People, Planet, Profit

Knight Frank Malaysia says it made measurable ESG progress in 2025, from cutting energy consumption and improving recycling to strengthening emissions tracking and investing in its workforce. But as the business grows, some of the hardest challenges increasingly lie beyond its direct control. How can property firms turn ESG commitments into measurable results, influence suppliers and clients, and continue reducing their environmental footprint as their operations expand?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On People, Planet, Profit this week, we examine the growing problem of climate anxiety, particularly among young Malaysians worried about the future they will inherit. We speak to Dr Ooi Wee Liam, Lecturer in Environmental Humanities and Social Science at Monash University Malaysia, about where rational concern becomes harmful anxiety, the limits of individual action, and whether businesses and governments must recognise the psychological consequences of climate change as part of the “S” in ESG.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Haze has returned to parts of Malaysia, reviving a problem that has persisted for decades despite repeated promises of action. But the bigger concern may be how easily societies learn to tolerate recurring problems once they become familiar, from environmental pollution and weak corporate accountability to the growing influence of artificial intelligence. As AI increasingly makes decisions on our behalf, are we at risk of gradually accepting the erosion of human agency in much the same way we have learned to live with the haze?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustainability and climate change reporting has become a mainstream element of doing business, but how prepared is our workforce to carry out these responsibilities? We discuss the skills and expertise required to ensure businesses are prepared for ESG monitoring with Reenie Koh of KPMG.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were launched in 2015 as a master blueprint of shared ambition for the international community covering 17 broad themes. However global progress on the SDGs has fallen woefully short of targets with only 4 years left to the deadline. What needs to be done to build momentum for the SDGs beyond 2030? We discuss this with Guillaume LaFortune, Vice President and Head of Asia at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). Read the Sustainable Development Report 2026 here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.