A recent study by Sage shows SMEs around the world are united by a desire to create impact. They want to contribute positively to their community, environment, and to promote diversity. We discuss the challenges SMEs face in trying to create more positive impact, how to balance their varied priorities and business motivations – as well as how doing the right thing for their businesses, customers, and community can all go hand in hand.



Image Credit: Pasuwan | Shutterstock

A recent study by Sage shows SMEs around the world are <a href="https://www.sage.com/en-gb/-/media/files/company/documents/pdf/sustainability-and-society/knocking-down-barriers-international-sme-perspectives-report-2021.pdf?la=en-gb" target="_blank">united by a desire to create impact</a>. They want to contribute positively to their community, environment, and to promote diversity. We discuss the challenges SMEs face in trying to create more positive impact, how to balance their varied priorities and business motivations &ndash; as well as how doing the right thing for their businesses, customers, and community can all go hand in hand.

Image Credit: Pasuwan | Shutterstock

Helping you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from headlines to the bottom line

Helping you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from headlines to the bottom line

Enterprise Explores

SMEs, A New Force Driving Positive Impact

Since January 2025, the "voluntary" era of ESG has ended for Malaysia's largest firms. Under the new IFRS mandatory standards, sustainability is no longer a PR exercise, it’s a financial reporting requirement. PwC Malaysia’s Director of Sustainability and Climate Change Farhana Jabir joins the show to break down the current readiness of Malaysia’s top 50 firms. 

We explore why a massive 96% gap remains in climate scenario analysis, the strategic risks of a 54% reliance on nature, and how the CFO’s role is evolving to meet the high bar of Reasonable Assurance by 2027.

Tune In To Find Out:


The 2027 Audit Bar: Why the move to "Reasonable Assurance" is a game-changer that will require audit-level rigor on all forward-looking climate assertions.


Strategy vs. Impact: Why firms score lowest in strategy because they focus on "impact reporting" (charity/CSR) rather than embedding climate risk into business operations.


Double Materiality: Why adopting an "inside-out" lens provides a strategic early warning system for regulation and shifting customer demand.


The 96% Resiliency Gap: Why firms struggle to translate climate data into business contexts and the hesitancy to disclose vulnerable assets.


Scope 3 Quantification: Moving beyond the "data hurdle" by using spend-based approaches to establish a supply chain baseline.


The Evolution of the CFO: Why the finance function must move from transactional efficiency to providing strategic insights on carbon taxes and climate budgeting.

Since January 2025, the "voluntary" era of ESG has ended for Malaysia's largest firms. Under the new IFRS mandatory standards, sustainability is no longer a PR exercise, it’s a financial reporting requirement. PwC Malaysia’s Director of Sustainability and Climate Change Farhana Jabir joins the show to break down the current readiness of Malaysia’s top 50 firms.&nbsp;We explore why a massive 96% gap remains in climate scenario analysis, the strategic risks of a 54% reliance on nature, and how the CFO’s role is evolving to meet the high bar of Reasonable Assurance by 2027.Tune In To Find Out:<ul><li>The 2027 Audit Bar: Why the move to "Reasonable Assurance" is a game-changer that will require audit-level rigor on all forward-looking climate assertions.</li><li>Strategy vs. Impact: Why firms score lowest in strategy because they focus on "impact reporting" (charity/CSR) rather than embedding climate risk into business operations.</li><li>Double Materiality: Why adopting an "inside-out" lens provides a strategic early warning system for regulation and shifting customer demand.</li><li>The 96% Resiliency Gap: Why firms struggle to translate climate data into business contexts and the hesitancy to disclose vulnerable assets.</li><li>Scope 3 Quantification: Moving beyond the "data hurdle" by using spend-based approaches to establish a supply chain baseline.</li><li>The Evolution of the CFO: Why the finance function must move from transactional efficiency to providing strategic insights on carbon taxes and climate budgeting.</li></ul>

Corporate Malaysia’s IFRS Sustainability Readiness Gap

Malaysia just recorded its highest-ever Q1 trade figure at RM789.85 billion, yet the ground-level reality is far more complex. While the E&E boom and AI demand supercharge exports, a public standoff with EV giant BYD over investment conditions is testing the limits of our National Automotive Policy (NAP).

Professor Dr Ong Kian Ming, Adjunct Professor at Taylor's University and former Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, joins Enterprise Explores to unpack the state of trade beyond the headline numbers.

We explore the controversy surrounding BYD’s investment conditions, why the 2020 National Automotive Policy (NAP) is behind the times in the age of Chinese EV dominance, the "Taiwan Plus One" trend and political stability as a key selling point.

Tune In To Find Out:


The Taiwan Surprise: Why we trade four times more with Taiwan than India does, and how "Taiwan Plus One" is supercharging our semiconductor sector.


The BYD Standoff: Unpacking the tension between MITI and the EV giant. Is Malaysia being protectionist, or are we rightfully guarding our local supply chain?.


The NAP: Why the 2020 National Automotive Policy needs an urgent update to address the Chinese EV revolution and aggressive adoption targets.


The JS-SEZ Hype: Why the delay in the Johor-Singapore master plan is making investors nervous.


The "Manifesto Battle": Why industry associations must submit their "wish lists" to political coalitions now, ahead of a potential 2026 general election.

Malaysia just recorded its highest-ever Q1 trade figure at RM789.85 billion, yet the ground-level reality is far more complex. While the E&amp;E boom and AI demand supercharge exports, a public standoff with EV giant BYD over investment conditions is testing the limits of our National Automotive Policy (NAP).Professor Dr Ong Kian Ming, Adjunct Professor at Taylor's University and former Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, joins Enterprise Explores to unpack the state of trade beyond the headline numbers.We explore the controversy surrounding BYD’s investment conditions, why the 2020 National Automotive Policy (NAP) is behind the times in the age of Chinese EV dominance, the "Taiwan Plus One" trend and political stability as a key selling point.Tune In To Find Out:<ul><li>The Taiwan Surprise: Why we trade four times more with Taiwan than India does, and how "Taiwan Plus One" is supercharging our semiconductor sector.</li><li>The BYD Standoff: Unpacking the tension between MITI and the EV giant. Is Malaysia being protectionist, or are we rightfully guarding our local supply chain?.</li><li>The NAP: Why the 2020 National Automotive Policy needs an urgent update to address the Chinese EV revolution and aggressive adoption targets.</li><li>The JS-SEZ Hype: Why the delay in the Johor-Singapore master plan is making investors nervous.</li><li>The "Manifesto Battle": Why industry associations must submit their "wish lists" to political coalitions now, ahead of a potential 2026 general election.</li></ul>

Record Trade, BYD Complications, & Taiwan Plus One

Is Malaysia one bad harvest away from a food crisis it can't import its way out of? It's sowing season, but the conditions couldn't be worse, diesel costs are climbing, fertiliser prices have shot up, and a third of Kedah's crops were left unharvested.

Dr Sarena Omar, CEO at PNB Research Institute and a subject matter expert on agriculture and food security, joins Enterprise Explores to map exactly how the West Asia conflict is quietly impacting Malaysia's food supply chain, from the paddy fields of the north to your chicken prices in June. We unpack the double price squeeze that's slowly strangling the industry from both ends.

Tune In To Find Out:


The 52% Stagnation: Why Malaysia’s rice production has only grown as fast as our appetite, leaving us decades behind neighbours like the Philippines and Indonesia.


The RM2.7 Billion Subsidy Question: Is aiming for 80% self-sufficiency worth the massive trade-off in government spending and farmer competitiveness?


Geographical Eggs in One Basket: The risk of relying on just three northern states for over 50% of our rice and the urgent need to pivot to Sabah, Sarawak, and Perak.


The Fertilizer Double Whammy: How the Iran-Israel conflict trickles down to a 80% year-on-year surge in Urea costs, hitting local production and imported food simultaneously.


The "Ulam" Solution: Why "foolproof" local crops like Pegaga and Ulam Raja are the most economically viable tools for household food resilience.

Is Malaysia one bad harvest away from a food crisis it can't import its way out of? It's sowing season, but the conditions couldn't be worse, diesel costs are climbing, fertiliser prices have shot up, and a third of Kedah's crops were left unharvested.Dr Sarena Omar, CEO at PNB Research Institute and a subject matter expert on agriculture and food security, joins Enterprise Explores to map exactly how the West Asia conflict is quietly impacting Malaysia's food supply chain, from the paddy fields of the north to your chicken prices in June. We unpack the double price squeeze that's slowly strangling the industry from both ends.Tune In To Find Out:<ul><li>The 52% Stagnation: Why Malaysia’s rice production has only grown as fast as our appetite, leaving us decades behind neighbours like the Philippines and Indonesia.</li></ul><ul><li>The RM2.7 Billion Subsidy Question: Is aiming for 80% self-sufficiency worth the massive trade-off in government spending and farmer competitiveness?</li><li>Geographical Eggs in One Basket: The risk of relying on just three northern states for over 50% of our rice and the urgent need to pivot to Sabah, Sarawak, and Perak.</li><li>The Fertilizer Double Whammy: How the Iran-Israel conflict trickles down to a 80% year-on-year surge in Urea costs, hitting local production and imported food simultaneously.</li><li>The "Ulam" Solution: Why "foolproof" local crops like Pegaga and Ulam Raja are the most economically viable tools for household food resilience.</li></ul>

SMEs, A New Force Driving Positive Impact

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