KUALA LUMPUR, 26 OCTOBER 2022 – Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are receiving increased attention from businesses and consumers alike in Malaysia, for it generates a significant impact on a resilient future. Because of this impact, one of Malaysia's leading halal beverage manufacturers, Etika Group of Companies ("Etika") has developed a two-fold strategy, Neutral and Plus, in addressing ESG with the motive to reduce GHG emissions and foster value-added initiatives for the company's long-term growth, while imparting a positive influence on communities and the environment. With its sights set on the green chip, Etika is poised to soar far above the rest of the business by implementing the Neutral and Plus blueprint, which is in line with the 12th Malaysia Plan in achieving a carbon-neutral nation by 2050.
Through this initiative, Etika is committed to creating a green company that is able to reuse and repurpose the sources that are being used for its production line. As one of the leading FMCG companies in Malaysia, the company aspires to reduce 2% of Year Over Year (YOY) amount of CO2-equivalent emissions based on its 2019 benchmark occurring from sources owned or controlled by the company, emissions associated with the purchase of generated utilities consumed by the company and other emissions related to its activities. Etika is adamant in continuously innovating ways that can be implemented to achieve this goal that encompasses solar projects, heat recovery pumps, and Green Energy Tariff (GET) among others.
“With a number of facilities spread throughout Malaysia, we planned to utilise their size, scale and space to convert them to be as environmentally friendly as possible. With a large part of CO2 emissions linked to our plant and operation facilities, we hope to minimise and neutralise the CO2 emissions as much as possible to meet our goal of a cleaner and sustainable future for the company,” said Santharuban Thurai Sundaram, Chief Executive Officer of Etika Group of Companies (Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei).
Another recent ESG initiative by Etika to reduce waste in landfill is Sludge Waste Composting. Working closely with vendors, the sludge waste from Etika Dairies Sdn Bhd is combined with fertiliser products to produce a quality and efficient form of hybrid fertiliser for industrial and commercial uses.
“In order to achieve our primary goal of being an environmentally and socially responsible organisation, Neutral and Plus is an essential step forward to achieve this. It is our purpose to project our own environmental standards and continue to give back to society to serve as a model for communities and organisations to adopt and practice the same beliefs that we adhere to,” said Santharuban.
As part of the blueprint, Etika is active in community outreach initiatives to contribute to the local community and educate the public about the value of environmental conservation, and to champion ESG practices in the industry. In a recent collaboration with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), one of Malaysia's most esteemed universities, Etika advocated the need to protect our water resources while encouraging river water quality remediation through a river clean-up programme “It’s Time For Our River” at the Sungai Langat Recreation Park an interesting exhibition with a biological approach.
For more information on Etika and its sustainability efforts, please visit www.etikaholdings.com.
