Taylor’s Education Group (TEG) is ramping up its sustainability efforts with ESG principles now being integrated across all ten of its institutions in Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. This comprehensive initiative covers everything from the design of campus facilities to the daily experiences of students and staff.
The announcement was made at the recent Taylor’s ESG Festival, themed “Embedding Impact: From Action to Culture,” at Taylor’s Lakeside Campus. The event underscored the group’s commitment to advancing climate action through education.
This move comes as global awareness grows around the role of education in climate resilience. UNESCO’s 2024 report highlights that while education is vital to sustainable development, it’s often left out of national climate policies.
At the same time, education is increasingly affected by climate disruptions. In the last 20 years, 75% of major climate-related disasters in low- and middle-income countries have led to school closures.
Malaysia has seen this firsthand, with floods, haze, and extreme heat regularly affecting schooling. These challenges underscore the urgency of embedding sustainability not just in curricula, but in how institutions are built and run.
TEG’s ESG strategy covers three higher education institutions and six international schools, anchored by three core pillars: delivering measurable impact, creating sustainable learning environments, and integrating ESG into everyday operations.
According to Datuk Loy Teik Ngan, Chairman of TEG, sustainability is not just a responsibility—it’s a mindset that future-ready institutions must embrace.
Central to this strategy is a unified impact measurement dashboard that tracks emissions and sustainability metrics across all campuses. It ensures transparency, supports alignment with global standards and the UN SDGs, and serves as a research tool for students working with real-world data.
TEG is also turning its campuses into sustainability showcases. The Green Classroom Initiative incorporates eco-friendly furnishings and bans single-use plastics, while Nexus International School’s Forest Walk offers immersive environmental learning.
The Sustainable Transport Plan includes electrifying shuttle fleets by 2030, expanding EV infrastructure, and encouraging greener commuting. Meanwhile, net-zero pilot projects, such as British University Vietnam’s EDGE certification and Taylor’s University’s thermal energy storage system, help reduce energy use and emissions.
Operationally, sustainability is being embedded through policies like Green Procurement, which prioritise ethical, low-emission products and services. “Sustainability isn’t just a target—it’s a culture we live in every day,” said Datuk Loy. “We want to inspire a generation for whom sustainable thinking and behaviour come naturally.”
The ESG Festival brought together educators, students, corporate leaders, and social enterprises in a dynamic exchange of ideas and action.
Highlights included an Impact Bazaar, interactive workshops, and a panel discussion titled “Shaping a Regenerative Future through Mindsets, Metrics and Movements”, moderated by Karl Engkvist, President of Taylor’s Education Pte Ltd and ESG Co-Chair at TEG.
Panellists included Ng Tsu Mae, Head of Corporate Responsibility at CIMB Bank Berhad; Chook Yi Jean, Senior Manager of Sustainability Reporting & ESG Strategy at Pos Malaysia; and Benjamin Soh, Co-Founder and Managing Director of ESGpedia. Together, they explored how metrics, leadership, and culture can shape a regenerative future.
They shared practical examples of how organisations have overcome internal resistance, aligned sustainability goals with employee KPIs, and leveraged data not just for compliance but to drive behavioural and operational change.
Soh explained that visualising emissions data can uncover inefficiencies and connect sustainability efforts to measurable business outcomes such as cost savings. Jean noted that linking ESG metrics to staff incentives can improve accountability and strengthen long-term engagement. The takeaway: data must be actionable, relevant, and aligned with each organisation’s unique goals.
TEG’s expanded ESG efforts mark a critical shift in embedding sustainability at the heart of its educational mission. By linking climate action to operations, teaching, and community engagement, Taylor’s is equipping the next generation to lead with purpose and resilience.
