Takeaways

• The Edge Billion Ringgit Club (BRC) continues to recognize Malaysian companies that take a long-term view of sustainability and corporate responsibility.
• Judges favour businesses that balance profitability with measurable, community-focused impact and transparent progress updates.
• OCBC Bank Malaysia, the main partner of the BRC Awards, emphasizes the importance of driving sustainability through both corporate recognition and financial innovation.

Companies that show foresight in balancing profit with purpose continue to stand out at The Edge Billion Ringgit Club’s (BRC) annual recognition of corporate excellence. This year’s panel of corporate responsibility (CR) judges lauded businesses that set ambitious but realistic sustainability goals and demonstrated a clear understanding of their long-term impact on multiple stakeholders.

Read More: Top 10 Sustainable Businesses: Inspiring Practices for 2025

Jeffrey Teoh, Managing Director and Head of Wholesale Banking at OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Bhd, highlighted the need for Corporate Malaysia to keep pushing forward in creating lasting community impact. “While finance-related metrics are foundational to the selection of winners, we have always upheld corporate responsibility and sustainability-linked efforts as equally critical for determining the winners,” he said at the BRC judges’ meeting held on August 15.

Judges noted that companies with a deep understanding of their stakeholders often built more resilient business models. Dorothy Teoh, CEO of The Edge Education Foundation, added that larger corporations with dedicated sustainability teams often excel because they regularly track and measure their progress. However, she stressed that smaller players, too, can demonstrate strong sustainability performance if they show genuine commitment and transparency in reporting.

Dorothy pointed out that true sustainability goes beyond charitable giving; it’s about developing solutions that improve lives and livelihoods. She cited KPJ Healthcare Bhd as an example, noting the company’s baby-friendly hospitals and “baby hatch” initiative. While five KPJ hospitals offered baby hatches in 2024, up from four the previous year, it was still below seven in 2022, underlining the importance of consistency in sustainability programs.

Public Bank Bhd’s “PB Scam Rangers” mobile fraud prevention initiative also stood out. The programme reportedly protected 1.1 million customers and prevented over 3.6 million fraudulent transactions worth RM1.71 billion in 2024, reflecting a strong commitment to social responsibility and digital safety.

Philip Koh Tong Ngee, Senior Partner at Mah-Kamariyah & Philip Koh Advocates & Solicitors, emphasized that companies must recognize their broader role within the socioeconomic and ecological systems. He praised those who exhibit creativity, good governance, and a willingness to learn from global best practices to strengthen their sustainability strategies.

In determining The Edge BRC’s Company of the Year, CR efforts make up 20% of the overall score, with financial metrics such as profit growth, shareholder returns, and return on equity comprising the remaining 80%.

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OCBC Bank Malaysia, the BRC’s main partner since the awards began in 2010, continues to back the initiative. “Towards this end, we are committed to supporting our clients’ sustainability ambitions through our diverse suite of ESG-linked products, including green bonds, sustainability-linked loans and transition finance instruments. These are complemented by our corporate responsibility initiative as the OCBC Group strives to be Asia’s leading financial services partner for a sustainable future,” he says,” said Teoh.

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Source: THE EDGE MALAYSIA