
Wasco scales up global sustainability efforts
The group is expected to accelerate initiatives aligned with its net-zero target by 2026 while building long-term regional partnerships that strengthen green value chains across its operating markets.
The award comes on the back of a milestone year for Wasco. In 2024, the group invested nearly RM800,000 in social and environmental programmes that collectively reached approximately 12,000 lives across Malaysia, Tanzania, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Indonesia.
These efforts, anchored on healthcare, humanity and environmental protection, were not just CSR gestures, but integral to Wasco's broader decarbonisation and sustainability strategy.
Among the 55 initiatives implemented were free health screenings, vaccination drives, food and disaster relief, school infrastructure upgrades and environmental awareness campaigns promoting circular economy practices.
These community-driven projects were matched by strong internal participation, with Wasco employees collectively contributing more than 11,800 hours of volunteer time.
'Corporate responsibility is embedded in our DNA. It is part of our promise to deliver meaningful, measurable value for people, planet and progress,' said Wasco Berhad chief strategy officer Ariesza Noor.
'This award affirms our belief that sustainability is most powerful when it is people-powered. We will continue to elevate our efforts in line with our broader environmental, social and governance (ESG) ambitions.'
Wasco's impact efforts are also closely tied to national and global frameworks. The group's initiatives reflect Malaysia's 12th Malaysia plan and the National Energy Transition Roadmap, while aligning with several United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs), including good health and well-being (SDG 3), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), climate action (SDG 13) and life on land (SDG 15).
Beyond short-term outreach, Wasco has also committed to longer-term environmental restoration through its Wasco Forest initiative, launched in 2021.
This project supports forest protection and carbon sequestration, forming part of the group's broader goal of achieving net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2026.
These efforts are bolstered by Wasco's strong presence on ESG benchmarks, including the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index and the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Syariah Index.
Receiving the award on behalf of the group was Lily Rozita Mohamad Khairi, a board member and chairman of the board sustainability committee.
She expressed that the recognition serves not only as validation of Wasco's ongoing work, but as motivation to push further.
'As we transition towards a low-carbon economy, the private sector must step up, not just to reduce emissions, but to build social resilience and empower local communities,' she said.
'Wasco believes in growing together with the communities we serve and this award reflects that shared journey.'
Established in 1999, Wasco Berhad is a main market-listed company with a presence in 14 countries.
Its operations are anchored in two core divisions: the energy services division, which specialises in advanced pipe coating, corrosion protection and engineering; and the bioenergy services division, which delivers biomass energy solutions to plantation, petrochemical and industrial clients.
The group remains steadfast in its commitment to the United Nations global compact principles, particularly in areas concerning human rights, labour standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Straits Times
25 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Court upholds RM1.04mil award against lift contractor over faulty work at Johor school
PUTRAJAYA: A lift contractor has failed in its bid to overturn a High Court decision ordering it to pay RM1,045,294.80 in damages to an international school over delayed and defective lift works at its Johor Baru campus. A three-member Court of Appeal bench, chaired by Datuk Supang Lian, unanimously dismissed MS Elevators Engineering Sdn Bhd's appeal, finding no merit in its challenge against the earlier decision in favour of Fairview International School Nusajaya Sdn Bhd. The other members of the bench were Datuk Azmi Ariffin and Datuk Ismail Brahim. In the judgement dated yesterday, Azmi said MS Elevators had breached its contract and failed to deliver functional and safe lifts by the stipulated deadline of Feb 28, 2015. According to court documents, the school had awarded MS Elevators a RM566,000 contract in July 2014 for the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of three lifts at its Johor Baru campus. Under the Letter of Award (LOA), the contractor was required to complete the work within six months, with a liquidated ascertained damages (LAD) clause of RM10,000 per day for any delay. However, the lifts were only certified by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) on June 2, 2015 — 94 days after the deadline — and were subsequently found unsafe. Incidents included schoolchildren being trapped in a lift and dignitaries being forced to walk up seven floors during school events. The court ruled that the school was entitled to LAD amounting to RM940,000 and RM70,294.80 in rectification costs incurred when third-party contractors were hired to repair and make the lifts safe for use. The court also affirmed the lower court's decision to award a nominal sum of RM35,000 for loss of student intake due to the unavailability of the upper floors. The appellate court held that MS Elevators had no legal basis to suspend works or refuse to rectify the defects unless payments were made, noting that no valid payment certification had been issued by the project consultants. The court also dismissed the company's counterclaim for RM387,908.60 for alleged outstanding payments, citing its failure to complete works as per the contract or obtain proper certification. In affirming the High Court's findings, the Court of Appeal emphasised that MS Elevators had neither applied for a valid extension of time nor complied with the contractual procedures. "There was no written notice given by the company to seek an extension of time. "They had the contractual right to do so if they believed the school's actions or omissions had caused delays. "The company cannot now turn around and blame the school for its unwarranted delay. "The defendant must live with the consequences of its fault," the court said. The court also awarded RM25,000 in costs to the school.


New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Luxury car owners skip road tax, insurance for cheap fines
KUALA LUMPUR: A senior lawyer has revealed that some owners of high-powered luxury vehicles are allegedly choosing not to renew their road tax and insurance because the fines are cheaper. Muhammad Hasif Hasan said a product founder told him it was more cost-effective to pay a maximum fine of RM3,000 for not having the required documents than to pay the thousands of ringgit needed to renew them. The lawyer was speaking on the Road Transport Department's (RTD) Ops Luxury 2025, which has so far seized 53 luxury vehicles without road tax and insurance. "When I met the individual who has become an 'orang kena saman' (OKS), I asked why they came to court, and the answer was to pay a fine on road tax and insurance," Muhammad Hasif told Berita Harian. "The person explained that it was better to pay the RM300 fine, as it was cheaper and more worthwhile compared to paying over RM5,000 for road tax and more than RM10,000 for insurance for his continental car." The individual, who does not drive the car daily but uses it for product promotions, said that to get road tax, he must first get insurance. "If he just continues driving without road tax and insurance and gets fined, the maximum is only RM300. It's more worth it," Muhammad Hasif said. The lawyer added that this attitude not only breaks the law but also endangers other people's lives. "If he were to get into an accident and hit a member of the public while having no vehicle insurance coverage, the victim or their family would not be able to make any claims," he said. "In the end, they would have to bear all court and medical costs themselves." Muhammad Hasif said that once a victim's family is involved in a serious accident or death due to a driver's negligence, they will face a complicated and costly legal process. "Legal costs can reach up to RM10,000 to RM40,000, excluding medical and other court costs," he said. "In fact, even if they win the case, there's no guarantee they will receive the compensation money." He added that if the defendant has no insurance, the plaintiff would then have to file bankruptcy proceedings to enforce the court's decision, which would also cost thousands of ringgit.


New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Water tariff hike to boost infrastructure, offset rising costs
KUALA LUMPUR: The recent water tariff revision offers water operators greater flexibility to improve infrastructure, speed up the replacement of old pipes, and address non-revenue water (NRW) issues. CIMB Securities said the tariff adjustments also helped offset significant increases in electricity costs and other operational expenses faced by water treatment plant (WTP) operators. "For instance, the Negeri Sembilan government has seen the monthly water pumping expenses, especially for commercial and industrial sectors in the state, rising by RM700,000 since July 2024," it said in a note. The research house noted that several states have already detailed their plans for utilising the additional revenue from the revised water tariff structure. It added that the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) anticipates generating an additional RM20 million in revenue in the second half of 2026 from the new tariffs, which it plans to reinvest in enhancing Penang's water supply infrastructure. "The projects in the pipeline include the construction of the Mengkuang Park Water Treatment Plant, the new Sg. Kerian WTP, and the construction of a new treated water pipeline from the Macallum area to Bukit Dumbar," it said. CIMB Securities said there is an urgent need to upgrade and rehabilitate ageing water infrastructure, noting that 98 out of 350 WTP nationwide are operating beyond their intended capacity, while another 120 WTP are grappling with operational issues. The firm emphasised that addressing these challenges is vital to securing the long-term sustainability of the country's water services. It also stated that the recent water tariff adjustments mark a significant step forward in enhancing water service quality under Malaysia's Water Sector Transformation Plan 2040 (AIR 2040). "This is crucial to support the country's water demand, which is growing at an average rate of 2 to 6 per cent per annum," it said. CIMB Securities noted that while water tariff increases are a step forward, the sector still needs alternative financing models involving private sector participation. This would help ease the federal government's financial burden in supporting the significant investments needed under the AIR 2040 plan. "For exposure to water-related plays, we reiterate our view that licensed water operators under Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (SPAN) would be the immediate beneficiaries of the water tariff revisions. "Apart from Ranhill Utilities Bhd, PBA Holdings Bhd is the only other licensed water operator in the country that is listed on Bursa Malaysia. "Pending further updates on the private sector's role in Malaysia's water sector transformation, we maintain Gamuda Bhd as our preferred play for water-related infrastructure construction," it added. The firm said Gamuda is well-placed to win construction contracts valued at RM4 billion under the Ulu Padas and Northern Perak water supply projects. It noted that the Northern Perak scheme will be implemented through a privatisation model with a minimum concession period of 40 years. "As the main WTP contractor for Phase 1 of the Rasau Water Supply Scheme worth nearly RM2 billion, we also expect Gamuda to be in the running for more jobs under the second phase," CIMB Securities said.