16 • MAPAN ESG SUMMIT 2026
@ green | July-August. 2026
Beyond a checklist
� Two new books presented at the MAPAN ESG Industry & Academic Summit 2026 examine how ESG can evolve beyond corporate compliance and conventional sustainability reporting.
Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
�The books highlight emerging priorities, including circular economy practices, green financing, technology, and more responsible resource management.
�Together, the two perspectives offer different approaches to making ESG more meaningful, practical and relevant to Malaysia’ s business landscape.
Prof Dr Dzuljastri Abdul Razak
TWO books launched at the MAPAN ESG Industry & Academic Summit 2026 offer contrasting perspectives on ESG: one questions its underlying values and purpose, while the other explores its application in Malaysia’ s Halal industry.
The books in question are Beyond Compliance: Practical Pathways to Sustainability, Resilience and Value Creation, and Integration of ESG Principles in Halal Industry: Pathways for Sustainable Development.
Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dzulkifli Abdul Razak and Prof Dr Dzuljastri Abdul
Razak addressed these themes in their books, launched at the Summit. Dzulkifli focuses on values and purpose; Dzuljastri examines ESG’ s integration into the Halal industry.
GIVING ESG A‘ SOUL’
Dzulkifli, Patron of MAPAN and Summit keynote, questions whether ESG delivers its intended impact.
He said MAPAN Sustainability Compass resulted from seven webinars on improving ESG understanding and implementation.
“ I am not an ESG guy per se. There are many more in the team,” Dzulkifli said.
He said ESG discussions often focus too much on reporting and organisational requirements, neglecting social impact.
“ The outcome of ESG is not what we want,” he said, warning that governance can become“ a G in greed” if values are lost.
The book introduces“ ESG 2.0”, or“ ESG plus soul”, where values underpin environmental, social, and governance practices.
He said conventional ESG focuses on organisations and accounts, but its benefits should extend to communities and society.
Drawing on UNESCO’ s five dimensions-people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership-Dzulkifli urges companies to consider a broader purpose for ESG.
“ If your ESG is worth its salt, these five elements must be accounted for.”
The book gathers practitioner and academic perspectives for a more holistic view of ESG.
Dzulkifli suggests translating these ideas into training modules, especially for youth.
He calls for Malaysia to develop ESG approaches reflecting its own values rather than adopting foreign frameworks.
“ To make change, we must reinterpret, redefine, and write our own rules for where we want to go,” he said.
EXPANDING THE SCOPE
Dzuljastri, from the International Halal Institute at IIUM, approaches the sustainability discussion from another perspective, examining the common ground between Halal principles and ESG.
His book explores sustainability in the halal industry, including circular economy, green finance, and technology.
He said halal and ESG may seem separate, but both stress ethics, quality, and responsibility.
“ Ethical things naturally both run parallel,” he said.
He points to Maqasid al-Shariah, covering protection of life, intellect, posterity, and wealth.
“ For example, halal food must comply with religious requirements and also be safe and nutritious. These principles also apply to labour practices, environmental responsibility, and governance.”
The book also examines the circular economy, which Dzuljastri said aligns with the principle of avoiding unnecessary waste.
He said businesses should shift from a linear model to greater reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing.
He identified three main ESG adoption challenges: literacy, technology, and funding, especially for small and medium enterprises.
“ The challenge is education, technology, and funding.”
He called for more collaboration between universities, industry, policymakers, and alignment between halal standards and ESG frameworks.
For Dzuljastri, this integration could help Malaysia’ s halal industry respond to changing international expectations while strengthening the sustainability credentials of its products and businesses.
Ultimately, both point to the same destination from different starting points: ESG must become more than a framework companies report against; it must influence how they make decisions, create value, and contribute to society. – @ green
WRITTEN PERSPECTIVES: The launch of the books, which examine different pathways for advancing ESG.