NEWS & UPDATES

Kuching, Sarawak, 5 October 2012  - Sarawak Energy Berhad has become the first Sarawak based company to be the strategic partner of CSR Asia following the signing of an agreement between the two organisations recently.

The signing of this agreement further strengthens Sarawak Energy’s commitment to sustainability in its operations and its CSR programme. Since the beginning of 2011, Sarawak Energy has ramped up its internal capability by setting up a stand-alone CSR division. This new team works closely with the different project design and execution divisions to ensure the social aspects of projects are properly understood and where there are potential impacts, action is taken to mitigate the risks arising.

Steven Bartholomeusz, Sarawak Energy’s Senior Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility says, “The partnership shows the company’s further commitment to CSR activities”. He added, “We believe that there are opportunities arising from this strategic partnership for Sarawak Energy and CSR Asia to work together to ensure a positive impact from the work that we do with the local communities. CSR Asia offers us opportunities for knowledge sharing through the exchange of information, capacity building, networking with over 80 leading organisations and peers”.

As part of this new partnership, CSR Asia will provide guidance in sustainability reporting and stakeholder management which also gives Sarawak Energy access and opportunities to collaborate with CSR Asia and their peer network.

Sarawak Energy has identified four priorities within its CSR programme. They are:

1. education and young people; 
2.  culture and heritage; 
3.  environmental management & conservation; and 
4.  community development and entrepreneurship.

CSR Asia (Malaysia) Executive Director, Rikke Netterstrom says, “We are very pleased to welcome Sarawak Energy as a Strategic Partner. Sarawak Energy operates in an environment that requires it to engage with its stakeholders in robust and innovative ways. By joining the region’s largest CSR network, Sarawak Energy will be able to leverage on the expertise of some of the leading sustainable companies and organisations in the region”.

CSR Asia is a leading provider of services to help companies develop and implement CSR strategies through its presence in six Asian countries, as well as Europe and Australia. The CSR Asia Strategic Partner Programme supports companies in embedding CSR through capacity building, networking among partners and sharing best practices. Members of the Strategic Partner Programme include over 80 of the world’s leading companies operating in Asia.