NEWS & UPDATES

KUALA LUMPUR
26 OCTOBER 2024

The UN Women’s 2024 Malaysia Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards recognised Sarawak Energy with the 'Community Engagement & Partnerships' Award at its awards ceremony, held recently during the UN Women Gender Action Lab (GAL) Malaysia Summit at the Asia School of Business.

Sarawak Energy’s Handicraft Development Programme was selected as one of the top seven winners of the 2024 Malaysia WEPs Award from over 600 applicants, for its initiatives in empowering women through community engagement. The top seven Malaysia winners – Sarawak Energy, Bursa Malaysia Berhad, Red Communications, PwC Malaysia, Pinkcollar Employment Agency, Bintang Capital Partners, and Kiddocare Sdn Bhd – will also advance to the Asia-Pacific WEPs Regional Awards, set to take place in December 2024.

Launched in 2016 in partnership with the University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), the programme supports Penan women near the Murum Hydroelectric Plant by preserving traditional rattan weaving skills and fostering economic independence. It aims to enhance market access for their crafts, both locally and internationally, while ensuring sustainable livelihoods for the artisans and safeguarding the cultural heritage of the indigenous Penan community.

Representing the company at the award ceremony was Hajah Siti Aisah Adenan, Senior Vice President for Corporate Services and Executive Champion of the Sarawak Energy Leading Women Network (SELWN).

“The Handicraft Development Programme is one of several initiatives we undertake and develop in partnership with our host communities, believing that collaboration and mutual respect are crucial for successful social investment programmes,” said Hajah Siti Aisah, who accepted the award on behalf of Sarawak Energy.

She added that this initiative reflects Sarawak Energy’s commitment to community development and gender equality through meaningful partnerships.

Supported by the Government of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as part of UN Women’s GAL regional initiative, the WEPs Awards is organised by UN Women and LeadWomen and acknowledges private sector efforts to drive gender equality.

The 'Community Engagement & Partnerships' category recognises companies that promote gender equality through community involvement and partnerships, celebrating efforts to drive systemic change through collaboration. It is one of the seven categories under the WEPs Awards that recognises private sector efforts to promote gender equality, including Leadership Commitment, Gender-Inclusive Workplace, Gender-Responsive Marketplace, Transparency and Reporting, Innovative Financing, and SME Champions.

The WEPs is a joint initiative by UN Women and the UN Global Compact to empower women to fully participate in economic life across all sectors. Sarawak Energy became a WEPs signatory in 2021, through its Group CEO, Datuk Haji Sharbini Suhaili. Globally, over 10,000 companies are WEPs signatories, with around 2,700 from the Asia-Pacific region.

The 2024 Malaysia WEPs Awards took place as part of the GAL Malaysia Summit, organised by the Ministry of Human Resources, TalentCorp, and Leadwomen. During the summit, UN Women, TalentCorp, and Leadwomen also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch the 'UN Women Gender Action Lab (GAL): Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in the Asia-Pacific' initiative.

Sarawak Energy remains committed to integrating gender-inclusive practices into its broader sustainability efforts, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, while continuing to promote gender equality and empowerment within the communities it serves.

Sarawak Energy received the top honour in the ‘Community Engagement & Partnerships’ category at the 2024 Malaysia WEPs Awards, recognising its efforts in promoting gender equality through community engagement and partnerships.

Hajah Siti Aisah represented Sarawak Energy to receive this honour. She was accompanied by Madinah Abang, Sarawak Energy’s General Manager of Contract & Procurement Governance who is also a SELWN Exco lead in Women Mentoring.

The top seven Malaysia winners of the 2024 Malaysia WEPS Awards: Sarawak Energy, Bursa Malaysia Berhad, Red Communications, PwC Malaysia, Pinkcollar Employment Agency, Bintang Capital Partners, and Kiddocare Sdn Bhd; will advance to the Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards in December 2024.