Malaysia is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050, and Malaysian businesses will play a key role in achieving this target.
In an interview, Chee Gay Lim, Managing Director of Global Operations APAC, discusses the region's environmental challenges, the growing impact of climate change on local communities, and how businesses and individuals can contribute to a more sustainable future. From rising temperatures to extreme weather events and biodiversity loss, these challenges call for urgent action.
Chee Gay commented:
“This Earth Day, we are reinforcing our dedication to environmental sustainability by raising awareness and inspiring action toward a greener future. Access is committed to making a positive difference for its people, communities and environments from wherever in the world it operates.”
“As part of our Earth Day celebrations, we encourage employees, partners, and communities to get involved in meaningful activities that support the planet. Whether reducing waste, promoting renewable energy, or engaging in local conservation efforts, every small action contributes to a more significant movement for environmental sustainability.
This Earth Day, let’s come together to drive change, raise awareness, and make a lasting impact on our planet.”
Leading the charge at Access this year, the team in KL have a raft of planned activities, including our tree planting programs, supporting coral restoration efforts, rescuing quality, nutritious surplus food that would otherwise end up in landfill and distributing it to those in need, reducing waste, supporting renewable energy, lights off during Earth Hour celebration, beach and river cleaning; fruits, herbs and vegetables planting for the local community—each contribution helps build our collective movement for a sustainable future.
Additionally, this month 18 of our KL team took part in an in-house urban waste management seminar aimed at promoting sustainable waste practices. The seminar provided a detailed overview of waste management, emphasizing its crucial role in reducing environmental impact and fostering a more sustainable future.
The session included a hands-on guide to composting at home, empowering employees to make environmentally conscious decisions in their daily lives to help reduce waste and promote a greener, more sustainable lifestyle.
Across the globe, Access teams are coming together in a true spirit of unity to mark Earth Day and demonstrate their commitment to a sustainable future wherever they live and work.
In the UK, The Access Foundation has approved a £84,990 grant to support projects with the Marine Conservation Society, the UK's leading marine charity.
The grant will fund three projects, including the One Ocean Roadshow programme.
This programme works closely with coastal communities, offering free local activities to help people better understand the human impact on the ocean, improve the sustainable management of local marine heritage, and promote the health and well-being benefits of connecting with our ocean.
The report will also fund the annual Beachwatch Report, a vital piece of research relating to the state of beaches in the UK. The report gathers data collated by over 15,000 volunteers and 1200 litter surveys that help inform ocean pollution sources and develop trends that are used in evidence to push for change at the government level.
The grant also supports the Seasearch programme (diving for data), a project for recreational divers and snorkelers who want to help the marine environment by collecting information about habitats, plants, and animals they see under the water.
Over the next 3 years, the grant will enable 10,000 young people and community members to become involved, empowering people to act and support a healthier planet.
For Earth Day and as part of a Giving Back initiative, Access volunteers will gather on four beaches across the UK, including Liverpool, Bournemouth West Sussex, and Edinburgh, to remove litter and contribute to a cleaner environment.
In the US - in Albany, New York, the Group’s Americas team will be marking Earth Day by getting involved in a cleanup in the downtown Albany area.
Meanwhile, in Newton, Massachusetts, volunteers will be learning about organic urban vegetable gardening from a farmer from the Green City Growers organization. They will learn about how to plant, maintain and harvest fresh organic produce in an urban setting, and they will be able to take home fresh produce to use in their kitchens.
In Timisoara, Romania, a team of 47 spent a day gardening, planting trees and flowers to help transform a local school in Scoala Uivar into a vibrant and relaxing area for students. The team also created a space that will help educate the students on environmental challenges and solutions.
The school was delighted with the transformation, emphasizing how it improved the space visually and inspired students and teachers to become more active in caring for their environment.
Chee Gay added,
“We are delighted to see so many of our people embracing Earth Day but also committing to sustainable endeavours all year round at home and work.
“At Access, we support our people and recognize our role in tackling climate change. We have committed to science-based targets—a proven approach to reducing emissions and limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
“With clear goals and a structured path forward, businesses like ours are leading the way toward a low-carbon future. Small actions today will create a lasting impact for generations to come.”