Banking on the Environment

Professor Sadruddin Saidfudin of Planters International emphasises on the E in ESG

- Aaron Pereira

The latest buzzword to be thrown about that all companies seem to be jumping on the bandwagon to implement is the acronym for Environment, Social and Governance (ESG). But do the companies truly know what they’re getting into, or just claiming the title for the sake of doing the right thing—much like how rainbows emerge in June but are nowhere to be seen or spoken about before or after.

We take an educational hike into a forest reserve with professor Muhammad Sadruddin Saidfudin of Planters International, which mainly champions the environmental aspect of ESG, and find out how the organisation is helping other corporations do the right thing.

First let’s get into each of the initials to understand what companies should be looking out for. In terms of the environment, the recent floods locally and other weather calamities are a clear sign that we need to do better in protecting the environment. We already notice car manufacturers producing electric vehicles to cut down on emissions for one. When it comes to the social aspect, we look to see how the company benefits society as a whole—both in and outside of the organisation. Think companies running CSR programmes or giving incentives for staff to take public transport. And when it comes to governance, it’s mainly about doing the right thing, abiding by the law, following SOPs, and being regulated. These are but a few examples.