Practical, holistic solutions needed to address interconnected challenges to sustainable development
THE world continues to face pressing issues - from poverty and inequality to climate change and resource scarcity - posing significant barriers to achieving sustainable development.
Governments are often constrained by bureaucracy and budgetary limitations, hindering the speed at which comprehensive, innovative solutions are delivered.
This is where the private sector, corporations in particular, have a critical role to play – possessing the resources, expertise and agility that can complement and enhance public sector efforts.
Consumers and stakeholders are increasingly demanding that businesses be a force for positive change, driven by a growing awareness of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
From concerns over climate change and social inequalities to corporate scandals, the public is placing greater emphasis on the ethical conduct and social impact of companies, rather than solely focusing on profits.
This shift in consumer and stakeholder expectations has compelled businesses to recognise that maximising shareholder value is no longer a sustainable long-term strategy.
Companies that prioritise social responsibility and integrate ESG considerations into their core operations will position themselves for sustained growth and competitive advantage, beyond ethical obligations.
Ong: ‘We are pursuing the SDGs with a different approach, and hope to find solutions through a data-based methodology. We are integrating our groupwide CSR endeavours with Sunway University’s research capabilities to drive sustainable and positive change.’
CSR in Malaysia
Locally, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a form of sustainability governance with advantages to the economic, environment and social progress of a company.
A strong CSR approach that considers social, environmental and ethical factors would naturally align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and is likely to excel in ESG metrics.
According to a study titled Review of Literature on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the review found that CSR is becoming an increasingly prominent global phenomenon.
However, it also notes that many Malaysian public firms are responding slowly, especially when it comes to environmental protection and community welfare initiatives.
Citing prior studies, the review suggests that a significant majority of surveyed Malaysian firms were classified in the “unfavourable to moderate” categories in terms of effectively implementing CSR policies, lagging behind global standards.
The increasing focus on the role of CSR is also crucial in the context of rapid urbanisation.
As more people migrate to cities, governments and businesses must collaborate to address the social, environmental and infrastructure challenges that come with urban growth.
Urbanisation: A closer look
Urbanisation, the rapid growth and development of cities, has given rise to persistent societal challenges, chief among them are pockets of poverty and neighbourhood decay.
Often driven by the migration of rural populations seeking better economic opportunities in cities, these underserved communities tend to lack access to basic services, healthcare and educational resources—these disparities between affluent and underprivileged communities become even more stark.
For instance, Desa Mentari, a low-cost housing area in Petaling Jaya, is situated just 2km away from the affluent Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, yet the living conditions and access to resources in these two communities differ vastly.
Home to approximately 26,104 residents from various ethnic backgrounds, including Malay, Indian, Chinese and others, Desa Mentari’s vibrant diversity reflects the multicultural heritage of our nation.
The Sunway Desa Mentari Programme is guided by a comprehensive primary objective designed to bring aboutpositive transformation within the Desa Mentari community.
That said, the community is predominantly composed of individuals from the lower-income (B40) segment, grappling with a troubling array of health, social, economic and infrastructural issues.
On the public health front, the community contends with a high prevalence of infectious diseases, particularly dengue fever, as well as pressing mental health concerns.
Desa Mentari’s ageing infrastructure further exacerbates these health risks, posing serious hazards to the wellbeing of its residents.
Beyond health, the community also faces socioeconomic hurdles, including limited economic opportunities, barriers to quality education and tensions around community harmony and social interactions.
Solutions for inclusive development
Recognising the need to address urbanisation and its far-reaching implications, Sunway Group chairman’s office executive director Ong Pang Yen said:
“We believe we need—now more than ever—to divert more attention and resources to finding solutions and to act on them now.“We need innovations, new inventions and interventions. We need to put to practise what we preach.
We need to work on and invest in the solutions,” he said.
This is also in reference to the latest UN progress report which found that for half of the measurable targets, progress has been slow and inadequate.
Even worse, another 30% of these targets haven’t budged or have actually gotten worse.
With this in mind, Sunway is taking a comprehensive, data-driven approach to aid in enhancing the quality-of-life of residents by empowering them through the Desa Mentari Community Observatory project.
Long-term solutions
Ong explained that Sunway plans to deploy researchers to measure baseline data points through the Desa Mentari initiative to tangibly address Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets.
Targets such as SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing - Targets 3.3.1, 3.3.2 and 3.3.3 are aimed at fighting communicable diseases like HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.“
The purpose of setting up a pilot community observatory is to make all SDG intervention projects traceable and measurable so they can be continuously improved to achieve the best possible impact and results,” he noted.
He continued saying that interventions are only effective if they have strong follow through.
> Urban farming: One way Sunway is trying to address the complex and intersectional issues at Desa Mentari is by introducing the concept of urban farming to residents.
Through its agritech company Sunway XFarms, Sunway aims to assist in relieving the community’s economic struggles and enhance food security by helping residents learn how to grow their own produce.
This would not only increase access to fresh produce for residents, but also create new income-generating opportunities.
> Education: Beyond the direct economic benefits, the Desa Mentari Community Observatory project will also involve setting up an education arm to bring up literacy and education levels.
“Sunway University’s researchers can recommend interventions, using a motivational approach to inspire school-going children in the vicinity to pursue education right up until to the tertiary level,” said Ong, emphasising that this would help address targets that are part of SDG 4: Quality education.
> Healthcare: Sunway University’s researchers could also recommend interventions in line with SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing if the baseline data shows huge gaps in the health and wellbeing of Desa Mentari residents.
For example, if an organisation or corporation conducts health screening for malaria within a community, it’s not enough to only inform residents - there must also be a solution to address root causes.
This could be in the form of mobile clinics or fogging. But, interventions at scale will require funding, and this is where other corporations can come on board to support this initiative.
Sunway volunteers are also helping to teach the children in Desa Mentari and offer academic advice where they can.
Nonetheless, Ong said that Sunway will be underwriting the project for its initial years.
He also added that progress will be monitored and measured over the years for effectiveness and impact, with the methodology being adjusted and improved along the way.
Coupled with a community learning hub, vocational training and healthcare support in the pipeline, Sunway’s multifaceted strategy is taking the approach of empowerment – enabling the residents of Desa Mentari to become active agents of their own development, fostering a model of inclusive, community-driven progress.
