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Knight Frank Malaysia has unveiled its 2024 ESG Report, calling on corporate Malaysia to move beyond pledges and embrace measurable sustainability action.

The report highlights significant progress in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, with the firm cutting absolute Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 22% against its 2019 baseline, achieving a 97% employee inclusion rating, and sourcing 100% of operational procurement locally.

Crucially, this marks the second consecutive year Knight Frank Malaysia’s ESG performance has been verified by an independent third party, ensuring compliance with both Bursa Malaysia’s Sustainability Reporting Guide and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards.

“We are not just reporting progress; we are setting a market benchmark. ESG is now a competitive advantage. If Malaysia’s real estate industry can integrate ESG at this scale, we can unlock investment, strengthen communities, and meet the climate challenge head-on,” said Keith Ooi, Group Managing Director.

This year’s report, themed “Defining Our Targets”, marks a pivot from assessing impacts to delivering clear outcomes. Among its commitments are achieving net-zero emissions for Scopes 1, 2, and 3 by 2040, securing green building certifications for corporate offices, and ensuring all active suppliers are screened against ESG readiness criteria by 2025.

The firm’s initiatives have already earned recognition, including a Silver Award in The Star ESG Positive Impact Awards (Governance, Reporting & Transparency category) and the Outstanding ESG Award (Second Runner-Up) at the BMCC Business Excellence Awards

Key highlights from the 2024 ESG Report

  • Environment: 22% reduction in Scope 2 emissions, 10% recycling rate, 100% local procurement, and more than 100 plants added to managed properties.
  • Social: 94% employee satisfaction, 97% inclusion rating, 40% of workforce are women (38% shareholders), 12% of CSR spend directed to women’s empowerment, and a 50% increase in community programme investment.
  • Governance: 85% training completion on anti-bribery, AML, and data privacy; over 2,000 safety training hours; zero workplace injuries, corruption, or data breaches.
  • Preparing for stricter regulations

As Malaysia gears up for tighter ESG disclosure requirements under Bursa Malaysia, Knight Frank Malaysia is also expanding its ESG Advisory Services, helping investors and occupiers design strategic sustainability roadmaps, cut emissions, optimise resources, and mitigate climate-related risks.

“The property sector is at the intersection of climate risk, regulatory pressure, and investor demand. This report shows that measurable ESG action is possible and absolutely necessary to remain competitive in the decade ahead,” Ooi added.

Source: https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2025/08/18/corporate-malaysia-needs-to-push-esg-beyond-pledge-to-action-report/