KUALA LUMPUR: The Sompo Welfare Foundation presented a cheque amounting to RM32,000 to Seven Tea One Sdn Bhd.
Seven Tea One is among the four recipients of the foundation’s FY2022 International Social Welfare Grant outside Japan. This is the tenth time Malaysia is receiving international grant support from the Sompo Welfare Foundation.
Berjaya Sompo Insurance, the Malaysian operating entity and part of Sompo Holdings (Asia) Pte Ltd, recommended Seven Tea One to be one of the grant recipients for their continuous effort towards programmes aimed at equipping individuals with disabilities with skill sets that will improve their employability opportunities.
The grant from the foundation will fund the setting up of a halal-certified production centre which will help Seven Tea One increase its market growth to supply halal-certified healthy infusion herbal blends for a growing community seeking natural, wellness and halal-friendly beverages.
Berjaya Sompo CEO Tan Sek Kee said, “At Berjaya Sompo, we actively strive towards being a diverse and inclusive society. We are honoured to support Seven Tea One in their mission to provide vocational training and employment space for individuals with disabilities.”
“We are encouraged to see Seven Tea One’s efforts in making the company production line sustainable through developing their infusion herbal blends market and training centre. We are confident that they will achieve their vision to produce socially responsible products and foster inclusivity in the communities,” he added.
Tan presented the RM32,000 mock cheque to Seven Tea One Sdn Bhd owner Lai Chong Haur.
In his acceptance speech, Lai said, “It is an honour to be selected as one of the recipients of the Sompo Welfare Foundation Social Welfare Grant, which will go into expanding our business and equipping the production centre. In the coming year, we intend to provide more job opportunities to differently-abled and single mothers from the B40 group. Hence, we are grateful to receive the grant as it helps us further increase the business capital and grow our impact.”
Currently, Seven Tea One employs six individuals with disabilities and provides training for 15 specially-abled trainees at their vocational training centre. They envision extending their impact to enable more individuals with disabilities to receive training and support for employment. With the growing consumer market of herbal infusion drinks, Seven Tea One looks to penetrate the halal food and beverage industry to enable more consumers to purchase their products and contribute to their cause.
The Sompo Group boasts a global business network which include 218 cities in 30 countries and regions, including Europe, the Middle East, North America, Central and South America, Asia, Oceania and Africa.
