SMG gets award for sustainability development

KUALA LUMPUR: Star Media Group (SMG) has been given the Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) Icon Leadership award at the Malaysia Sustainability Excellence Awards.

SMG group chief executive officer Alex Yeow dedicated the award to the company’s Content team for their work on issues related to the SDGs.

“I am glad that The Star has once again been recognised for another achievement and this award has endorsed our presence as the most prominent mainstream English publication in the country,” he said after receiving the award at the Malaysian Sustainability Leadership Summit at Berjaya Times Square Hotel Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Yeow said SMG would continue to focus on covering more topics related to the SDGs in its Malay language publications.

“We will encourage more coverage on SDGs in the Malay language so that our readers from that segment can gain more information on the matter,” Yeow said.

The Malaysian Sustainability Excellence Awards was created to celebrate, honour, and recognise outstanding companies that have advanced and accelerated the adoption of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), and have achieved excellence in sustainability practices.

The one-day summit aims to promote discussions and the exchange of views, knowledge and experience on ESG and SDGs between corporations and parties that practise the United Nations’ recommended SDGs.

Towards a better future: Yeow receiving the Sustainable Development Goals Icon Leadership Award for the Star Media Group from Farah Adura (third right). On stage with Yeow and Farah Adura are (from left) All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on SDG’s head of secretariat Prof Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria and chairman Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis, Yeoh and The Economic Club of Kuala Lumpur chairman Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal Rawther. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

The summit, which is into its second year, also had two informative panel sessions on scaling up ESG and corporate responsibility for sustainability, and to explore ways to advance the SDGs.

KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific president Tan Sri Michael Yeoh said the second summit showcased the power of collaboration and partnership in driving sustainable development.

“By bringing together leaders from various sectors, we have generated meaningful discussions and identified concrete actions for a more sustainable future,” he said.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, in her keynote speech, called for more cooperation between the public and private sectors to implement SDGs in Malaysia.

“Real cooperation is needed to ensure the implementation of all strategies and initiatives.

“I would like to reiterate my commitment by calling for a real public-private collaboration towards achieving Sustainability Development Goals 2030 for Malaysia.

“By working together, we can make a real difference and ensure that no one is left behind in tandem with the ‘Malaysia Madani’ concept,” Nancy said in her speech that was read out by the ministry’s deputy secretary- general (operations) Farah Adura Hamidi.