S P Setia launches ESG roadmap at inaugural Sustainability Day

• Guided by its new Sustainability Framework established in 2022, S P Setia aspires to achieve Net Zero by 2050 with its Green Roadmap with specific methods to reduce carbon emissions by 40% in 2030 and 70% in 2040.

SHAH ALAM (June 2): S P Setia has launched its Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Roadmap with its first Sustainability Day at Setia City Convention Centre on May 31.  

The ESG Roadmap will encompass the group’s new Purpose and Vision.

"In our continuous commitment towards not just eco-conservation but ESG standards, I am pleased to announce the launching of S P Setia's inaugural Sustainability Day and Green Roadmap. With the new ESG Roadmap, I am also happy to announce our new Purpose of 'Creating Sustainable Communities' and new Vision, 'To Be A Leader in Creating Sustainable Communities and Enriching Lifestyles'," said Datuk Choong Kai Wai, president and chief executive officer of S P Setia at the event.

"For most Malaysians, the issue of climate change and global warming has been more academic than life-threatening. After all, the dire consequences of melting ice and dying coral reefs seem at safe distances of thousands of miles away. That is until the recent heatwaves and freak thunderstorms came too close for comfort. True, heat and hail are nothing new in our country and are part of the inter-monsoon's natural phenomena, but there is nothing natural about the record-breaking temperatures and roof-ripping storms.

“The growing intensity of these weather markers has made us Malaysians start asking what we need to know and what we need to do about environmental sustainability," added Choong.

Guided by its new Sustainability Framework established in 2022, S P Setia aspires to achieve Net Zero by 2050 with its Green Roadmap with specific methods to reduce carbon emissions by 40% in 2030 and 70% in 2040.

Lindayani Tajudin, chief strategy officer of S P Setia, presented on Setia's ESG Framework and Roadmap at the event, which maps the way forward for S P Setia in its sustainability journey.

To raise greater awareness of the importance of leading a more sustainable lifestyle and embedding sustainable measures into business operations, S P Setia organised a panel discussion on the impact of climate change on the business landscape.

The panellists included Puan Hajah Noraini Roslan, Yang Dipertua of Klang Municipal Council; Manon Bernier, deputy resident representative of UNDP Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam; Muazzam Mohamad, senior vice president & head of investment stewardship of Permodalan Nasional Berhad and Murali Ram, Sustainability, Advisory & Planning Leader of Arup Malaysia.

The Sustainability Day event also included a presentation on the topic “Our Role in Climate Crisis”, with invited speakers Sarine Loo, executive director of Tricor Axcelasia; Jerene Tan Pooi Yee, capacity building coordinator of Malaysian Youth Delegation and Jasreel Lim, head of finance & business development of Zero Waste Malaysia, moderated by Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim, founding member of the Malaysia Association of Public Advocacy for Nature.

Spreading awareness on food crisis, a mini composting demonstration and workshop were conducted by food waste specialist MAEKO. Eco Garage also held its workshop on micro-recycling by repurposing post-consumer plastics into coasters, pots and pendants.

Throughout the Sustainability Day, a Sustainability Showcase surrounding the “Decarbonisation and Circular Economy” theme included green-conscious brands who exhibited their works and introduced products related to renewable energy, sustainable waste management, electric vehicles and eco-friendly lifestyle products.

Among them were Komuniti Tukang Jahit, Reencle, RE:TAB, Watertree, GSPARX, Zero Waste Earth Store, Soapan Santun, Plus Xnergy, Hyundai, BMW Auto Bavaria and more.

To assist women in need and reduce fabric waste, S P Setia is pushing its fabric upcycling drive as part of its corporate social responsibility for its Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive campaigns, in partnership with social enterprises Komuniti Tukang Jahit and Kloth Cares. Forty-one fabric upcycling bins have been placed at S P Setia's sales galleries and venues around Malaysia, Melbourne, and Singapore to collect curtains and used fabric items.

In addition, selected contributors will receive a fabric pouch produced by Komuniti Tukang Jahit by taking a photo of themselves participating in the initiative by donating old curtains at one of the fabric upcycling bin locations.

Commissioning the seamstresses of Kloth Cares to repurpose old curtains collected through the fabric upcycling drive during Hari Raya, the upcycled curtains were distributed to the more than 100 asnaf recipients and families to help them decorate their homes during the festive period.