CSR Malaysia May 2015 | Page 12

A PERILIOUS JOURNEY According to MYCAT and PERHILITAN, the Malayan tiger is the most threatened species by the illegal wildlife trade. Soaring demands for tiger parts in Asia frustrates the efforts to protect the big cats. The journey towards the desired destination of corporate sustainability is a long and windy one. While profits and assets continue to be at the heart of businesses, companies that divert from the traditional business model and move to making corporate social responsibility a reality have much to gain. Going beyond the company’s financial goals, industry watchdogs or social advocates, “corporate citizenship” has the ability to change the landscape of the existing environment. Whether taking responsibility for the environment, protecting animals who share our ecosystem or social welfare of its community, the long term effect outweigh the short term costs involved in the implementation of these positive corporate projects. HEART OF THE TIGER One company who has embraced the corporate social responsibility initiative in their business portfolio is Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank). Established in Data from the World Bank showed that 70 of Malaysia’s 336 mammal species were threatened as of 2014, the seventh highest in the world in this category. 1960, Malaysia’s largest financial services group and one of the leading banking groups in South East Asia, Maybank has regional networks in Singapore, Indonesia, The Philippines, Brunei and Cambodia. Armed with the focus to grow profitably and responsibly alongside communities they serve, Maybank’s corporate responsibility (CR) goes in accordance with their mission of “humanising financial services” spread across four key elements 12 – workplace, marketplace, community and environment. The winner of the Platinum Award for ‘Excellence in Provision of Literacy & Education’ category at the 6th Global CSR Summit & Awards (GCSA) 2014 has successfully built a sustainable CR framework that integrates its business model, and with that boosting shareholder value. Their strategy involves the practicing good corporate citizenship,