From decarbonisation initiatives to diversity-driven operations, The Star’s ESG Positive Impact Awards (PIA) recognises companies that transform sustainability ambitions into measurable results.
Since its inception in 2022, the awards have honoured outstanding entries across environmental, social and governance pillars, celebrating the commitments of both small and medium enterprises and large companies.
Submissions for the ESG PIA 2025 – themed “Celebrating ESG in Action: From Vision to Value” –are now open for 16 award categories, ranging from biodiversity conservation and waste management to talent management and transformation.
Entries close on April 16, with winners to be announced at a gala dinner on July 21.
Gold winners from 12 categories will then automatically qualify for the Asia ESG Positive Impact Awards 2026, competing against winners of Lestari Awards by Indonesia’s KG Media and ESG Edge Impact Awards by the Philippines’ Inquirer Group of Companies.
For the 2025 edition of the ESG PIA, Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) is the main sponsor and IJM Rimbayu is the co-sponsor.
Here, TM and past ESG PIA winners share how they advance their social impact through enhancing labour practices and employee well-being, while strengthening engagement with local communities.
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM)
ESG PIA 2025 main sponsor
One initiative that best reflects TM’s social impact is Jangkau Digital TM, because it goes beyond providing connectivity to changing how communities live, learn and participate in the digital economy.
When we began work in Kampung Mukut, Pulau Tioman, the challenge was not a lack of potential, but limited access.
As a remote island village, residents faced constraints in connectivity, education and economic reach.
Jangkau Digital TM was designed to address these gaps holistically – by bringing reliable digital infrastructure, supporting local livelihoods and creating new learning opportunities, while respecting the community’s environment and way of life.
Today, we see tangible outcomes. Students are able to participate in online learning without disruption, local entrepreneurs can promote their services digitally, and the community is better equipped to manage tourism in a safer and more sustainable way.
What strengthens this impact further is the integration of TM Future Skills at the school level in SK Mukut.
By exposing students to coding, robotics, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence (AI), and equipping teachers with the right tools, we are empowering youth in underserved communities to see new pathways for their future.
Our aspiration to become a Digital Powerhouse by 2030 is grounded in our greater purpose: ensuring that digital progress is inclusive and sustainable for all.
As we scale Jangkau Digital TM to more rural and island communities and expand TM Future Skills across 35 adopted schools nationwide, our focus remains on building long-term capability so that every community can grow with Malaysia’s digital future. — TM chief corporate officer Nor Fadhilah Mohd Ali
Hartalega Holdings Bhd
ESG PIA 2024 gold winner in Human Rights & Labour Standards
Asia ESG PIA 2025 silver winner in Human Rights & Labour Standards
Workers in the world today sign contracts, wear uniforms and clock in daily, yet that does not mean they are free from forced labour.
Modern slavery is not always visible or intentional, but it is real.
At Hartalega, we apply the 11 internationally recognised forced labour indicators as our risk lens and focus on mitigating these risks systematically.
We have capped working hours at 60 hours per week since February 2025. While the reduced overtime may affect take-home pay, compliance with Malaysia’s revised minimum wage from RM1,500 to RM1,700 helps us maintain manpower cost discipline without causing financial stress on workers.
We have invested over RM148mil in best-in-class accommodation with proper spacing, recreational facilities, and amenities.
Our foreign workers keep their own passports, a practice that restores trust and dignity.
We also emphasise dialogue to strengthen psychological safety and address concerns early.
Initiatives such as Hartanians of The Month, MasterChef competitions, sports contests and annual festive night, where management staff serve food for workers, reinforce engagement.
Compliance is an obligation. Going beyond compliance is a business imperative, requiring systems that are future-ready and trustworthy. — Hartalega social compliance auditor Nur Alyaa Mohamed A’pipi
Sunway Bhd
ESG PIA 2024 gold winner in Talent Management
Asia ESG PIA 2025 gold winner in Talent Management
Sunway, a master community developer, has built hotels, universities, theme parks and more, but one of its proudest projects is building careers for people.
With over 20,000 employees across Asia, we drive talent sustainability through a leadership framework grounded in our core values of integrity, humility and excellence.
We have built a series of tiered programmes, and our succession planning model JADI (judgment, agility, drive and influence) guides talent assessment and individual development plans.
We have identified succession plans for 87% of our head roles, with an internal promotion ratio of 1:0.9 (one external hire to 0.9 internal promotion). About 80% of our talents have had career movements within the last three years.
We leverage diverse resources in our ecosystem – Sunway Education Group, Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, 42KL and Sunway iLabs – to support continuous learning.
We also retain skillsets and experiences within the organisation. Today, 2.3% of our employees are above 60 and our turnover is reduced from 15.16% in 2024 to 13.98%.
Beyond our internal workforce, we contribute back to the community through Sunway iLabs and Sunway XFarms, and support national agenda through developing Technical and Vocational Education and Training pathways for students. — Sunway talent management head Tasha Ho
Volvo Malaysia
ESG PIA 2024 gold winner in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Asia ESG PIA 2025 gold winner in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
According to the Road Transport Department, women make up only 0.6% of commercial vehicle drivers, a sector dominated by men.
At Volvo Trucks, safety, quality and environmental care are our core values.
Through our partnership with the Women Development Department under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, we identified candidates seeking stable careers and connected them with transporter companies. Selected candidates are trained by us to be safe prime mover drivers.
As of Dec 31, 2025, the Iron Women programme has 11 women enrolled, with 13 more in the pipeline. In total, 46 women have expressed interest.
Feedback showed female drivers are disciplined, detail-oriented and punctual. Their careful driving reduces fuel and tyre costs, a major operational concern.
One participant shared she has increased her income from between RM600 and RM800 to over RM4,000 and RM5,000 during peak seasons.
Success is not just about numbers. Changing one life creates a ripple effect for the participants’ families, our organisation and our community. — Volvo deputy managing director Amanda Ng
