KUALA LUMPUR: Aeon Credit Service (M) Bhd has been recognised with the "Outstanding Community Engagement Award' at the Sustainability and CSR Malaysia Awards 2024.
This reaffirms Aeon Credit's steadfast commitment to support community welfare and sustainable development initiatives.
Managing director Daisuke Maeda said the award recognised Aeon Credit's commitment to creating positive impacts through diverse community engagement programs.
"These initiatives benefit local communities and demonstrate our dedication to being a responsible corporate citizen."
He added that it not only reinforces the company's purpose of "bringing finance closer to everyone" but also further accelerates its three-year sustainability roadmap progress.
"Anchored by four key focuses, including environmental sustainability, strengthening financial inclusion, promoting societal well-being as well as upholding governance standards, we aim to become a leading ESG (environmental, social and governance) company," Maeda said.
Aeon Credit's environmental stewardship is reflected through impactful initiatives such as coastal cleanups, mangrove planting and green financing aimed at mitigating climate change.
During the year, it invested RM1.9 million in a biodiversity afforestation project, a collaborative initiative spanning three years.
The project aims to plant 10,000 indigenous endangered species in Kinta Nature Park by September 2024.
This project not only conserves the degraded biodiversity but also contributes to the group's efforts in carbon emission offset, estimated at 30,7119 tCO2 equivalent to be claimed for the next 20 years.
Over the past three years, the company invested RM2 million in digital learning tools and fostered digital literacy through the Malaysian Aeon Foundation Smart Classroom project, benefiting 20 schools.
The initiative aims to enhance digital learning and provide equal educational opportunities for students.
Additionally, the company has awarded scholarships to deserving students in public universities, supporting their academic pursuits, and easing financial burdens on their families.
The Sustainability and CSR Malaysia Award 2024 was organised by CSR Malaysia Publications to honour corporations in Malaysia that have excelled as change agents in the socio-economic transformation of the country.
The winners were evaluated based on clear CSR purpose and goals, impact, frequency of events, contribution amounts, transparency in reporting, creative implementation, strength of the CSR team as well as the sincerity and effectiveness of each initiative.