Sasbadi Annual Report 2021

We encourage the recruitment of local employees as we believe that by providing job opportunities to locals, we are directly contributing to the elevation of Malaysians’ socio-economic status. We are pleased to announce that our workforce is fully made up of Malaysians. Developing Competencies We aspire to grow with our people and we invest in both their work-related and personal development. In general, we continuously monitor our employees and offer training and upskilling opportunities that are relevant to their areas of work, positions, talents and interests. We provide both internal and external training, as well as on-the-job training, particularly in technical and management skills. Our established appraisal guidelines also enable us to identify and implement development programmes for our employees. Occupational Safety and Health The Group endeavours to ensure our employees work in a safe and healthy environment. Not only does it benefit the well-being of our employees, it ensures the Group’s productivity which is crucial during these challenging times. We have implemented guidelines and regulations to prevent, reduce and address occupational injuries as well as to stem the spread of COVID-19. Our internal reporting protocol dictates that any workplace accidents, occupational diseases and matters relating to the health and safety of our employees shall first be reported to the Human Resources Department. They would subsequently be escalated to Management followed by the BOD if necessary, depending on the severity of the matter. As part of our fight to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Group continues to enforce safe distancing measures, introduced shift-based work hours and embraced telecommuting arrangements for employees who can effectively fulfil their roles doing so. Other efforts include the provision of face masks and hand sanitisers to employees, and to actively promote the wearing of face masks at all times. Any suspicion of an infection is actively monitored and the employee will be immediately sent for screening and should their results return positive, they would immediately be required to adhere to the SOP set by the Ministry of Health. As an additional precautionary measure, we have also been conducting company-wide sanitisation twice weekly. During the FYE 31 August 2021, there has not been any incident of work-related injuries or fatalities and the managing of COVID-19 was not detrimental to our business operations other than the series of MCOs implemented by the government where we were required to periodically suspend our operations. We will continue to implement control measures and strive for a zero-incident workplace. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP We acknowledge that for the long-term sustainability of the Group, sound environmental stewardship is necessary. Thus, we are committed to minimising any adverse impact from our operations on the environment. Material Sourcing and Managing Waste We place great care in the usage of our raw material: paper. We manage material wastage arising from the manufacturing of books as well as excess stocks by applying stringent controls on our printers and making data-driven decisions to prevent over-printing. Proper care is taken to store our raw materials and finished products so as to avoid damages. Older stocks still fit for use are cleared through markdown sales and donated to organisations while remainders are recycled. For the FYE 31 August 2021, production wastage is kept at 1%, which is within the current standard set by the Group. We are continuously evaluating and improving our processes to reduce wastage. To the best of our abilities, our purchase of raw materials are made from manufacturers who support sustainability initiatives and bodies, such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (“SFI”), Forest Stewardship Council (“FSC”) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (“PEFC”). Without compromising on quality and with the consent of our customers, we would also incorporate products made from recycled paper into our product mix. To meet the needs arising from the ever changing educational landscape, we have dedicated a significant portion of our resources to developing digital education solutions. By offering digital products, we are able to empower our customers with 21st century educational technology while reducing our carbon footprint and other negative impacts on the environment. (continued) SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT 38 SASBADI HOLDINGS BERHAD