KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has moved beyond the “low-hanging fruit” in its sustainability journey and must now confront harder structural choices, capital investments and business model reforms to meet its 2030 commitments.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the awards presented at the UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB) Members Celebration Night 2026 recognise execution rather than ambition.
He also said the award categories are not symbolic or random as they form the architecture of a resilient Malaysia.
“The low-hanging fruit has already been picked. What remains are the harder choices, structural changes, capital investments and the redesign of business models that will determine whether we meet our commitments by 2030.
“The awards presented tonight matters because they honour organisations that are moving beyond statements and frameworks into real and measurable action.
“In doing so, they send a message to the world that Malaysian companies are not merely adapting to the global sustainability transition, they are helping to drive it,” he said.
Highlighting governance and anti-corruption, Abang Johari said sustainability cannot exist without integrity.
He pointed out that investors today scrutinise not only what companies earn, but how those earnings are generated.
“The organisations recognised here demonstrate that trust is not a cost but a strategic asset and clean business is good business,” he said.
On social sustainability, Abang Johari stressed that decent work, living wages and gender equality are central to Malaysia’s ambition of becoming a high-value, high-income economy
“We cannot build a green future that leaves people behind. Companies that invest in dignity, fairness, and inclusion are the companies that retain talent, strengthen productivity, and remain competitive in a rapidly changing world.
“The same principle applies to community engagement. Businesses do not exist in isolation. Long-term success is achieved when communities grow alongside corporations, when progress is shared and not extracted,” he said.
Turning to environmental sustainability, the Premier said Malaysia’s forests, rivers and ecosystems should be viewed as national assets rather than barriers to development.
“Climate action addresses carbon, but nature action protects entire ecosystems. The organisations recognised tonight understand that environmental stewardship is not about compliance alone, it is about resilience, risk management, and long-term value creation.
“This understanding extends into supply chains as well. No company is an island,” he said.
On emissions reduction, Abang Johari said addressing Scope 3 emissions is particularly challenging as it requires collaboration beyond organisational boundaries.
He said the award winners are doing the hard work of engaging suppliers, supporting SMEs and raising standards across entire value chains and that is how transformation truly scales.
“However, none of this is possible without capital. Sustainable finance and investment play a critical role in accelerating the transition.
“Ambition without funding remains simply intention. Capital, when directed with purpose, becomes an accelerant.
“The financial institutions recognised tonight are not simply funding projects; they are shaping the future by deciding which activities grow and which fade away.
“They give real meaning to the idea of moving forward and faster,” he added.
