Subang Jaya, 21 January — Southeast Asian businesses, including SMEs within larger supply chains are struggling with climate change, regulatory expectations, and economic pressures. Adopting sustainability practices is now essential for enhancing resilience, meeting international standards, and unlocking growth opportunities. The SME ESG START Symposium 2025, organised by the UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB), focused on the role of SMEs in transforming supply chains to meet evolving ESG demands.
Under the theme "Forward Faster: Scaling SME Sustainability Through Supply Chains," the symposium brings together 300 executives, sustainability practitioners, and SMEs to explore strategies for integrating ESG principles across value chains. This half-day event featured dynamic discussions and practical insights, highlighting SME success stories that showcase the business case for sustainability.
“The SME ESG START Symposium 2025 serves as a crucial platform for SMEs to understand the importance of integrating ESG practices, especially in today’s rapidly evolving market landscape,” said Mr. Faroze Nadar, Executive Director of UNGCMYB. “By bringing together stakeholders across sectors, we can equip SMEs with the right support, resources, and tools to adopt a sustainable business approach and advocate for sustainable procurement practices, encouraging ESG considerations throughout the supply chain.”
In his keynote address, YB Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), emphasised Malaysia’s progress toward a sustainable economy and the critical role SMEs play in driving this transformation. “SMEs are the backbone of our economy, contributing significantly to business establishments and GDP,” said YB Nik Nazmi.
“Their role in sustainable supply chains extends beyond suppliers, they are leaders driving impactful change. With Malaysia hosting the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, the urgency for sustainable development has never been greater.” He highlighted government initiatives like the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and the Green Technology Master Plan, which aim to create a conducive environment for SMEs to thrive sustainably.
The event commenced with opening remarks from Professor Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Pro-Chancellor of Monash University Malaysia, and followed with a range of insightful sessions, including a panel discussion on ESG adoption trends and cross-sector collaboration, SPARK Talks showcasing SME success stories from Atoz Carbon Cycle, Geomax Rubber, and Bioloop, and a fireside chat exploring how corporations can support SMEs in implementing effective ESG practices while fostering inclusive development. Notable speakers included Dr Aaron Sum Wei Wern (Group Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad), Junior Cho (Chief Executive Officer, Zurich General Insurance), Rizal bin Dato’ Nainy (Chief Executive Officer, SME Corp. Malaysia), Tan Zhi Ying (Head of Programmes, UNGCMYB), Azfar Asa’ad (Senior Advisor, Business, Investment and International Policy, Standards & External Affairs, CPA Australia in Malaysia), Prof Dr Avvari V. Mohan, Professor and Deputy Head (Engagement & Impact), Monash University Malaysia, and Dr Karren Khaw, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Finance at the School of Business, Monash University Malaysia.
The symposium also saw the launch of “The Path to Sustainable Impact – Sectoral Insights of Malaysian SMEs,” designed to help SMEs navigate ESG challenges, enhance operational efficiency, and meet global market demands. This report concluded SME ESG Survey 2.0 developed by Alliance Bank, Monash University, and Zurich Insurance, in partnership with SME Corp. Malaysia, Inceif University and UNGCMYB, highlighting the awareness among SMEs has increased almost sixfold in 18 months, from 14% in 2022 to 80% in 2024, indicating a significant shift in mindset toward sustainability.
UNGCMYB extends its appreciation to all strategic partners, including Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad and Monash University Malaysia for their support in making the SME ESG START Symposium 2025 a success.
As part of the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, UNGCMYB remains committed to empowering Malaysia and Brunei businesses to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, making businesses ‘sustainability fit and ESG ready’.