Financial Stress: The Hidden Workplace ESG Risk

Financial stress can affect employees' mental health, productivity and workplace relationships. Mala Davi, Vice President of the Malaysian Mental Health Association, discusses when employers have a responsibility to step in, how managers can recognise financial distress and whether workplace wellbe…

COP31: Can Malaysia Deliver on Climate Commitments?

As COP31 gets underway in Antalya, Malaysia is pushing for progress on climate adaptation, financing, carbon markets and stronger accountability. But beyond international negotiations, how much progress is Malaysia making towards its own climate commitments? Ahmad Farid Mohamed, Undersecretary of t…

Sustainability Reporting: Burden or Business Advantage?

Malaysia is tightening its sustainability reporting requirements, placing growing pressure on businesses to produce credible and transparent ESG disclosures. While the new framework aims to improve accountability and investor confidence, companies face rising compliance costs, data collection chall…

When Nature Loss Becomes Financial Risk

More than half of Malaysia's commercial bank lending goes to sectors highly dependent on nature, making biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation increasingly important financial risks. As businesses face growing exposure to water shortages, deforestation and disrupted supply chains, traditional …

Does Malaysia's Energy Transition Budget Prioritise People?

Budget 2027 commits billions to flood mitigation, water infrastructure and grid upgrades, but does it add up to a coherent ESG strategy or just a collection of well-meaning measures? And can Malaysia pursue growth through data centres and major investments without leaving households and workers beh…

Can Private Capital Put Nature First?

Malaysia faces a significant funding gap in protecting its forests, wildlife and ecosystems, raising questions over whether private capital can play a larger role. On People, Planet, Profit, we explore the potential of nature-based solutions and blended finance, the safeguards needed to prevent gre…

Malaysia’s Water Security Paradox

Malaysia may be rich in water resources, but a new study suggests that abundance alone does not guarantee water security, with Selangor ranking close to the bottom despite its economic importance. On People, Planet, Profit, we examine what conventional measures may be missing, why governance and in…

Is Malaysia Spending Enough on ESG?

Malaysia is preparing for Budget 2027, with climate resilience, clean energy and sustainability expected to remain important priorities. But beyond how much money is allocated, the bigger question is whether ESG spending is delivering measurable results. Where should public funding be targeted, how…

Can Property Firms Prove Their ESG Progress?

Knight Frank Malaysia says it made measurable ESG progress in 2025, from cutting energy consumption and improving recycling to strengthening emissions tracking and investing in its workforce. But as the business grows, some of the hardest challenges increasingly lie beyond its direct control. How c…

Is Climate Anxiety an ESG Problem?

On People, Planet, Profit this week, we examine the growing problem of climate anxiety, particularly among young Malaysians worried about the future they will inherit. We speak to Dr Ooi Wee Liam, Lecturer in Environmental Humanities and Social Science at Monash University Malaysia, about where rat…