As past winners of The Star’s ESG Positive Impact Awards (ESG PIA) have demonstrated, improving a company’s ecological footprint goes beyond environmental responsibility.
It can foster innovation, reduce costs and help mitigate risks.
This year, the ESG PIA returns with the theme of “Celebrating ESG in Action: From Vision to Value” to recognise small and medium enterprises and large companies that turn sustainability commitments into measurable results.
With 16 categories, the awards honour outstanding achievements across the environmental, social and governance pillars, ranging from biodiversity conservation to waste management and talent management to transformation.
Submissions for ESG PIA 2025 close on April 16.
Gold winners from 12 categories will then automatically qualify for the Asia ESG Positive Impact Awards 2026, competing against winners of two other regional awards, Lestari Awards by Indonesia’s KG Media and ESG Edge Impact Awards by the Philippines’ Inquirer Group of Companies.
Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) and IJM Rimbayu are the main sponsor and co-sponsor, respectively, for ESG PIA 2025.
Here, IJM Rimbayu and past ESG winners share how environmental considerations deliver tangible business values and more to their operations.
IJM Rimbayu
ESG PIA 2025 co-sponsor
At IJM Land, we believe sustainability is not an added feature, but the foundation of responsible development.
IJM Rimbayu, a Green Building Index-certified township by IJM Land, reflects this approach, with environmental considerations embedded across the development. Homes are predominantly oriented along a north-south axis to optimise natural daylight and minimise heat gain. Passive design strategies such as cross-ventilation, high-performance insulation and thoughtfully placed softscapes are also incorporated.
Together, these elements enhance thermal comfort and lower energy demand.
At the heart of the township, The ARC serves as a community landmark showcasing responsive design, with a landscaped roof that integrates rainwater harvesting and irrigation systems.
Across IJM Rimbayu, interconnected green linkages, tree-shaded walkways and cycle paths promote low-carbon mobility and active lifestyles.
The 2.5ha Linear Park forms an ecological spine through the township. With more than 2,200 trees and an estimated carbon sequestration capacity of 50 tonnes, it helps mitigate the urban heat island effect, improve air quality and support urban biodiversity.
As of December 2025, a pilot food waste processing hub at Oasis International School has treated 3,461kg of food waste while providing learning opportunities for students.
At IJM Land, sustainability is about efficient buildings, thriving communities and enduring environments. Through IJM Rimbayu and every IJM Land project, we demonstrate how environmental sustainability can be operationalised at scale, making low-carbon living an intuitive and lasting part of life. — IJM Land Bhd chief operating officer Datuk Chai Kian Soon
Geomax Rubber Innovative Products Sdn Bhd
ESG PIA 2022 gold winner in Responsible Consumption & Production
The Most Outstanding ESG Initiative 2022
Is it really possible to turn waste into wealth?
Coming from a family in shoe sole production, I began experimenting with upcycling rejected nitrile gloves into eco-footwear in 2018.
By using rejected gloves, we work with the glove industry to reduce waste, which has a positive impact on the environment.
When we first introduced our rubber sole samples, some customers dismissed them as “waste products”. I am very glad that two companies decided to work with us.
We developed Malaysia’s first Sirim eco-label safety shoes. We have also been recognised by MyHijau Mark and MySTI (for local research and development products), and in 2023, we secured a utility innovation patent for our technology.
Last year, we launched our own school shoe brand, Fomula – “mula” means “to start” in Bahasa Malaysia.
Beyond rubber, we are exploring ways to upcycle sawdust into wood composite materials and repurpose fabrics into towels.
For us, we should not limit ourselves, but keep on innovating. — Geomax Rubber Innovative Products Sdn Bhd founder Steven Ng
Heineken Malaysia Bhd
ESG PIA 2024 gold winner in Water Management & Efficiency
Water stewardship has been at the heart of Heineken Malaysia’s sustainability journeys for the last 18 years.
Our approach begins internally, guided by a robust strategy to improve efficiency and reduce water consumption.
Employees are important change agents, contributing to ideas to optimise processes and minimise usage.
Small adjustments, such as modifying cleaning nozzles, can make a difference. Through these efforts, we achieved a 21% reduction in water use compared with 2014.
Beyond our operations, we are committed to restoring water for nature and communities.
Since 2020, Heineken has been more than 200% water-balanced, having replenished over twice the amount of water used in our products through various initiatives.
Working with partners and local communities, we rehabilitated Sungai Way and restored its biodiversity, and constructed a clay dyke at the Sungai Selangor watershed, a key water source for the Klang Valley.
These efforts strengthen water resilience, improve efficiency and build long-term trust between communities and stakeholders. — Heineken Malaysia Bhd corporate affairs and legal director Renuka Indrarajah
UEM Edgenta Bhd
ESG PIA 2024 gold winner in Waste Management
Asia ESG PIA 2025 silver winner in Waste Management
UEM Edgenta maintains about 9,000km of highways.
When roads age or are damaged by traffic and accidents, the old pavement is milled out and replaced, and the resulting waste is sent to landfills.
With landfill space expected to become scarce by 2050, we asked: is there a greener solution?
Our pavement research centre developed a method to reuse milling waste to replace part of the crushed materials needed for new pavement.
Following successful trials at sections of the North-South Expressway, we built a plant near Tapah.
It produces about 3,000 tonnes of recycled asphalt monthly, avoiding about 84 tonnes of carbon emissions while reducing transport and material costs.
We are very proud that we are embracing circularity in our operations.
Now, we are in the research and development stage to increase the recycled content from 30% to 50%, expand its use beyond highways, and explore warm or cold mix technologies so it can be used further away from the plant.
Through this, we realise that sustainability is not about finding a solution far in the future. Sometimes, the solution comes from just beneath our feet. — UEM Edgenta Bhd ESG head Sharifah Bakar Ali
