KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 (Bernama) -- The small and medium enterprise (SME) industry is urged to be more actively involved in businesses that emphasise sustainability elements, including the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said a comprehensive approach needs to be created involving the government, large companies, government-linked companies, including multinational corporations, to enhance the capabilities of SMEs in the face of these changes.
“Malaysia is actually a major player in the furniture industry, and we just hope that more will be able to enter the sustainable sector.
“The market demand, especially overseas, for furniture that is green or sustainable is big,” he said during the opening ceremony of the “Sustainaboleh” programme and the Green Factory Experiential Concept Store here today.
Also present were Sepulo Holdings Bhd and The Green Factory chairman Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin Tuanku Muhriz and The Green Factory founder Harith Ridzuan.
Nik Nazmi said efforts towards strengthening the implementation of SDGs in local industries were showing positive progress.
However, he noted there was still much to be done, especially regarding hygiene and sustainability standards to meet global market demands.
“This is one of the challenges faced by SMEs. When there are many new regulations, including those in terms of climate change, sustainability, and forestry, it becomes a challenge for SMEs, as many of them may not be able to afford to have a chief sustainability officer.
“So, the regulations often change and so on. If it is at the level of listed companies, they are already familiar with such requests from Bursa Malaysia,” he said.
Earlier, in his speech, Nik Nazmi praised the initiative by The Green Factory team for making sustainable products more accessible to the community, providing hands-on experiential learning, and demonstrating a steadfast commitment to raising environmental awareness in Malaysia.
“This will be my second time officiating the programme by The Green Factory. Today, 100 youths from around the Klang Valley join us for ‘Sustainaboleh’.
“Our young people learn quickly, share passionately and will one day be the custodians of future Malaysia,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
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