Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 23 March 2022 –- Epson Southeast Asia today announced its partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), as part of Epson’s commitment to co-create sustainable solutions and empower communities. The new partnership seeks to scale marine conservation impact and climate solutions across Southeast Asia by working with youths, citizen scientists, as well as businesses and local communities.
“Sustainability has been and will continue to be a core focus for Epson as part of our renewed Epson 25 Corporate Vision,” said Siew Jin Kiat, Regional Managing Director, Epson Southeast Asia. “Beyond our ongoing efforts to deliver sustainable technology and solutions to our customers and partners, we are extremely proud to be extending this focus on sustainability to the places we operate in by co-creating a myriad of eco-innovative solutions with WWF and local communities to truly make an impact on a greener tomorrow.”
Scaling Marine Restoration in and around the Coral Triangle
With over 6,000 species of fish, 76% of the world’s coral species and the most mangrove rich areas on the planet, the Coral Triangle is known to be the Earth’s epicentre of marine biodiversity. As a key part of Southeast Asia, and extending south towards the Pacific, marine and coastal resources from the Coral Triangle directly sustain the food and livelihoods of over 130 million people, with billions more tracing their food sources back to this region.
Yet, decades of overfishing, unsustainable tourism and urbanisation, and the climate crisis threaten to destroy the critical marine and coastal habitats in and around the Coral Triangle.
This is why Epson is supporting WWF to scale coral restoration efforts in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, as well as mangrove restoration in the Philippines. By working with local stakeholders and institutions, these restoration efforts aim to support and restore the critically important marine ecosystem health that we all depend on, while building capacity among local communities as key stakeholders in the long-term maintenance and management of their coastal resources.
Engaging Businesses and Consumers for a Low Carbon Future
Increasingly frequent and catastrophic impacts of climate change are felt keenly in Southeast Asia, with Malaysia showing rising temperature and changes in rainfall regimes. In the 12th Malaysia Plan that was tabled last year, the nation is committed to become a carbon-neutral country by as early as 2050 with measures to accelerate green growth. Epson will support WWF to influence businesses and consumers to support the transition towards a low-carbon economy - by establishing a business case for decarbonisation and net-zero goals.
Epson’s employees will learn how local communities and businesses have come together in a concerted effort to protect marine ecosystems, save endangered species, and support vital livelihoods and food security for Southeast Asian communities.
Following that, WWF will be working with local Southeast Asia Epson teams to launch education programmes that will include webinars on sustainable consumer spending, virtual museums on reduction of energy consumption and carbon footprint, as well as a forest protection campaign.
“Lasting conservation impact is achieved through collaboration with sincere partners,” Mr. R. Raghunathan, WWF-Singapore CEO said, “We look forward to working closely with Epson who are committed to real climate action and to drive meaningful efforts to ensure that conservation of our environment is in tandem with economic empowerment and humans living in harmony with nature.”
