As part of Velesto Energy Berhad's (VEB) ongoing CSR initiatives and Sustainability efforts, the Company, through the Strategic Communications Division, collaborated with The Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) to organise a workshop on "Approaching and Writing on Sustainability.“

The workshop took place on Tuesday, 23 November 2021 via Google Meet with the aim to better educate journalists and media fraternities on Sustainability and how to approach writing on this increasingly important topic. Among the participants were representatives from RTM, BERNAMA, Malaysia Gazette, Sin Chew Daily, Harian Metro and Suara Sarawak.

Encik Rohaizad Darus, President, Velesto Energy Berhad, was present to kick-start the event and provide a comprehensive introduction of the Company and its Sustainability efforts from an oil and gas perspective. Encik Rohaizad also highlighted Sustainability as an integral part of Velesto's continuous efforts to further flourish as a business entity. 

The first half of the workshop saw a session by Joshua Rayan Communications (JRC). The speaker, Joshua Rayan, started by sharing how environmental and social factors are having a greater influence over a company's future performance and valuation. Sustainability, when properly managed and engaged by companies contributes positively to their reputations.

The second half of his session saw Joshua, focusing mainly on how to enhance one's sustainability piece. Key topics that were touched upon included developing media relevant ESG stories and angles as well as how to understand ESG Data and Disclosures for story writing.

The second half of the workshop was led by Edey Suresh, Board Director and the Johor State Director for UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB), who provided the participants of the workshop with an informative snapshot of sustainable development from both a local and global perspective.

As mentioned by Edey, sustainable business practices are a necessity and the only means for businesses to continue existing and “meeting the needs of the present, without compromising on the needs of future generations.

The workshop ended with a joint Q&A session by VELESTO, JRC and UNGC. A key takeaway from the Q&A session was the advice given to those who are new to writing on Sustainability to read an article a day on any topic related to business.

Lastly, while the Company actively contributes to the better understanding of sustainability via our media friends, as VELESTOs, let's not forget how sustainability improves the quality of our lives, protects our ecosystem and preserves natural resources for future generations.

Going green and sustainable is not only beneficial for the company; it also maximizes the benefits from an environmental focus in the long-term.