KUALA LUMPUR: The Sustainability & ESG Association Malaysia (SEAM), a new national platform uniting ESG practitioners, corporates, government agencies, and policy architects, held its soft launch recently.
Founded by experienced sustainability and ESG professionals, SEAM aims to drive meaningful ESG adoption through real-world implementation, not just reporting.
The association’s cornerstone is the IDEA-C Framework – a structured approach designed to help corporates identify ESG opportunities, diagnose gaps, engineer solutions, activate change, and communicate measurable impact. SEAM fills a critical market gap by connecting ESG-certified professionals and solution providers with businesses seeking verified, scalable sustainability practices.
With Malaysia’s 12th Malaysia Plan and global sustainability trends pressing companies toward net-zero targets, SEAM will also function as a key knowledge partner to government agencies in developing ESG-related policies, frameworks, and standards tailored to the local context.
“In today’s ESG landscape, we see a persistent disconnect – corporates are eager to act but struggle to find credible, implementation-ready solutions, while many ESG innovators lack access to the right decision-makers within organisations,” SEAM founding president Liang Yit Wen said.
“SEAM is here to close that loop. “We provide a trusted, neutral platform that brings both sides together, helping businesses take action confidently, and enabling solution providers to scale their impact.
“Our aim is to turn ESG from ambition into execution, and from pledges into measurable value.”
As part of its future initiatives, SEAM also aims to facilitate access to sustainable finance by working with capital providers to support members’ eligibility for Green Loans and sustainability-linked financing.
By enabling businesses to validate and communicate ESG performance through structured metrics and verified outcomes, SEAM strengthens their case for green funding, helping to unlock the capital needed for meaningful climate action and operational transformation.
SEAM vice-president Alex Yeoh said: “ESG is no longer just a reporting exercise, it’s a strategic lever for business growth.
“Through SEAM’s ecosystem model, we ensure that sustainability solutions don’t just tick boxes but actually create commercial value.
“Whether it’s unlocking new revenue streams, attracting top talent, improving risk profiles or enhancing stakeholder trust, we help corporates embed ESG in a way that drives both organisational resilience and planetary well-being.”
SEAM secretary Martin Heng said: “Malaysia’s ESG movement is at a tipping point, and we believe that collaboration is the catalyst. Our upcoming national conference in December will serve as a Sustainability ‘action lab’ – a space where policymakers, technologists, investors, and practitioners can converge to accelerate tangible progress.
“From green financing and digital tools to regulatory readiness, it’s about connecting the dots and helping Malaysia lead with action, not just aspiration.”
SEAM’s membership is open to ESG-certified professionals, consultants, implementors, compliant corporates, and relevant institutional alliances.
The association will also work closely with stakeholders such as regulators, certification bodies, and capital market players.
SEAM’s long-term vision is to be the trusted association for shaping world-class sustainability and ESG policies and to position Malaysia as a regional sustainability leader through public-private collaboration.
