Judges then withdrew into two rooms – split between the large companies and small-medium enterprises and mid-tier companies – as the finalists pitched their companies’ environmental, social and governance initiatives to the judges.
“As this is the first ever ESG PIA we can’t compare with previous years on the quality of submissions, but the diversity of companies cuts across many industries and it indicates that ESG is crucial,” said Suthashini. Other judges are Business Council for Sustainable Development Malaysia board member Khor Yu Leng and Green Growth Asia Foundation executive director Dr Muhammad Mahadi Mohamad.OCBC Bank Wholesale Corporate Banking vice president Voo Mun Hou said the bank was encouraged by the turnout for the inaugural ESG PIA.
“Awards like ESG PIA help to create awareness about concrete steps that can be taken toward adopting a more sustainable future. TM chief corporate and regulatory officer Tengku Muneer Tengku Muzani said: “We hope the participants will become champions in ESG and thought leaders for companies who will want to emulate their initiatives.