2 CSR THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 DECEMBER 2018

Walking the talk on sustainability

SINCE aligning itself with the 17 Raising the new generation United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), Based on Dr Cheah's firm Sunway has been a strong convictions, it is only natural for advocate of the cause, much of Sun way's operational implementing supportive steps focus to be deeply rooted in across all its projects in Malaysia. Goal4 of the UNSDGs- quality Sun way Group founder and education- through the Jeffrey chairman Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah Cheah Foundation (JCF). recognises the hardship that Sunway is committed to comes with the lack of quality ensuring inclusive, equitable and education and hazards that quality education, as well as present themselves when the promoting lifelong learning environment is not cared for. opportunities for all, particularly He shared his views at a UBS among those in need. conference in Singapore in May, Since 2005, Sun way has saying, "My views on sustainability disbursed more than RM400mil in were shaped by my formative the form of scholarships and grants years growing up in Pusing - a through the JCF, which is owned small town in Perak. I witnessed at and governed by a distinguished first hand the impact of poverty on board of trustees, with Sultan families and how it closed off Sharafuddin Idris Shah of avenues for advancement, as its royal patron. particularly in education, for "I have always believed that Women, Family and Community Development deputy minister Hannah Yeah (eighth from left) and Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey them. education should never be a for­ Cheah (ninth from left) with the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation (JCF) board of trustees and students who received "Pusing was largely a tin mining profit business. As soon as I was scholarship awards at the JCF Scholarships and Awards ceremony 2018. town. You could not fail to notice able to, we established the JCF, to the ugly scars on the landscape left which I gifted all my equity in schools in Perak. by disused mining pools. Poverty perpetuity to Sunway's educational Sunway has since provided and environmental degeneration institutions. The gift was valued school supplies for 600 students of are not abstract concepts to at RM720mil then, and the value SK Puchong Perdana and 157 me, but part of my personal has since grown to more than students of Sekolah Bimbingan experience. They helped form my RM1bil. Jalinan Kasih. conviction that education provided "Thousands of deserving the optimum route out of poverty students have benefited from this Management with a global and we need to help heal a initiative. It is my personal goal to bleeding Mother Earth. award more than RM1bil in my mind "In short, without recognising it, lifetime," says Dr Cheah. the concept of sustainable Besides monetary aid, Sunway development was inculcated in Giving the youth a boost carries out other efforts to provide me. When the time came, these quality education to people from formative childhood memories Sunway recognises the all academic backgrounds. guided me in my entrepreneurial importance of receiving quality JCF owns and governs all 16 of career and philanthropic education from a young age. Last Sunway's educational institutions (From left) Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, Energy, Science, Technology, Climate endeavours." month, it launched its back-to­ and entities such as Sunway Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin, and Prof Jeffrey Sachs He is determined to better the school programme, aimed at University, Jeffrey Cheah School of launching the Master in Sustainable Development Management programme. quality of life in Malaysia by helping more than 3,700 Medicine and Health Sciences at realising UNSDGs under the underserved students across Monash University Malaysia, Education Group has partnered Sustainable Development (JSC) at Sunway name. the nation. and Sunway with Harvard University, advances As a matter of fact, all of These beneficiaries are students International School. It is currently University of California, Berkeley Sunway's goals to realise UNSDGs Sunway's public-listed companies who are from B40 families, at risk, Malaysia's largest education­ (UC Berkeley), University of by promoting green development are listed on the FTSE4Good Bursa stateless or from orphanages. The focused social enterprise. Cambridge and University of and social progress through Malaysia Index for demonstrating students come from 11 schools in To further fulfil its aim of Oxford, and soon, Massachusetts research and education. good environmental, social and Johor, seven schools in Penang, making quality education available Institute of Technology. governance practices. three schools in Selangor and 38 to Malaysian students, Sunway The Jeffrey Sachs Center on >SEE NEXT PAGE

Besides education, Sunway is food wastage by redistributing thought to the 270,000 tonnes of feed the needy is its Rise Against University and Sunway Medical working towards realising other food to the needy. food wasted every Ramadan. By Hunger campaign. For the past Centre in the Klang Valley, United Nations Sustainable According to the National educating the public about food five years, Sunway's employees Sunway International School in Development Goals (UNSDGs). Its Health and Morbidity Survey wastage, doing good deeds and have packed more than one Johor, Sunway Lost World Hotel commitment to the second 2015, 12.5% of children are still feeding the homeless and urban million nutrition-dense, in Ipoh, and Sunway Hotel UNSDG, Zero Hunger, is defined underweight even as Malaysia poor, Sunwayians are doing our dehydrated meals for Seberang Jaya in Penang- was through its determination to end fights against obesity, which bit to make small changes for a underserved communities in completed in 14,000 volunteer hunger, achieve food security and affects 44% of the general better and more sustainable Malaysia, Timor Leste and hours. improved nutrition and promote population. future," he said. Cambodia. The initiative has To make this event a success, sustainable agriculture. In a press conference for the Sunway continued its since fed thousands of families in Sunway enlisted the help of six In June last year, Sunway initiative, Sunway Group deputy partnership with Kechara Soup these countries. non-governmental organisations launched the #zerofoodwastage executive chairman Tan Sri Kitchen beyond Ramadan and In August, 1,750 Sun way to distribute the packed food. initiative in collaboration with Razman M. Hashim talked about has extended its efforts to its employees from Ipoh, Penang, the These organisations were the Kechara Soup Kitchen at its buka the importance of educating the sister hotels- Sun way Putra Klang Valley and Johor Baru Rotary Centennial Club (Johor), puasa buffet at Sun way Resort public about food wastage and Hotel, The Banjaran Hotsprings volunteered to prepare 500,000 Sahabat Orang Asli, Rotary Club Hotel& Spa. feeding the urban poor. Retreat, Sun way Hotel meals for impoverished families KK South (Sabah), Rotary Club The brainchild of Tengku "Many Malaysians are Georgetown and Sun way Hotel in these three countries. Kuching (Sarawak), Salesians Zatashah Sharafuddin Idris Shah, fortunate to have an abundance Seberang Jaya. The meal-packing, which took Missions (Timor Leste), and this initiative acts to fight against of food and may not give much Another initiative by Sun way to place in five locations- Sunway One20ne (Cambodia).

Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah (fifth from right) and Tan Sri Razman M. Hashim (sixth from right) with volunteers for Sunway's #zerofoodwaste campaign provides unserved hotel food to Sunway's Rise Against Hunger campaign. impoverished families.

pressreader E.r!.��,l!�.c:!.��!!'! ..tL2z.��.� P COPYRIGHT.-.NDPROTECHDBYAPPLICABLELAW l - '"""''""'""'""'""'"'""'""] THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 DECEMBER 2018 CSR 3

>FROM PREVIOUS PAGE The first batch intake is full for Sunway iLabs Makerspace to European Commission will fund development of entrepreneurship this programme. Classes will promote entrepreneurship among the Sunway Social Innovation and innovation skills. Sun way Education Group also commence in January next year. ambitious students who aim to Support Unit to extend assistance "Sun way iLabs' initiatives and launched the Master in Sustainable lead the future with new to social innovators while its the launch of the Sunway iLabs Development Management under Joining hands in innovations. partnership with UC Berkeley will Makerspace facility ensures the JSC in October. This programme Partnering with Go ogle, IBM, help it develop entrepreneurship availability of future talent by aims to equip people from innovation Hitachi Sunway Information programmes. equipping students with the multidisciplinary backgrounds to Systems, Xperanti loT and General The A3 Global Collider necessary skill sets and preparing become adept at management and Aside from building a Electric, the Sun way iLabs partnership will fund and nurture them for the Fourth Industrial problem-solving using analytics community of sustainability, Makerspace is equipped to help start-ups for regionalisation and Revolution as aligned with the and systems thinking guided by Sunway is keen on creating students and entrepreneurs with a internationalisation. It is Higher Education Ministry's global concerns. entrepreneurs who will carry on collaborative space and tools for anticipated that the partnership commitment to equip students Prof Woo Wing Thye, director of its vision that is aligned with innovation. will provide students and holistically to enable their success the JSC and president of Jeffrey UNSGDs. It teamed up with KK At the launch of Sunway iLabs, entrepreneurs with additional in the 21st century," said Dr Siti Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia, Fund to set up a venture capital three new international sources of capital, mentorship Hasimah. elaborates, "The programme aims fund (Sun SEA Capital) with plans collaborations were announced. and links to international markets. The state-of-the-art space has to empower individuals and to spend up to US$50mil These collaborations are with the At the event, the Higher all the right tools for innovation organisations to develop (RM208mil) on digital start-ups in European Commission-funded Education Ministry director­ such as 3D printing machines, innovative solutions towards Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, South East Asia Social Innovation general Datin Paduka Dr Siti laser cutters and electronic achieving the Sustainable Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam Network, UC Berkeley and Silicon Hamisah Tapsir commended gadgets. Development Goals in actionable and Hong Kong. Valley accelerator A3 Global Sunway iLabs' commitment to ways in their specific sectors or Sunway also launched Sunway Collider. advance the higher education • For more information, visit areas of work." Innovation Labs (iLabs) and Sunway's partnership with the industry by encouraging the www.sunwayforgood.com

(Standing in the middle) SK Puchong Perdana principal Nor Azian Ashar (second from left), Seri Serdang Community Sunway ilabs Makers pace promotes entrepreneurship among students who Centre special officer of welfare Sulaiman Ibrahim (centre) and Sunway Group brand marketing and communications aim to lead the future with new innovations. CSR and events assistant general manager Bernard Paul (second from right).

Soaping up the town

As a conglomerate that Soaps and Selangor Youth Sunway strives to produce fauna within the township. foresight on environmental oversees many hotels, Sunway Community. sustainable cities and "We also have our own public conservation, Sunway City Ipoh paves its way towards With help from these communities. To do this, it aligns transport system with electric was developed without responsible processes, which partners, the process of itself with the 11th United buses that run on specially destroying any of the natural are aligned with the 12th collecting used soap bars, Nations Sustainable designed elevated bus lanes. landscape. The Banjaran Hot United Nation Sustainable repurposing them into new Development Goal (UNSDG) to Almost SO% of Sun way City is Springs Retreat, an eco-friendly Development Goal (UNSDG) by bars of soap, and teaching and create cities that are more open space and 24% of the city is wellness retreat set amid a ensuring sustainable guiding selected homes to inclusive, safe, resilient and green space. Both figures are pristine tropical jungle, is the consumption and production repurpose used soap bars have sustainable. well above the regulated highlight of the project. Endowed patterns in its business been carried out without a Sunway City Kuala Lumpur minimum. with an array of natural features, strategies and practices. hitch. All repurposed soap bars has implemented a vast array of "We have built certified green including 260-million-year-old The Sunway Resort Hotel & are processed according to energy-saving and efficient buildings and last year, we Paleozoic limestone caves and a Spa's Soapful project is one of stringent standard operating measures to not only stand its constructed and commissioned geothermal spring, it is truly a the paths taken to help save procedures that adhere to ground as a smart city, but also a our own water treatment plant healing balm to the soul. the environment while helping strict safety and environment sustainable one for the 21st to purify water from two sunken Sunway worked to conserve children in need. standards. century. mining lakes to meet potable these precious natural features Kick-started in July, the At the end of the one-year Some examples of these water standards set by the and willingly extended the Soapful event is an ongoing project, the homes should be initiatives are: Government. We initiated a development period of the project by Sunway to help able to produce their own • A water treatment plant whole range of energy-saving 16-acre (6.4ha) resort from 15 children's homes financially by repurposed soaps for personal and rainwater harvesting tanks and efficiency measures within months to three years. The repurposing used hotel soap use and to be sold to the to conserve water the city. property was integrated with the that would otherwise be public. • More than 3,000 24-hour "We are not finished yet. We topography of the land and dumped in landfills. Kelly Leong, Sunway Hotels CCTV cameras to monitor the will be building a combined natural features were These bars of soap can be and Resorts' regional senior township generation plant for Sunway incorporated into the design. used by these homes or sold to general manager, says the • Electric buses that run City, which will use natural gas The tree population was the public as a means of Soapful project was every five minutes on an to generate electricity and hot preserved and existing limestone generating income (only for conceptualised to benefit the exclusive, 5.4km-long elevated and cool water to further reduce caves were adapted for different selected homes). environment, society and track our carbon footprint. We also functions such as meditation Since its inception, some economy in accordance with • A Canopy Walkway and Eco plan to integrate technology areas and wine cellars. 100kg of leftover soap has been the hospitality group's Walk (equipped with solar more deeply to establish Sun way The Banjaran Hot Springs repurposed into new soap commitment to UNSDGs, which panels) that connect Sun way City as a model 'smart Retreat received the prestigious bars. The leftover soap bars aim to drive sustainable University, , sustainable city' of the 21st FIABCI Prix d'Excellence Award come mainly from Sun way progress in the world. Sunway Lagoon, Sun way century." in 2012 for the resort category in Resort Hotel & Spa, Sunway "First, the project intends Medical Centre and more Sun way holds the recognition of the effort Sunway Pyramid Hotel and Sun way to benefit the environment by preservation of nature, heritage went through in the name of Clio Hotel. Collection of the removing soap waste from There are also plans to and culture close to its business environmental conservation and soap bars started in July. landfills. Second, it helps the implement intelligent traffic plans and values. Through this sustainability. This project will include the selected home reduce costs as lights that only turn red when other five Sun way hotels­ the repurposed soap bars are there are vehicles or pedestrians Sun way Putra Hotel, Sunway also meant for its residents' in the vicinity. Velocity Hotel, Sun way Hotel personal use. At a UBS conference in Georgetown, Sunway Hotel "Third, it helps children Singapore, Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Seberang Jaya and The cultivate meaningful business Cheah retells the history and Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat­ skills that can help them break successes of how Sunway City next year. the cycle of poverty. Fourth, it came back to life from its start in Earlier this month, Sun way is our hope that besides 1974. presented 1,000 bars of utilising the income for their "More than 25,000 trees have repurposed soap to daily needs, the children will been transplanted and a Pertubuhan Kebajikan Anak use these life skills to start complete ecosystem restored. Yatim Darul Ehsan Malaysia to their own business and pursue The land was completely mined kick-start the home's social social mobility or even start and washed out, but today, you enterprise project. their own businesses that can even find earthworms in the The main partners of the employ other youths in the ground. There are now more project are Ecolab, Kinder future," says Leong. than 150 species of flora and

pressreader E.r!.��,l!�.c:!.��!!'! ..tL2z.��.� P COPYRIGHT.-.NDPROTECHDBYAPPLICABLELAW l - '"""''""'""'""'""'"'""'""] This material may be protected by the Malaysia Copyright Act. It may only be used for private study or research. Downloading or reproduction in excess of “fair dealing” may constitute copyright infringement.