11 MANAGING OUR KEY ESG RISKS GOOD GOVERNANCE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP EMPOWERING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES APPENDIX CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE As part of this stride forward in promoting an ethical culture, an independent whistleblowing solutions provider was appointed to implement Conduct Watch, a secure digital reporting channel. In tandem with that, our annual flagship campaign, the Fraud Awareness Week (“FAW”), celebrated its seventh year in uniting hundreds of participants from regulatory bodies to professional entities and public listed companies, in a collaborative endeavour against fraud. The consistent increase in participation not only attests to the relevance of the event, but also accentuates its profound impact. This year, for the first time, we also broadened our reach and collaborated with the esteemed Faculty of Law, University of Malaya (“UM”) on a Fraud Awareness Talk session aimed at enhancing awareness of fraud prevention and detection within the local community, particularly amongst the students of UM’s Law Faculty. At Kenanga, we have always taken great pride in upholding a gender-balanced workforce within the organisation. With 51% female employees and 38% in senior leadership positions, we have not only cultivated a harmonious blend of diverse perspectives and experiences but have also harnessed the advantages of a rich talent pool. This year, as we deepened our commitment, Kenanga proudly joined the ranks of signatories to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles. This move signifies our efforts to empower women not only within our workplace, but also in the broader marketplace and community. A FOCUS ON CLIMATE ACTION Embarking on a journey towards net-zero aspirations, we have in recent years invested considerable efforts in mitigating our carbon footprint and environmental impact. As such, we were incredibly heartened to receive the coveted accolade at the prestigious National Energy Awards 2023 for the ‘EnergyEfficient Building in the Retrofitted Building’ category, a validation of the substantial strides we have made in reducing our energy consumption at our headquarters, Kenanga Tower. Through partnership with a Malaysian-based climate-tech solutions provider, we have undergone a transformative process, revamping both the lighting and air handling unit and air conditioning systems of our building to achieve energy efficiencies. This initiative is a crucial step in aligning our operations with sustainable practices and contributing to a greener future. Additionally, we remain vigilant in complying with emerging regulations and standards, particularly in climate risk management, ensuring its seamless integration into our business operations. FOSTERING A CULTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY Throughout the year, we embraced the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’ as we worked towards building a stronger ecosystem to advance our sustainability agenda. Acknowledging the pivotal role of employees in advancing sustainability, the Group initiated its inaugural Sustainability Roadshow, rolled-out to communicate Kenanga’s sustainability journey, and raise awareness of the Group’s ESG progress and aspirations. This roadshow not only advocated the positive impact of our collective efforts, but more importantly, served to nurture a culture of responsibility and sense of purpose amongst all employees. Complementing that was the annual #GreenAtWork environmental campaign, and a new #ThinkESG learning series designed to inspire deeper ESG understanding and the adoption of green practices in the daily lives of our employees. Through workshops, quizzes and a plant-adoption drive, employees were invited to become ambassadors of positive change, carrying the values of environmental stewardship and ESG thinking beyond the confines of our organisation. Together, we do not just cultivate a greener workplace; we are sowing the seeds for a more sustainable future. For our clients, we hosted ESG webinars and organised experiential site visits throughout the year, including trips to rooftop solar installations and Electric Vehicle (EV) charging hubs. These efforts aimed to offer first-hand insights into sustainable practices, empowering our corporate and institutional clients with opportunities to evaluate the ESG performances of companies, and in turn, enables them to actively champion their sustainability ambitions through informed decision-making. As part of our steadfast commitment to societal impact, our long-standing partnerships with social enterprises such as Silent Teddies Bakery and Dialogue IncludesAll (“DIA”) Academy of over 12 years, exemplify our dedication to championing sustainable values and reflect a shared ethos of empowerment and resilience. Beyond being regular patrons of Silent Teddies Bakery, an establishment run by hearing-impaired youths, we have also been actively supporting their ongoing expansion and renovation efforts — where we will see the humble bakery transformed into a well-equipped learning centre for the hearing impaired, and a café catering to a broader audience. It has been remarkable to witness the progress they have made in growing their business, highlighting the distance they have covered since our initial collaboration.
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