Section 6 UEM Edgenta Berhad ENHANCING VALUE THROUGH SUSTAINABILITY 102 SUSTAINABILITY AT UEM EDGENTA During the year under review, Edgenta recorded several milestones in advancing its HSSE practices. The company successfully obtained the ISO 9001:2015, ISO 45001:2018 & ISO 14001:2015 (Quality, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Management Systems) Certifications, a demonstration of Edgenta’s sound quality management system to ensure that the services and products offered meet international standards. In addition, the Company also operationalised its HSSE manuals, ensuring better adherence to health, safety and environmental practices. Assurance processes were carried out and intervention plans were identified for further improvements. As a result of these well-executed measures, we became the proud recipient of the Star ESG Award – Silver for our outstanding Health and Well-being practices, highlighting our dedication to creating a sustainable and thriving workplace for our employees. Looking ahead, UEM Edgenta is committed to continually improving its HSSE management system, nurturing a robust safety culture, and striving for zero incidents, occupational illnesses, and environmental events through ongoing training, awareness sessions and monitoring processes. The organisation aims to instil a workplace ethos where safety is deeply ingrained in the culture, spanning from top management to every employee, ensuring the highest standards of well-being and environmental stewardship. In our dedication to maintaining a strong supply chain, fostering ethical procurement practices, and supporting local vendors, UEM Edgenta maintains a rigorous set of procurement standards outlined in our Strategic Vendor Management Framework (“SVMF”). Through this framework, we actively collaborate with our suppliers via our signature Vendor Development Programme (“VDP”) to ensure their alignment with our sourcing criteria, ultimately improving our supply chain performance. Our assistance includes providing training programmes covering health and safety regulations, ethical sourcing principles and procurement practices. During the year, we expanded these training initiatives to include sustainabilityrelated discussions, aimed at boosting our vendors’ understanding of ESG principles. In addition, we onboarded 9 new suppliers into our VDP. Other initiatives like the Supplier Financing Programme (“SFP”), in partnership with HSBC Amanah Malaysia Berhad, provides vital support to SME suppliers, helping them manage their cash flows while conducting business with us. We consistently monitor our vendors’ performance through our Vendor Performance Review and HSSE Performance Rating processes. During the year, we evaluated 93 vendors from our Infrastructure business and offered training and support for those who do not meet our minimum rating requirements to assist them in meeting our established standards. Going forward, we aim to enhance our SVMF by integrating more sustainability-related considerations in our procurement practices. This includes supplier environmental and social assessments, incorporating green material sourcing principles, implementing stricter health and safety requirements, as well as human rights screening procedures for supplier evaluation. To better prepare our vendors for these changes, we plan to conduct a risk profiling exercise to assess our suppliers and subsequently, develop a supply chain engagement plan to assist our vendors in complying with our enhanced supply chain framework. At UEM Edgenta, community contributions and development with a focus on education, community enrichment and wellbeing is very much aligned with our vision. Through the "Saving Animals, Serving Community" CSR programme, the Company allocated approximately RM30,000 to support animal welfare and conservation efforts of the endangered Aldabra Giant Tortoises and a giraffe. Additionally, UEM Edgenta practiced circularity by rescuing 7,225 kg of surplus pet food, benefitting over 50 shelters, preventing the release of 20,230 kg of carbon dioxide into landfills. In its community empowerment CSR endeavours, UEM Edgenta launched several initiatives such as 'Back-to-School Riang Ria' to aid underprivileged school children and provided flood relief assistance in Segamat, Johor and the "Jalinan Kasih Edgenta" programme which facilitated inclusive festive celebrations, enhancing community engagement and social cohesion during key cultural events such as Chinese New Year, Ramadan, Deepavali, and Christmas. The establishment of the Arboretum Education Center in partnership with Universiti Putra Malaysia in December 2023 highlights the company's commitment to further extend educational and awareness platforms in the area of environmental sustainability. These efforts led to UEM Edgenta receiving the prestigious "Company of the Year (Asset Management & Infrastructure Solutions)" award at the esteemed Sustainability and CSR Malaysia Awards 2023. Looking ahead, the organisation is poised to further solidify its role in sustainable development by continuing to work with communities in the markets it serves to promote education and community enrichment programmes. UEM Edgenta practiced circularity by rescuing 7,225 kg of surplus pet food, benefitting over 50 shelters, preventing the release of 20,230 kg of carbon dioxide into landfills.
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