O' Lord of the worlds.
00:06:36Thank you so much, Mr. Fuad.
00:06:39Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,
00:06:41and welcome to the launch of the region's first
00:06:44Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium,
00:06:47known by its acronym EPIC.
00:06:50We are thrilled to have you with us today.
00:06:52My name is Alvin Anton.
00:06:53And I'm Daphne Aiking, and we're absolutely honoured
00:06:55to be your host for this momentous event.
00:06:57Now, we have an exciting programme lined up for you,
00:07:00so let's get started.
00:07:01The Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium, better known as EPIC,
00:07:06is a groundbreaking cross-border alliance in the region.
00:07:09Now, this consortium unites leading media organisations
00:07:12in a solidified partnership with a common goal
00:07:15to advance the adoption of ESG, environmental, social,
00:07:19as well as governance, in the mainstream media,
00:07:22ensuring public accountability as well as transparency.
00:07:26Ladies and gentlemen, the founding members of EPIC
00:07:29include three prominent media entities,
00:07:33Star Media Group from Malaysia,
00:07:35we've got Media Group of Compassgram Media,
00:07:37KG Media from Indonesia,
00:07:39as well as the Inquirer Group of Companies,
00:07:41IGC from the Philippines.
00:07:44As key influencers of the media landscape,
00:07:46the consortium recognises that its responsibility
00:07:49extends beyond news gathering and distribution.
00:07:53The consortium aims to achieve this
00:07:55through the delivery of content that informs,
00:07:58that inspires and empowers audiences across the region.
00:08:03Ladies and gentlemen, now without much further ado,
00:08:06let's start our historic event today,
00:08:08and with that, I would like to call upon on stage
00:08:10Mr. Chan Seng Fad, Group Chief Executive Officer
00:08:13of Star Media Group of Malaysia,
00:08:15to deliver his welcome address.
00:08:17Please, let's give him a big round of applause,
00:08:19ladies and gentlemen.
00:08:22Yang Abad Prohamat, Tatoe Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim,
00:08:36Prime Minister of Malaysia.
00:08:38Yang Prohamat, Nick Nasmi bin Nick Ahmad,
00:08:41Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.
00:08:46His Excellency, Tatoe Intra Hermono,
00:08:50Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Malaysia.
00:08:54Her Excellency, Maria Angela Abra Pons,
00:08:58Ambassador of the Republic of Philippines to Malaysia.
00:09:02Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners,
00:09:06Yang Bahagia Tan Sri Wong Fun Ming,
00:09:09Chairman of Star Media Group.
00:09:11Yang Professor He, Tuan Andy Budiman,
00:09:15Chief Executive Officer of KG Media.
00:09:18Yang Professor He, Tuan Rudiat Aburado,
00:09:22President and Chief Executive Officer of Philippines Daily Enquirer.
00:09:27Yang Bahagia Tatoe, Asmil Marikan,
00:09:31Group Managing Director of Samdabi Property Perhat,
00:09:34Senior Government Officer,
00:09:36Members of the Media,
00:09:38Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
00:09:41Good afternoon, and thank you for taking time to join us today
00:09:46at this milestone launch of Asia's first ESG Positive Impact Consortium.
00:09:51It is truly an honour to have Yang Ahmad Brahmad,
00:09:55Tatoe Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia,
00:09:59and Yang Brahmad Nick Nasmi bin Nick Ahmad,
00:10:03Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability,
00:10:07to grace us with their presence at this auspicious event.
00:10:11We are also grateful for the attendance of the Excellencies,
00:10:15Ambassadors and High Commission from across Asia.
00:10:19Their participation underscores our shared commitment
00:10:23in addressing crucial sustainable development and climate change issues,
00:10:28as well as highlights the strength of cross-border cooperation.
00:10:33Today, we gather at a pivotal moment in Asia's journey towards sustainable development.
00:10:41It is an honour to represent Star Media Group, KG Media and Enquirer Group of Company today
00:10:48as we stand together at this crucial juncture
00:10:52in our collective pursuit of sustainability and positive impact.
00:10:58In recent years, the urgency to address environmental and social challenges
00:11:04has intensified globally.
00:11:06Countries in Asia are increasingly recognising the sustainable practices
00:11:12are no longer optional, but essential for our collective futures.
00:11:18As key media organisations, we have embraced this reality,
00:11:22understanding that media play a crucial role in driving awareness and action.
00:11:28Taking heel of this call,
00:11:30we began re-evaluating our operations to align with our country's goals
00:11:36of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
00:11:41We expanded our coverage to include critical topics such as climate change,
00:11:48the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles.
00:11:53By doing so, we aim to educate the public,
00:11:56inspire actions and contribute to the global discourse on sustainability.
00:12:03Our commitment to this cause has never wavered.
00:12:06We continue to publish articles to raise the people's awareness about pressing matters of the time.
00:12:13Ladies and gentlemen, a recent study found that only 25% of Malaysian SMEs
00:12:19currently implement ESG practices.
00:12:22This highlights the need for greater awareness and support,
00:12:26as many of them are still struggling with the complexity of ESG and broader sustainability goals.
00:12:33Recognising these challenges,
00:12:35STAR Media Group invested in the STAR ESG Initiative in 2022,
00:12:42featuring a money STAR ESG pull-out and STAR ESG Academy
00:12:47to facilitate learning and knowledge sharing.
00:12:51To date, we have published over 400 articles covering thought leadership,
00:12:56industry best practices and community stories.
00:13:00We have also organised numerous ESG clinics, webinars and thought leadership workshops,
00:13:07reaching over 11,000 members of the business community.
00:13:11Similarly in Indonesia, KG Media, under the leadership of Mr Andy Budiman,
00:13:18spread-headed several projects to drive sustainability and environmental stewardship.
00:13:23The Asaya Pilip Bumi campaign, for example,
00:13:27has mobilised communities across the country to participate in tree planting,
00:13:32waste reduction and recycling programmes.
00:13:35To further amplify this effort, they have also launched the LASTARI campaign,
00:13:42a collaborative movement designed to elevate local sustainability initiatives for greater impact.
00:13:49Through LASTARI, they aim to foster broader cooperation
00:13:53and create significant change in addressing the nation's environmental and social challenges.
00:14:00Meanwhile, the Philippine Daily Enquirer, under the guidance of Mr Rudiat Abarado,
00:14:06has also been at the forefront of promoting ESG principles
00:14:10through various initiatives, including the Enquirer ESG Edge.
00:14:15These initiatives aim to raise awareness and promote best practices in ESG among businesses
00:14:22and investors in the Philippines.
00:14:25In their effort to further their mission,
00:14:27they recently formed a network of thought leaders and experts across various sectors in the Philippines
00:14:34who share the same sustainability advocacy.
00:14:37The network provides ESG-related reports and commentaries,
00:14:42as well as host forums, campaigns and community projects
00:14:47to encourage meaningful discussion and action.
00:14:50Ladies and gentlemen, for change to occur,
00:14:54we all need to work together to deliver meaningful, sustainable impact.
00:14:59As mentioned by our Prime Minister,
00:15:02Young Ahmad Brahma Tadusri Anwar bin Ibrahim,
00:15:05in his foreword for our Star ESG Daily, July 2023 pull-out,
00:15:11the three key sectors – government, private, civil society –
00:15:16must strengthen efforts to create powerful synergies.
00:15:20Because only through our collective efforts,
00:15:23we will be able to address barriers, capitalise on opportunities,
00:15:28and pave the way for a more prosperous, resource-efficient,
00:15:32environment-centric and inclusive economy.
00:15:36Therefore, we are proud of the formation of the National Decarbonisation Committee recently,
00:15:41as this demonstrates our Prime Minister's vision of meeting our target under the Paris Agreement,
00:15:49recognising the importance of regional media collaboration.
00:15:54Star Media Group, KG Media and the Enquirer Group of Companies
00:16:00are proud to come together to form the Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium,
00:16:05the first in Asia.
00:16:07Through the collective power of our reach,
00:16:10over 123 million people will envision a sustainable Asia
00:16:15where media collaboration promotes progressive environmental,
00:16:19socio-economic and governance commitment for future prosperity across the region.
00:16:26We are dedicated to promoting and supporting each member's ESG initiative
00:16:31to educate, engage and foster a fraternity of like-minded ESG practitioners
00:16:38to hasten ESG adoption across the region.
00:16:41Together, we will tackle challenges, seize opportunities,
00:16:45as we move forward a prosperous, resource-efficient and inclusive Asia.
00:16:52I am also pleased to announce that
00:16:55Samdabi Property Perhat is joining us on this journey
00:16:59as the Urban Biodiversity Partner for our consortium initiative.
00:17:05Last but not least, I, together with Mr Andy Budiman of KG Media
00:17:10and Mr Rudia Alvarado of Philippine Daily Enquirer
00:17:15would like to urge fellow media practitioners
00:17:19to spread ESG awareness to report and encourage in their respective countries.
00:17:25Together, we can drive positive transformation.
00:17:29I will now leave you with a video
00:17:31that introduces the Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium.
00:17:36Thank you.
00:17:38Thank you, Mr Chan.
00:17:47And with that, ladies and gentlemen,
00:17:49let us now turn our attention to the screens
00:17:51to view the introduction video about the Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium.
00:17:57In the heart of Asia beats a shared commitment for positive change.
00:18:03A collective movement that is shaping a future
00:18:06where sustainability drives economic growth.
00:18:10This is the Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium.
00:18:24Our vision is to create a world where every action
00:18:27and every decision is guided by the principle of sustainability.
00:18:31Where economic prosperity goes hand in hand with environmental stewardship
00:18:36and social equity is non-negotiable.
00:18:39We provide a platform for diverse voices to come together
00:18:43and help create understanding across different sectors of society.
00:18:47Asia is facing a critical challenge.
00:18:50Most of us are not on track to reach our climate goals.
00:18:55The clock is ticking.
00:18:56We must act now to meet our national target.
00:18:59And secure a sustainable future.
00:19:02Together, we can make a difference.
00:19:05The consortium is anchored by three core pillars.
00:19:09Education, engagement, and community.
00:19:13Through education, we bridge the gap between corporations and policymakers
00:19:18while educating the public on the latest ESG development.
00:19:23We engage discourse to shape public policy,
00:19:26drive social change, and support sustainability.
00:19:30And through community building, we spotlight best-in-class ESG practitioners
00:19:34thereby establishing an international benchmark for others within the same space.
00:19:40Whether you are a business leader, a policymaker, an ethical investor,
00:19:45or a concerned citizen, your voice matters.
00:19:50Together, we can build a world where sustainability transcends borders,
00:19:55languages, and cultures.
00:19:58Join us on our transformative journey towards a sustainable future.
00:20:04Uniting for positive impact.
00:20:13What an inspiring message, ladies and gentlemen.
00:20:16Collaboration is essential to building a sustainable future
00:20:19and it is clear that EPIC is leading the charge.
00:20:22Now, we are excited to give you a sneak peek of the innovative initiatives
00:20:27the Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium has planned for the near future.
00:20:32So with that, ladies and gentlemen, once again, please turn your attentions to the screen.
00:20:53The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:20:55The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:20:57The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:20:59The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:01The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:03The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:05The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:07The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:09The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:11The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:13The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:15The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:17The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:19The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:21The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:23The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:25The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:27The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:29The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:31The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:33The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:35The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:37The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:39The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:41The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:43The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:45The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:47The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:21:49The Asia-ECG Positive Impact Consortium
00:22:03A big round of applause ladies and gentlemen thank you
00:22:07Ladies and gentlemen we're proud to announce
00:22:10S stream Dhabi Pproperty as our Urban Biodiversity partner
00:22:14for Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium flagship initiatives.
00:22:19Urban biodiversity is not just about flora and fauna,
00:22:24it is about the health of our environment and its impact on all forms of life.
00:22:30A healthy and balanced environment provides numerous benefits.
00:22:34Saem Darby Properties strives to create this balance for our planet today
00:22:39and for future generations because urban biodiversity thrives, we do too.
00:22:47Saem Darby Properties aims to educate and demonstrate the importance of urban biodiversity,
00:22:53championing efforts guided by three pillars –
00:22:55avoidance, conservation as well as regeneration.
00:22:59Through this, Saem Darby Properties hopes to raise awareness about urban biodiversity
00:23:03and highlight the extensive efforts to make the planet better for, of course, our future generations.
00:23:09They are committed to fostering a harmonious coexistence between urban spaces as well as the natural world.
00:23:16So ladies and gentlemen, let's turn attention once again to the screen for a video from Saem Darby Properties
00:23:22sharing their commitment to championing urban biodiversity.
00:23:33Saem Darby Properties
00:23:56Now ladies and gentlemen, the moment that we've all been waiting for,
00:24:00without much further ado, it gives me great honour in inviting up on stage
00:24:04Yang Amat Berhormat Dato' Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia,
00:24:09to the stage to deliver his keynote address.
00:24:12Let's give him a big, big round of applause, ladies and gentlemen.
00:24:16Thank you.
00:24:21Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh and salam sejahtera.
00:24:27Saudara Menteri Enig Nazmi, Pak Duta Besar untuk Indra Harmono, Indonesia,
00:24:41Excellency Marie-Angela Ebrard-Raponse from the Philippines, Tansi Wong,
00:24:51fellow members of the Star Media Group, and fellow members of Indonesia and the Philippines in particular,
00:24:59allow me to express my highest appreciation to the donors, including Saem Darby,
00:25:07for their commitment to ensuring our cities live in a fresh and safe environment,
00:25:20and for us to achieve this.
00:25:24As we all know, society in this pastel normal world is quite challenging,
00:25:33and among the biggest challenges is climate change.
00:25:40Dan wacana yang ketir di antara negara-negara berkembang,
00:25:49negara-negara maju untuk mencari satu jalan tengah,
00:25:54akhirnya dicapai melalui rangka ESG dan juga dalam liputan seusai COP28 di Dubai baru-baru ini.
00:26:07Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, it's an extremely challenging task.
00:26:14Of course, pious pronouncements and platitudes on the ESG
00:26:19I realise the challenge during these post-normal times,
00:26:24because climate change happens to be one of the core issues that we have to grapple with.
00:26:33Yes, there have been impressive, remarkable achievements in many areas.
00:26:41There's still this rancorous discourse between the challenge faced by the emerging economies
00:26:48and the industrialised world,
00:26:51and the dialogue and resolution which at times some of us feel rather blatantly biased
00:27:03in favour of the more industrialised countries.
00:27:07The commitment to support the endeavour, including the sacrifices by the emerging economies,
00:27:16has not been that forthcoming.
00:27:20But notwithstanding all this, we in the emerging economy and the global south
00:27:27have to deal with this situation.
00:27:30And I don't think we are in the position to wait,
00:27:34because waiting means at our own expense and our peril.
00:27:39So though we continue to give support and take bold measures within our country,
00:27:50and now with this collaboration between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines,
00:27:55to me is quite a remarkable achievement, including the media collaboration,
00:28:03means that we will not use this seemingly insurmountable differences
00:28:11between the global south and the richer countries.
00:28:15It should not deter us from coming forth with bold measures
00:28:21to save our planet and our region and also our countries.
00:28:29So as we gather today, of course we are painfully aware of the challenges facing our environment.
00:28:42Hotter temperatures, more severe storms and increased droughts.
00:28:51We in Malaysia have experienced this too.
00:28:54Unprecedented and of course a major challenge to our limited resources
00:29:03and the patience of our people, particularly in the rural areas,
00:29:10in the heartland and also along our shores.
00:29:192024 has been regarded now as the hottest year on record.
00:29:26So make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen,
00:29:30there are no longer theoretical risks, but the lived realities of many around the world.
00:29:38In response, governments around the world have agreed to cut their emissions.
00:29:44This has been accompanied by various measures to foster green innovation,
00:29:50catalyse sustainable economies and chart courses towards renewable energy transitions.
00:29:58In Malaysia, we have taken a progressive stance towards decarbonisation
00:30:04and Minister Nick Nazmi has been quite determined and tough in his recommendations.
00:30:12Not necessarily too popular, but it is absolutely necessary.
00:30:17In fact, the concept of Badani, the country's ethos of development,
00:30:22places sustainability as one of its seven core tenets.
00:30:29In this regard, the government is committed to embedding ESG principles into the fabric of governance,
00:30:38ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come.
00:30:46We have implemented multifaceted policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions,
00:30:52promoting social equity, creating new growth opportunities in green economy
00:30:58and ensuring, importantly, transparent governance.
00:31:03To this effect, substantial funds have been allocated for renewable energy,
00:31:09sustainable agriculture, green transportation,
00:31:13signalling our commitment to reducing the country's carbon footprint
00:31:18and promoting sustainable practices.
00:31:23Of course, the stars say this is not enough and Minister Nick Nazmi is echoing that sentiment also.
00:31:30But as Minister of Finance, I have to grapple with the limited resources that we have.
00:31:37I'm defending my position in front of the Minister.
00:31:42We must recognise that achieving net zero requires a collaborative effort involving all
00:31:49and I think this has been amplified by the earlier speech.
00:31:53The government, the private sector, the civil society and the general public.
00:31:59This is where I believe the formation of the Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium.
00:32:07It is timely where it can leverage the prowess of three media giants
00:32:13to facilitate collaborative action between stakeholders, business and the public.
00:32:20I take this opportunity to commend the Indonesian and the Filipino Inquirer too.
00:32:25He has been quite supportive, not only in the issue of climate challenge,
00:32:32but also ANWR during his doldrums, difficult pieces.
00:32:38I don't get that treatment in the country.
00:32:40I get better treatment in Indonesia and the Philippines.
00:32:43So, thank you.
00:32:45Terima kasih.
00:32:46Maraming salamat.
00:32:51Here, we ought to remember that embracing ASG practices transcends mere regulatory compliance.
00:33:00It necessitates a shift in mindset to embrace the principles of environmental stewardship,
00:33:08social responsibility and governance excellence.
00:33:15Therefore, I urge stakeholders, businesses, civil society and individuals
00:33:22to actively participate in achieving a sustainable and secure future for our next generation.
00:33:31Together, we can, inshallah, create a powerful synergy that drives meaningful change.
00:33:40Let us embark on this journey with a shared sense of purpose and optimism.
00:34:10ASG needs an extraordinary commitment.
00:34:16We are talking about a crisis.
00:34:19We are talking about facing a very complicated problem.
00:34:26It is the issue of poverty and unemployment,
00:34:32and the gap between the rich and the poor.
00:34:38All of this must be resolved without sacrificing health, climate and environment.
00:34:48Once again, I would like to thank you.
00:34:51Maraming salamat.
00:34:55Thank you, Mr. Dato' Sri.
00:34:57We would like you to kindly remain on stage as now we would like to invite our esteemed VIPs in front
00:35:03to join Mr. Dato' Sri on stage for the launch ceremony
00:35:07as we have now come to the pinnacle of our events
00:35:11where our special launch symbolises our commitment to sustainable growth and positive impact.
00:35:21Alright, now that we have all our VIPs up on stage,
00:35:24just to let you all know that in front of you stands a transparent structure filled with sand
00:35:30and each country contributes its unique sand symbolising its distinct culture, strengths and resources.
00:35:37This sand represents the foundation of all our unified efforts,
00:35:42the grains of innovation and dedication that will build our shared future.
00:35:47So in just a few more minutes, to complete our symbol of growth,
00:35:50we invite the Prime Minister to pour water into the structure.
00:35:54I believe we have got our team to pass it to him.
00:35:57And are our friends from the media ready for this?
00:36:00Alright, Alvin, over to you.
00:36:02Okay, on the count of three together, let's give him a big round of applause, ladies and gentlemen.
00:36:10There you go, ladies and gentlemen.
00:36:13Our Prime Minister could not wait to get this unified effort done and completed.
00:36:19We're going to now take a group photo up.
00:36:21And Alvin, the water actually represents the nurturing and sustenance
00:36:25required to transform our foundation to something even greater, isn't it?
00:36:29That's right, Daphne.
00:36:30The act of pouring water on top of these different sands into a single vessel
00:36:35represents the blending of distinct entities into the unified whole,
00:36:39forming a harmonious blend and reflecting our shared commitment to sustainability and unity.
00:36:47Let's give them all a big, big round of applause, ladies and gentlemen.
00:36:50And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the official launch of the Asia-ESG Positive Impact Consortium,
00:37:04a powerful symbol of our shared vision and commitment to a sustainable future.
00:37:09I'm not quite sure if we've managed to capture the group shot.
00:37:14Satu lagi. Okay, I would like to invite, of course, our guest of honour, yang amat berhormat, Datuk Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim,
00:37:22to kindly just regroup. We're going to do one more group photo because I think our members of the media tak puas lagi.
00:37:28They're not fully satisfied, they've not got the money shot. Again, this is the inaugural, the first of a first.
00:37:33We want to make sure that we capture this moment together.
00:37:38And we are, of course, with the media houses. Alright, well, thank you so much.
00:37:41Thank you, thank you. Let's give them a big, big round of applause once again, ladies and gentlemen.
00:37:50Very busy man, very busy man. He's got to move on.
00:37:53Well, ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our launch of EPIC today.
00:37:57Thank you once again to yang amat berhormat, Prime Minister, for gracing us with your presence,
00:38:01and thank you to all our VIPs as well as to all our attendees for being part of this incredible journey.
00:38:07Your presence here today signifies the importance of our shared commitment to sustainability and positive impact.
00:38:13Once again, ladies and gentlemen, let's give our guests of honour here a big, big round of applause, ladies and gentlemen.
00:38:20Alright, with that, ladies and gentlemen, announcing the departure of yang amat berhormat, Datuk Sri Anwar bin Ibrahim,
00:38:25the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Terima kasih sekali lagi, and thank you so much for gracing us with your presence.
00:38:49Malaysia Madani
00:39:19Malaysia Madani
00:39:50Malaysia Madani
00:39:58Malaysia Madani
00:40:00Malaysia Madani
00:40:02Malaysia Madani
00:40:06Malaysia Madani
00:40:08Malaysia Madani
00:40:10Malaysia Madani
00:40:13Indonesia Madani
00:40:15Indonesia Madani
00:40:28Malaysia Madani
00:40:32Malaysia Madani
00:40:38Malaysia Madani
00:40:42Sembarangkan Malaysia Madani
00:40:46Sepenuh hati, jiwa, semangat
00:40:49Terus meyakini Malaysia Madani
00:40:53Ayo seluruh anak pertiwi
00:40:57Sembarangkan Malaysia Madani
00:41:01Sepenuh hati, jiwa, semangat
00:41:04Terus meyakini Malaysia Madani
00:41:08Keyakinan jadi ikutan
00:41:38Sembarangkan Malaysia Madani
00:41:42Terus meyakini Malaysia Madani
00:41:46Sembarangkan Malaysia Madani
00:41:51Terus meyakini Malaysia Madani
00:41:55Terus meyakini Malaysia Madani
00:41:59Malaysia Madani
00:42:08www.esgpositiveimpactconsortium.asia
00:42:39We're slightly earlier, but I think we can proceed with our panel discussion.
00:42:43So with that, next on our agenda for today is the regional panel discussion on
00:42:48Thriving in Trade Together, Navigating the Cross-Border ESG Landscape.
00:42:53Now for this, we have delegates representing two different countries.
00:42:57Therefore, our topic today will focus on a multi-country dialogue between panelists
00:43:01from Malaysia, Indonesia, as well as the Philippines.
00:43:05That's right. Without further ado, right now, I'm pleased to invite our moderator for today,
00:43:11Mr. Chow Sang Ho, Consulting Managing Partner,
00:43:14Ernst & Young Consulting, Sendiran Berahat, on stage.
00:43:18Mr. Chow is the Consulting Managing Partner at Ernst & Young Consulting Malaysia,
00:43:23bridging over 36 years of experience in business consulting, strategy, and transformation.
00:43:30He previously led the ASEAN Consulting Practice for EY,
00:43:33overseeing operations across eight countries.
00:43:36His regional projects have encompassed areas such as ESG and sustainability.
00:43:44Let's give him a big round of applause, ladies and gentlemen.
00:43:52We would also like to invite our panelists,
00:43:55Ince Abubakar Yusof, Deputy CEO, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation,
00:44:01Matrade. Let's give him a big round of applause.
00:44:05And of course, we would like to also have up on stage,
00:44:07Mr. Surin Suksuwan, Senior Technical Advisor, Pro Forest Southeast Asia.
00:44:14Let's give him a big round of applause, ladies and gentlemen.
00:44:17And last but definitely not least,
00:44:19Ms. Jenica Paula Massingan, Conservation Program Director,
00:44:24Center for Conservation Innovations, Philippines,
00:44:28Incorporated, to the stage for this insightful discussion.
00:44:33So once again, ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to hand you over to the panelists.
00:44:37So let's give them a big round of applause once again. Terima kasih.
00:44:42Thank you. This is very early. So that's very good.
00:44:46We'll get this done very quickly.
00:44:48Welcome to all of you and thank you for staying back for this.
00:44:51As the MC announced, this is a cross-border conversation.
00:44:57So we've got a panelist from Malaysia and Philippines,
00:45:01and Surin is going to represent whole of Asia, ASEAN.
00:45:05So let me begin. The other point is we want to talk about ESG,
00:45:10but not ESG in a vacuum, but ESG in a sense of cross-border trade.
00:45:18That's a big area for you, Mr. Hubaka, right?
00:45:21Anyway, in 2023, intra-ASEAN trade reached a trillion U.S. dollars.
00:45:29It's about a quarter of the entire region's trade.
00:45:33So that means all the countries in ASEAN,
00:45:35trading amongst themselves is about a trillion U.S. dollars.
00:45:40And it makes up about one quarter of total trade of the entire region with the entire world.
00:45:45So it's a big, big number.
00:45:47So I'm going to start off this conversation around this aspect.
00:46:08We'll start off with Mr. Surin. Why?
00:46:11We had a preparation before this. He does work across the whole of Southeast Asia,
00:46:16so I thought perhaps it's good to start with him to look across Southeast Asia.
00:46:20Mr. Surin is from Pro Forest.
00:46:21So perhaps, Mr. Surin, if you don't mind, a short introduction of yourself and your organization.
00:46:26And the question I have is the overview of the commodity agriculture supply chain.
00:46:31So we're going to focus on supply chain and trade in this particular panel,
00:46:37especially around palm oil, rubber, coconut sugar across ASEAN,
00:46:41the sustainability landscape and how it has changed over the years.
00:46:45Mr. Surin.
00:46:46Thank you, Mr. Chow.
00:46:48So I'm Surin Suksuan. I'm the Southeast Asia Regional Technical Advisor.
00:46:55And Pro Forest is a mission-driven independent organization.
00:47:01It focuses on supporting businesses in ensuring that their production and sourcing of agricultural commodities
00:47:12is done in a responsible and sustainable manner.
00:47:17And in Southeast Asia, we are focusing on the key commodities in this region,
00:47:21namely palm oil, sugar, rubber, coconut, and a few other minor commodities as well.
00:47:28Globally, we work on other commodities, including cattle, soy, and so on.
00:47:32But we'll focus mainly on Southeast Asia for today.
00:47:36Now, just to give you an overview, because it's a very complex issue,
00:47:39talking about commodity supply chains,
00:47:42I guess you can say that the ESG agenda in this region can broadly be divided into three phases, if you like.
00:47:52In the early days, I would say, coming from global development agenda and so on,
00:48:00most of the countries in the region had already been putting in place regulatory framework
00:48:07to support the sustainable development of each country.
00:48:12So, for example, countries putting in place requirements for EIAs and river buffer zone conservation, all that.
00:48:24So, all that has already been going on for some time.
00:48:28And later on, after the Rio conference, then we have the rise of certification schemes,
00:48:41especially within the commodity supply chain.
00:48:45So, for the forestry sector, for example, you have the FSC or the Forest Stewardship Council certification.
00:48:53For palm oil, we have the RSPO.
00:48:56For sugar, we have Bond Sucro, and so on.
00:49:01So, that has been in the voluntary space, and it was demand-driven, consumer-driven,
00:49:08and also the downstream supply chain-driven.
00:49:13So, the big companies are saying, we want to source sustainably.
00:49:17The producers then have to voluntarily comply so that they can get on board the supply chain of these big companies.
00:49:26But the third wave that we're seeing now is getting, I guess, more serious for everyone,
00:49:32because it's not voluntary anymore, and the regulators are coming into the picture with ESG requirements,
00:49:39and it's moving in various sectors.
00:49:42I would say that in Southeast Asia, probably the finance sector is the key driver,
00:49:47because when they are saying to companies that, hey, if you want to access our finance,
00:49:52then you actually have to comply with our ESG requirements,
00:49:55then the companies are going to really pull up their socks and get down to business.
00:50:00So, maybe I'll stop there for now. Thanks.
00:50:04Thank you, Mr. Suri. You're describing to us the phases of change across ASEAN.
00:50:10First, just the framework, then certification, but now really main business.
00:50:15And it's good that finance plays a key role, and I know a number of friends here from banks,
00:50:21and they play a key role to kind of drive that. Very good.
00:50:24We're going to change gear a bit, if you don't mind, to Philippines.
00:50:28Ms. Jenica just flew in yesterday specifically for this, so I want to thank you for this.
00:50:33Jenica, maybe you could introduce yourself.
00:50:35And also, your area of work is biodiversity.
00:50:38So, how do we integrate biodiversity into ESG framework, and what companies can do to address that?
00:50:46And I just heard this now, right?
00:50:47SIME Derby Property is the urban diversity partner for this particular consortium.
00:50:54So, perhaps your view? First, introduce yourself.
00:50:57Yes, thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be part of this panel.
00:51:00Good afternoon, everybody. I am Jenica Masigan,
00:51:04and my background, as I said, is conservation, biology, and ecology.
00:51:09I used to say that my stakeholders are mostly non-humans, but putting that aside,
00:51:18so the dream, really, is to be able to find a safe operating space for nature and people to thrive,
00:51:27and that's what we do in our organization.
00:51:29So, I'm from Center for Conservation Innovations Philippines, Incorporated, or CCIPH,
00:51:35and our goal at CCIPH is to identify solutions and innovations in order to achieve nature-positive impacts,
00:51:46because we at CCIPH, we believe that restoration or the resilience of our ecosystems
00:51:56are crucial to our overall resilience as a community and as a species ourselves.
00:52:04So, most of the work that we do involves managing natural resources
00:52:11and then providing technical and scientific backstop to inform policies,
00:52:18inform decision-makings of different sectors at various scales,
00:52:23from local communities to local government units, national agencies,
00:52:29and even the corporate and private sector.
00:52:32It's a long introduction, isn't it?
00:52:36Now, going to the question about how biodiversity is integrated into ESG.
00:52:43Well, I mean, in recent years, corporations have increasingly recognized
00:52:50the importance of biodiversity and nature in corporate reporting and responsible investing.
00:52:58And the thing is, biodiversity, it's a huge part, it's a huge component of your natural capital.
00:53:07So, your natural capital, that's the stock, that's the supply in your supply chain.
00:53:13It includes the renewable and non-renewable resources from plants to animals, soil, air, water.
00:53:23It also includes the services that you can generate from nature,
00:53:28like your carbon sequestration, your air filtration, pollination services.
00:53:33So, all of that makes up your natural capital.
00:53:38And so, when it comes to strategic sustainability planning,
00:53:43you really have to, companies have to account for possible risk associated to biodiversity loss,
00:53:53as well as the equivalent economic, possible economic impacts to businesses.
00:54:02And the thing is, with ESG frameworks, the existing ones,
00:54:07even when you're looking at the environmental factor,
00:54:12most of them are a bit human-centric, so to speak.
00:54:17It's a bit human-centric.
00:54:18So, that would lead to an oversight on the intrinsic value of nature.
00:54:28So, I suppose it's about time to put biodiversity at the centre of corporate reporting.
00:54:37Very good.
00:54:38I'm going to just put Saem Dabi Property on notice, since they're going to be the biodiversity partner.
00:54:44Later, I'm going to ask a question to the team from Saem Dabi Property on that particular topic.
00:54:49But anyway, thank you.
00:54:50But I like your point.
00:54:53I don't know about you, some of us who are from this part of, we are very near Bukit Kiara, right?
00:54:58So, some of us go for hiking and morning walk.
00:55:00So, that is the, back to your point, it's the, your word, nature, natural capital that we need to take care of.
00:55:08And that's the source of many things to come.
00:55:10Thank you.
00:55:11Sorry.
00:55:12Go ahead, go ahead.
00:55:13All right.
00:55:14So, now we're going to come back to Malaysia.
00:55:16There's a person sitting next to me who is very important.
00:55:20Kind of working in an organisation that helps trading between Malaysia and many countries.
00:55:26The Deputy CEO of Martrade.
00:55:28So, Mr. Abubakar, maybe you can introduce yourself.
00:55:30And a question, if you don't mind.
00:55:31There's something that you are working on called Greening Export Supply Chain Initiative.
00:55:37Perhaps, what's that?
00:55:38First, introduce yourself and what's that and how important that is for us here.
00:55:42Yeah.
00:55:43Thank you, Mr. Chow and esteemed panellists.
00:55:46Good afternoon, everyone.
00:55:47My name is Abubakar Yusuf.
00:55:49I'm the Deputy CEO and also the CDO of Martrade.
00:55:55Martrade is basically a national trade promotion organisation of Malaysia under the purview
00:56:03of our Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, MITI.
00:56:09And we were established – I'm doing a bit promo of Martrade.
00:56:15We were established in 1993, more than 30 years ago.
00:56:19And our mandate is basically to facilitate and promote Malaysia enterprises to the global arena
00:56:27for both merchandise and services.
00:56:31And we have our headquarter here, not far from Bukit Kiara, about 10 minutes from here.
00:56:39And we have six regional offices in Malaysia as well as 49 global trade offices around the world.
00:56:48And just want to – because my perspective is basically on business and international trade.
00:56:56And later, we'll go to the Greening Export Supply Chain Initiative.
00:57:01Because Martrade, we have embarked on our ESG and sustainability initiative before
00:57:10aggressively, just before COVID in 2019.
00:57:15And we have launched our sustainable action values for exporters because we are basically
00:57:22helping our enterprises to export and to establish their global footprints everywhere
00:57:30in the world.
00:57:31Malaysia, for your information, we are exporting to more than 200 international markets.
00:57:39So, you can see that Malaysia actually is one of the global trading nations.
00:57:46And due to the importance of international trade and export, and due to the global megatrends
00:57:54that we know, everyone knows about the urgency with regard to ESG and sustainability, we
00:58:01have to do something about preparing our local enterprises to be able to comply with the
00:58:10international ESG regulatory requirements.
00:58:14And this is where we have embarked on Greening Export Supply Chain Initiative.
00:58:21It's basically to cater for also the needs for us to address the gaps in the ecosystem
00:58:31of sustainability and ESG.
00:58:34And we have launched our five-year national trade blueprint in 2021.
00:58:41And part of our blueprint is basically on sustainability and ESG.
00:58:46In fact, to reflect our aggressiveness, we have established an ESG unit in Madrid to
00:58:54look into specifically how we can facilitate our enterprises to be able to immerse into
00:59:03global ESG requirements.
00:59:06And this initiative, Global Export Supply Chain Initiative, is an initiative that we
00:59:17work together with various stakeholders, be it public as well as the private sector, the
00:59:24industry players and stakeholders.
00:59:26And for your information, in Malaysia, we have 1.2 million registered businesses.
00:59:35And 97.4% are micro, small and medium enterprises.
00:59:41And the rest are mid-tier and local large corporations.
00:59:45Of course, we have our multinational companies here.
00:59:47But our mandate is basically because our main stakeholders for international trade and export
00:59:57is basically the micro, small and medium enterprises.
01:00:00So, I think if you ask them about ESG or sustainability, their awareness level is still
01:00:08very, very low.
01:00:10And I think this is where we need to actually converge among the micro, small and medium
01:00:19enterprises, the mid-tier companies, as well as the local large corporations to support
01:00:25each other.
01:00:26And this is part of this initiative framework.
01:00:30And we have another programme called Mid-Tier Companies Development Programme.
01:00:36And under this programme, we have benchmarking initiatives, where the mid-tier companies
01:00:42are supporting the micro, small and medium enterprises.
01:00:44Because why?
01:00:45These mid-tier companies, they are exporters and they have a pool of domestic supply chains
01:00:51in Malaysia that comprises, actually, the micro, small and medium enterprises.
01:00:56So, for the exporters, the mid-tier companies to be able to comply with their global customers'
01:01:03requirements on ESG, they also need to educate and guide and coach their supply chain to
01:01:11be able to also embrace and adopt ESG requirements, you know, based on the global customers' needs.
01:01:22Thank you.
01:01:23So, that's your Greening Export Supply Chain Initiative.
01:01:26Very good.
01:01:27So, the focus is across all Malaysian corporates, but your point about educating, awareness,
01:01:33and that perhaps where Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium, the one that was launched today,
01:01:38would be helpful, right, Encik Abubakar?
01:01:40Yeah?
01:01:41Very helpful.
01:01:42All right.
01:01:43So, maybe we just want to go back to that particular point about biodiversity as the
01:01:46natural capital, Janica.
01:01:48What are the key risks?
01:01:50I think all of us here, and I understand the audience today are not just from Malaysia,
01:01:54but also Philippines and Indonesia.
01:01:55What's the key risk of not addressing the biodiversity adequately, and how do we make
01:02:01sure it's incorporated into the supply chain appropriately, Janica?
01:02:07Well, most of biodiversity degradation occur in specific supply chain, right?
01:02:15That's the sad truth to it.
01:02:18You know, food production, beverage production, transportation, construction, even fashion
01:02:26and retail.
01:02:28So, the reason for this is because the entirety of their economic values rely solely on natural
01:02:39resources.
01:02:41So, when the nature loses its capacity to be able to provide these services like pollination
01:02:49services, for example, and even air filtration or water regulation services, then the whole
01:02:56sector faces disruption to it.
01:03:00So, it is therefore important to be able to recognize its role in supply chain, and to
01:03:09be able to identify how to manage and mitigate potential biodiversity loss, because it's
01:03:16going to go both ways.
01:03:18You will be affected, businesses will be affected by scarcity of resources, for example, and
01:03:25at the same time, your business can also have impacts, damaging impacts on biodiversity.
01:03:34So, I suppose for companies, one thing that they can do is maybe consider expanding their
01:03:41materiality assessments to look at possible biodiversity risk-related opportunities, and
01:03:50then identify what are possible drivers, identify how to mitigate these drivers, follow the
01:03:59mitigation hierarchy.
01:04:00I'm sure, Mr. Serene, you're familiar as a fellow high conservation value practitioner.
01:04:06Identify what to avoid, what to minimize, if it can be avoided or minimized, how to
01:04:13restore it, and then the last possible solution is maybe look at offsetting, if it's possible.
01:04:22So, expand the materiality limit computation, look at the possible drivers, look at mitigation,
01:04:34and I'm hoping maybe Mr. Serene can take it from there.
01:04:37And then, you mentioned the last point about offsetting.
01:04:41Before we go to Mr. Serene, Jenica, what do you mean by offsetting here?
01:04:46So, offsetting is that when you find, if the actions or operations of your business
01:04:54has possible negative impacts on biodiversity, then you cannot avoid or minimize this impact.
01:05:01So, what you're going to do is you have to offset it.
01:05:04So, that could mean on-site offsetting or off-site offsetting.
01:05:08You could be maybe doing reforestation activities or restoration activities, finding an area.
01:05:18It's kind of like, like for like.
01:05:20So, whatever you destroy, you offset.
01:05:23Right, right, right.
01:05:24And I like your point because your point about degradation of biodiversity happen naturally
01:05:31because of transportation and whatever activities that we do.
01:05:34So, it's unavoidable.
01:05:35The question is, how do we mitigate it?
01:05:37So, Mr. Serene, perhaps you're just sticking with Jenica's point.
01:05:41How do we mitigate?
01:05:42How do we make sure it doesn't damage further from your experience?
01:05:48Well, yeah.
01:05:49I mean, as Jenica has mentioned, there's a hierarchy, right?
01:05:52So, mitigation is to be done if you can't avoid, you can't find other alternatives
01:05:59and you still have to go ahead with the project.
01:06:01Then, you need to look into mitigation.
01:06:03Of course, it's quite difficult to be able to mitigate effectively
01:06:08all the potential impacts of a particular development project.
01:06:12And especially if, say, deforestation is concerned.
01:06:15I mean, yeah, maybe you can reduce the area that you're going to deforest.
01:06:19Maybe you can reduce the impact on biodiversity or species.
01:06:24Maybe you can reduce the impact on water pollution and all that, right?
01:06:28But I think we have to accept that there will still be some damage.
01:06:33So, yeah, I mean, for some industries, probably you can mitigate better.
01:06:39But for some other industries, the mining industry, for example,
01:06:42mitigation is going to be a huge task and also very expensive.
01:06:46So, I think that's why we want people to really work through that hierarchy
01:06:52and make sure that they have reduced as much as possible potential impacts
01:06:57and mitigate when they have to.
01:07:00Do you mind, just for our audience perspective,
01:07:03perhaps an explanation of the hierarchy, if you don't mind?
01:07:07Well, I can't remember offhand the hierarchy,
01:07:10and maybe Anika has got better memory than me.
01:07:13But I think avoiding is the first thing that you do, right?
01:07:17If you are going to have certain…
01:07:19I mean, take the example of the plantation sector,
01:07:22which I'm more familiar with, right?
01:07:24And one of the things that we do in the plantation sector
01:07:27is carrying out the high conservation value assessment.
01:07:31And this assessment will help plantations decide
01:07:35whether a particular area should be cleared or not.
01:07:39So, because when we look at a greenfield area, for example,
01:07:45there could be standing forests there.
01:07:47And forests, actually, they're not all equal, right?
01:07:50Some may be of higher value, some may already be quite degraded.
01:07:55So, you need to be able to differentiate.
01:07:57Now, sometimes you may even have rare threatened or endangered species
01:08:01in a particular forest, in which case, then,
01:08:04the usual advice is don't clear that forest, OK?
01:08:09So, yeah, I mean, these are some of the things that can be done
01:08:12in terms of avoiding that kind of, you know, damage.
01:08:19But if you actually have to, you know, develop a particular area,
01:08:26then can you reduce, you know, that level of, you know,
01:08:31the intensity of that development, right?
01:08:34And then you try to reduce as much as possible.
01:08:37Maybe look at your kind of crop selection,
01:08:41the intensity of planting, you know.
01:08:44Could you do intercropping?
01:08:46So, there are various options there.
01:08:49And then, if you still need to go ahead with certain things,
01:08:53then you can look at mitigation, right?
01:08:56And then, finally, offsetting.
01:08:57I mean, I might have missed out one or two steps there,
01:08:59so maybe Jenica can help out.
01:09:02You explained that perfectly, Mr Serene.
01:09:05Very good.
01:09:06I think it's important for us also to take away from today's conversation,
01:09:09not just the theory of it, but how to do it.
01:09:13So, your point about having high conservation,
01:09:17valuation assessment is useful,
01:09:19so that then you can come up with a very detailed plan
01:09:22addressing the different evaluation assessments, right?
01:09:26And your point, some could be crop selection,
01:09:29some could be the intensity of plantation.
01:09:33Thank you.
01:09:34Perhaps then going back to Martrade,
01:09:37your greening supply chain,
01:09:40what is the critical success factors for you as a deputy CEO?
01:09:46What must we do besides awareness?
01:09:48What do we need to do?
01:09:50And perhaps not just, I guess, SMEs in Malaysia,
01:09:53but across Philippines, Indonesia.
01:09:55What do we need to do to make sure we don't lose out
01:09:58in this cross-border trade landscape?
01:10:01Yeah, I think the risk of not complying with ESG requirements
01:10:07is basically our market access is going to be restricted
01:10:11because the advanced markets like Europeans and America,
01:10:19they have introduced a series of ESG and sustainability laws and act,
01:10:27such as the supply chain act, all that.
01:10:30So if we are not able to comply with that requirement,
01:10:37then there will be impact on the market access by our enterprises.
01:10:42And last year, Malaysia exported 1.426 trillion ringgit,
01:10:51Malaysia worth of goods.
01:10:54And our trade numbers just out yesterday.
01:10:58For the first five months this year,
01:11:01we exported now already surpass 1.1 trillion ringgit,
01:11:07Malaysia, our trade.
01:11:09But for export, more than 600 billion ringgit,
01:11:13Malaysia worth of export for goods only.
01:11:16So if we don't really serious about it,
01:11:22and especially for our small and medium enterprises,
01:11:26there will be a lot of challenges ahead of them
01:11:29because the contribution by micro, small and medium enterprises
01:11:34to our total export is still small.
01:11:38In 2022, our MSMEs, they only contributed about 10.5%
01:11:45of the total 1.525 trillion.
01:11:51Last year, 1.43 trillion.
01:11:542022, 1.525 trillion ringgit worth of export.
01:11:59Only 10.5% from micro, small and medium enterprises.
01:12:02Yeah, only 10%.
01:12:04Government has set a target next year to increase the share to 15%,
01:12:10and by 2030, government has increased to 30% of contribution.
01:12:16So if we want to ramp up this kind of export,
01:12:22we have to really look into the capability of our enterprises,
01:12:29especially the SMEs, to be able to not only embrace,
01:12:33not only aware of, but how to comply it.
01:12:36And this is where the role of our 49 overseas trade officers,
01:12:43first, of course, they need to furnish a lot of the information
01:12:51about these requirements, but here back home,
01:12:56we need to have a complete synergy among the ecosystem players.
01:13:02Not only in Madrid, we are talking about international trade and export,
01:13:06but there are a lot of other government agencies,
01:13:10ministries, as well as private sectors,
01:13:12they are very keen or very interested to pursue ESG agenda,
01:13:19but are we really in sync?
01:13:24So this is where, under our five-year national trade blueprint,
01:13:27we have that component on sustainability and ESG
01:13:31for us to work together with all the relevant stakeholders,
01:13:34for us to be able, first, to make sure our enterprises,
01:13:39again, it's not only aware, but the action plan for us to go through the journey
01:13:44of compliance to ESG and sustainability requirements.
01:13:49Very good. So what you're saying, our export is about 1.5 trillion,
01:13:5310% is from SMEs, but we want to grow that to 30%,
01:13:56but critical for that is for SMEs to embrace ESG
01:14:00and the different sectors to work together.
01:14:02Are there any particular sectors that we need to, in Malaysia or Indonesia or Philippines,
01:14:07from your point of view, that we need to kick up, to make them work harder?
01:14:12Which particular sector that we need help?
01:14:14Well, we are talking about exporting.
01:14:1785% of export came from manufactured goods.
01:14:21The rest, commodities, agricultural producers, all that.
01:14:25And I think Malaysia is chairing ASEAN next year.
01:14:28So there should be probably initiative for ASEAN countries to revisit the ESG framework
01:14:37that every country has and see whether there should be a uniformity of framework,
01:14:43ESG framework, for us to have more common kind of platform.
01:14:50I'm talking from business perspective, for our enterprises.
01:14:55So we have to look into that among the ASEAN countries
01:15:00because in terms of trade and export, we already have our ASEAN free trade area,
01:15:06trade agreement, AFTA, for many years, since 1983.
01:15:10But how about now shifting to the new megatrends about ESG?
01:15:16So we have to be serious about it
01:15:18and be able to help enterprises from all the ASEAN countries.
01:15:22And in fact, last year, our ministry, MITI, they had launched the IESG framework for manufacturing.
01:15:30So we are supporting the initiative, but we need to align with other ASEAN countries as well.
01:15:37Very good. I think that's the purpose of the session today, right?
01:15:40And this Asia ESG positive impact is about us working together,
01:15:43maybe starting with the first three countries.
01:15:45Jenica, your point of view from Philippines,
01:15:47the suggestion by Ninja Abubakar to work cross-border more,
01:15:51especially for intra-ASEAN trade, your views?
01:15:57Yes, there's actually a lot of opportunities when it comes to working cross-border.
01:16:03And there are also opportunities when it comes to compliance to ESG framework,
01:16:09again, coming from the biodiversity perspective.
01:16:14There are ways to maybe look at identifying biodiversity-specific indicators
01:16:24and then aligning those with traditional ESG metrics.
01:16:30And even aligning that with international or global conservation goals,
01:16:36like the very recently signed Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
01:16:43That's one of them.
01:16:44And then aside from looking at just compliance,
01:16:49I would like to challenge our partners, the private sectors,
01:16:54to looking beyond compliance, going beyond compliance and working on additionality,
01:17:00because compliance is good, it's great,
01:17:03but I think beyond compliance is way sexier, you know?
01:17:08When it comes to investors,
01:17:11especially investors that are very focused and investors that prioritise business,
01:17:18that are businesses that are able to demonstrate nature-positive commitments.
01:17:27So there are opportunities there,
01:17:30and there are definitely opportunities for collaboration and partnership
01:17:33between the three countries and other Asian nations.
01:17:36Yeah, especially with the geopolitical tension heating up.
01:17:40Perhaps I can open now for questions from the floor,
01:17:43just to make sure that you all are paying attention anyway, just joking.
01:17:46Any questions from the floor around the particular topic,
01:17:51around cross-border trade and ESG?
01:17:54Yes, sir, thank you.
01:17:59We can get a mic to this gentleman here, please.
01:18:02Trying to keep this meeting warm.
01:18:04Thank you, thank you, thank you.
01:18:06The question I have is this, because when you look at the supply chain,
01:18:11and when we are talking about in a very global environment,
01:18:15rules may change over time, right?
01:18:19And sometimes it's not for the wrong reason,
01:18:24because you need to do this progressively.
01:18:27So my question is that, given that individually we are small countries,
01:18:34compared to the US and Europe,
01:18:37is there an ASEAN-based standardisation when it comes to all these supply chains?
01:18:44Because, I mean, for me, number one is, you know,
01:18:49we need to know what it's all about.
01:18:51I guess this is where education comes in.
01:18:53But number two is, what's the solution?
01:18:56That's right.
01:18:57Because for a business, when you do not know what's the solution,
01:18:59that's a scary part, I believe.
01:19:01That's right, that's right.
01:19:03And next year, Malaysia is the chair of…
01:19:05So maybe I'll start with Madrid, and then maybe later on Surin and Jenica.
01:19:08The question is, with the supply chain and global rules changing,
01:19:13could we have an ASEAN standard, and where are we on this?
01:19:16Perhaps we start with you, Mr Abubakar.
01:19:18If you don't mind, I'll stand so that I can get some energy.
01:19:21Go ahead, go ahead.
01:19:23We are not a policymaker, so I'm not in a position.
01:19:26But I think in terms of standardisation,
01:19:30anything that we do, we need to have a standard, right?
01:19:34Common standard.
01:19:35Especially when we talk about collective ASEAN markets,
01:19:38more than, what, nearly now 700 million population.
01:19:42So it's huge.
01:19:43But the thing is that while we have other standards
01:19:49that are addressing trade and business-related matters,
01:19:55but on ESG, I think that we can further solidify
01:20:00and intensify our efforts to have a common standard among the ASEAN countries.
01:20:05So you would agree, and perhaps this Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium
01:20:11can take this up to lobby the different countries.
01:20:14But anyway, Jenica, your point, your view.
01:20:20I just find it a bit funny because we're talking about standardising ESG framework.
01:20:27But when it comes to biodiversity,
01:20:31there isn't even a standard methodology on how to measure the stocks.
01:20:38No, I mean, compared to climate and carbon,
01:20:41biodiversity is actually lagging behind.
01:20:45So when it comes to your greenhouse gas emissions,
01:20:49and you're trying to look at impacts of GH, of your emissions,
01:20:54you have scope one, scope two, scope three.
01:20:57But we don't have that same for biodiversity.
01:21:00So you can measure your carbon footprint,
01:21:02but measuring biodiversity footprint is still in its very, very early stages.
01:21:08So there are also opportunities there.
01:21:11And maybe in the next future,
01:21:13we could be able to come up with a unified standardised framework
01:21:17in order to measure that.
01:21:19And this biodiversity lack of standard is not just ASEAN,
01:21:22it's across the whole globe, is it? Wow, okay.
01:21:25Suren, your point of view.
01:21:27Okay, I think standards is a saluted word.
01:21:31Because when you talk about standards,
01:21:33normally you will also mention about certification,
01:21:36because certification is a way to check whether your standards are being implemented.
01:21:43And there's already a lot of standards out there.
01:21:49So usually we talk about global standards,
01:21:52and each country may have its own national standards.
01:21:56So speaking from a producer's point of view,
01:21:59a manufacturer or plantation company's point of view,
01:22:02more standards means more headache.
01:22:04Because it means then you have to have auditing for various standards.
01:22:09And yeah, I mean, these companies can end up spending a lot of time and resources
01:22:15just doing audits.
01:22:17So is that the way to go?
01:22:19So I would think that rather than trying to come up with too many standards,
01:22:24we should focus on the improvement bit, right?
01:22:27Improving practices.
01:22:28And also going by what Cik Abubakar mentioned just now,
01:22:33it's actually the SMEs that are struggling.
01:22:36I don't worry about the Saem Darbys or the IOIs or the KLKs in this region.
01:22:42They've got the resources.
01:22:44They've got the people who can help them achieve those objectives.
01:22:49But the SMEs, the smallholders, the small players,
01:22:55they're going to really struggle if there are a lot of things
01:22:58that they have to comply with.
01:22:59And I think the big players need to support the small players,
01:23:04support through the supply chain,
01:23:06make sure that they can improve their practices in a stepwise manner,
01:23:13help them along the way.
01:23:15Very good.
01:23:16So your point is not standards but helping to improve performance
01:23:20and get the larger organizations to help the SMEs.
01:23:23Thank you so much.
01:23:24If you don't mind, Saem Darby Property, a bit of promotion for you,
01:23:29your role as a biodiversity partner for this.
01:23:34Thank you.
01:23:35Let's welcome…
01:23:38Can we get a mic?
01:23:41Perhaps an introduction?
01:23:43Yasmin Rashid.
01:23:44Yasmin, yes.
01:23:45Thank you, Yasmin.
01:23:46Let's give her a round of applause to encourage her.
01:23:48Thank you so much.
01:23:52I think over the last 10, 15 years, I think we're just blessed.
01:23:57We're just blessed with a lot of land as well.
01:24:01And majority of our land are predominantly unused oil palm plantation.
01:24:08So apart from focusing on converting them into townships,
01:24:12we're going to bring people to come live there as communities
01:24:15and hopefully they can also have generations to live there as well.
01:24:21And I think we were guided by very strong leadership in the belief that
01:24:27turning agricultural soil into healthy soil symbolizes the beginning of
01:24:35making a healthy township.
01:24:37I think that was essentially the spirit and the philosophy.
01:24:42So we've been doing a lot of that.
01:24:44Of course, we remove palm oil trees, right?
01:24:47But for every palm oil tree we remove, we replace it with what we call ERT species.
01:24:53I think Serene will be familiar, which are endangered, rare, or threatened tree species.
01:24:59So we've been doing this tracking for the last 10 years.
01:25:04We hope we can digitize this whole experience to give us an idea and map out
01:25:12whether our efforts are bringing back urban biodiversity into our townships.
01:25:20So maybe a bit of shameless advertising here.
01:25:24KL East Park is one example where 50% of the township is green because of the 53-acre park.
01:25:33And we use it as a playground to educate communities.
01:25:39So we do things like put a thermometer outside, which is normally 35, 32 degrees.
01:25:45And as you track inside, you put another thermometer inside.
01:25:49And it's normally 21, 19 degrees, to kind of just give that knowledge to people who hike
01:25:57that without this green lung here and it connects to Bukit Taboh,
01:26:02the entire township will also be a bit less pleasant.
01:26:05So we hope we can replicate this across township.
01:26:09I know it can be slightly academic, but I think we need to get to that level as well.
01:26:15And we're working with nonprofits as well.
01:26:21At the end of the day, we hope what we do can generate data that can help us improve our townships.
01:26:32But more importantly, the data should sit with other people as well
01:26:36so that they can look at how they can improve their townships.
01:26:39Absolutely. Thank you so much. Wow, very inspiring. Thank you.
01:26:42Let's give a round of applause.
01:26:44So to me, that's important, right?
01:26:46Today, I mean, it's Friday evening, staying back for another hour for this.
01:26:51But things like this, right, inspiring us to do something different for the nature.
01:26:55So thank you so much. I see you're prepared to end us. Time's up.
01:26:59Thank you so much. Please join me to thank our panelists for participating today.
01:27:04Thank you so much.
01:27:07Thank you once again, Mr. Chow, Encik Abubakar, Mr. Surin, Ms. Janika, as well as questions from before.
01:27:14Thank you, Yasmin. It's good to see you again.
01:27:16With that, ladies and gentlemen, nothing else, right?
01:27:19I think we'll just have to talk about this again more and more.
01:27:22It's quite endless, this topic.
01:27:24So once again, thank you so much, dear panelists.
01:27:26And we do hope that it was very insightful, informative for all of you attending who are still here with us this afternoon.
01:27:35So I guess, Alvin, it is safe to say that ESG will surely expand significantly throughout Asia, inshallah.
01:27:42And it is vital that the main key players of each country play a very significant role in sustaining ESG best practices
01:27:48in each country's representative industries, civil society, and more.
01:27:52Absolutely right, Daphne.
01:27:53Now, ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our program for today.
01:27:56We hope you had an enriching experience.
01:27:59And we would like to thank you for joining us for the first ever Asia ESG Positive Impact Consortium launch.
01:28:06Give yourselves all a big, big round of applause for being right here and supporting our event.
01:28:12Give yourselves a big round of applause once again, ladies and gentlemen.
01:28:15Thank you so much for being here.
01:28:17We look forward to seeing you at future events and continuing this journey of positive impact together.
01:28:24Once again, my name is Alvin Anson.
01:28:26And I'm Daphne Aiking.
01:28:27We still have some refreshments outside.
01:28:29Do take a look at all the booths.
01:28:31Just now, I had a little walkthrough and they've got some fantastic ideas and initiatives.
01:28:35See where we can assist them, especially our SMEs.
01:28:38On that note, once again, from Alvin, myself, thank you for joining us.
01:28:41Until we meet again, inshallah.
01:28:43See you guys.
01:28:44Take care.
01:28:45Let's save planet Earth.
01:28:46Bye.