Top Glove earns green award; continues improving all ESG aspects

TOP Glove Corp Bhd may have fared miserably in the labour front by failing to provide desirable living condition for its workforce but that does not stop the world’s largest glove maker to prove its mettle in other areas of its business.

The company has just garnered an award for Notable Achievement in Environmental Performance at the prestigious Prime Minister’s Hibiscus Award 2019/2020 – its very first win of the award.

Specifically, the award is in recognition of one of Top Glove’s factories – F12 – which was certified with ISO 14001:2015 that specify requirements for effective environmental management system in 2019.

“Currently, seven Top Glove factories are certified with ISO 14001:2015 certification, and another four are in the midst of applying for the certification this year,” the company pointed out. “Top Glove aims to include its other factories next year.”

Recognising the effect of climate change as an impactful risk to the business, community and environment, the company said it has undertaken several initiatives to minimise its carbon footprint in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13: Climate Action).

These initiatives which aim to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity by 23% come FY2024 with FY2019 as the base year, include investment in green energy and solar power system, and adherence to stringent environmental policy and environmental management system.

Moreover, steps are also taken to boost efficient water and energy management, air pollution and waste management, facilities investment and improvement, product innovation, rubber waste recycling, and data monitoring.

Other notable environmental practices and commitments by Top Glove include having on-site detention (OSD) tanks and rain harvesting tanks, installation of advanced energy efficient systems, and replacing old air conditioners and refrigerators with those with five-star energy rating.

Elsewhere, efforts are directed at installing environmental facilities such as industrial effluent treatment systems, and converting rejected nitrile gloves/waste into useful rubber products such as shoe soles, floor mats and gaskets for holders of formers, among others.

First launched in 1996, the PM’s Hibiscus Award is the premier private sector environmental award for business and industry in Malaysia.

It is jointly organised by four of Malaysia’s leading private sector non-profit organisations, namely the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Malaysia (BCSDM), Environmental Management & Research Association of Malaysia (ENSEARCH), Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), and Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MICCI).

It is encouraging to note that the glove maker is taking steps to improve the living conditions of its workforce, with a goal of not only meeting the legal requirements of the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446), but also to do better and move faster in ensuring that our workers can live in a decent standard of accommodation – Mar 8, 2021

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