25 projects across 15 industries leading the charge in steward leadership

Steward Leadership 25 honours projects that drive profitable growth by addressing the challenges that threaten humanity.

Press Release

23 October 2024

Singapore, 23 October 2024Stewardship Asia Centre, INSEAD Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society, WTW, and The Straits Times proudly announce the honourees of Steward Leadership 25 (SL25) 2024. The list showcases projects that have significantly contributed to protecting and enhancing the environment or society across Asia and the Pacific.

A total of 139 applications were submitted by 122 for-profit organisations across 25 countries. This year’s entries were the highest since SL25 started in 2021. The selected projects span 15 industries, making their impact across 12 countries, including Australia, China, India, Myanmar, Singapore, and Vietnam. Among those that applied, 39% were from large corporations, with 61% from SMEs and social enterprises.

The shortlisted projects focused on environmental sustainability and community upliftment and came from several industries, including financial services, healthcare, agribusiness, food and beverage, energy, and real estate.

Each project was chosen for its commitment and impact to driving profitable growth by addressing pressing social and environmental challenges, reflecting equal merit among all.

“We are encouraged to see SL25 gaining traction across Asia Pacific and beyond with increasingly higher-quality submissions. Transformational change requires more than just rules, incentives, and reporting. It requires steward leadership, which embodies a genuine desire and persistence to create a collective better future for stakeholders, society, future generations and the environment. We hope these 25 projects will inspire others worldwide,” said Mr Rajeev Peshawaria, Chief Executive Officer of Stewardship Asia Centre.

The 25 honourees were recognised during the two-day Steward Leadership Summit held at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Singapore over 23 and 24 October. This annual event welcomed thought leaders, industry experts, and changemakers worldwide to explore purpose-driven strategies for addressing urgent global challenges such as climate change and socioeconomic disparity.

Featured speakers included Dr Kiran Bedi, founder of the India Vision Foundation and former lieutenant governor of Puducherry, who discussed state stewardship and Dr Stephen Cave, Director of the Institute for Technology and Humanity at the University of Cambridge, who addressed AI ethics.

The SL25 projects and their organisations (in alphabetical order) are:

ProjectOrganisationGeographical Impact
Transforming plastic waste into sustainable building solutionsAyala Land Inc.Philippines
Pioneering autism-friendly farms for training and social inclusionBlueAcresSingapore
Improving lives through safe drinking water and carbon reductionCarbon Impact CapitalIndia
Combating food waste through tech-driven surplus managementD2L.sgSingapore
Providing renewable energy with smart green microgridsEDP Renewables APACSingapore
Empowering waste pickers via Inclusive Circularity®Hasiru DalaIndia
Enabling small farmers with training and market accessJollibee Foods CorporationPhilippines
Overcoming caste-based discrimination and poverty for womenKanpur Flowercycling Pvt LtdIndia
Integrating environmental sustainability with luxury livingKarma LakelandsIndia
Addressing youth unemployment and gender inequalityKITE Mongolia LLCMongolia
Strengthening disaster preparedness using data-driven technologyKomunidad Global Services & Operations Philippines Inc.Philippines
Uplifting women affected by poverty and violence via skill-buildingLiberty SocietyIndonesia
Creating carbon sinks, supporting farmers with mahogany plantationMITCON Consultancy and Engineering Services LimitedIndia
Reducing emissions with vegetable ink, carbon-neutral paperNets Printwork Sdn BhdMalaysia
Empowering smallholder farmers and innovating agricultureJiva, Nupo Ventures (Olam Group)Indonesia
Enabling SMEs’ green transition with energy optimisation toolOversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC)Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore
Converting ocean plastics into sustainable hydrogen fuelOcean Purpose ProjectIndonesia, Singapore
Educating young people and families about digital safetyOptus (Singtel)Australia
Building a self-reliant community through savings cooperativesPT Austindo Nusantara Jaya Tbk (ANJ)Indonesia
Bridging rural health gaps with technology and accessreach52 PTE LtdIndia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines
Decarbonising rice cultivation while boosting farmer incomesRize Ptd LtdIndonesia, Vietnam
Recreating migratory bird habitat lost to airport constructionSan Miguel Aerocity, IncPhilippines
Fostering gender equality by nurturing innovative entrepreneurshipStandard Chartered Bank (Singapore) LimitedGreater China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea
Conserving Thailand's river basin for water securityT.C. Pharmaceutical IndustriesThailand
Unlocking special needs children's talent through musicThe Radiant Spectrum (Music) Pte LtdSingapore

*For all projects, please click here: https://www.stewardshipcommons.com/sl25/winners


SL25 2025 Applications Are Now Open

Applications for the Steward Leadership 25, 2025 award are now officially open. From 23 October 2024 to 15 May 2025, organisations are invited to submit financially self-sustaining solutions that showcase a positive impact on the environment and society. Read more here or scan the QR code below.

About Stewardship Asia Centre
Stewardship Asia Centre (SAC) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping business and government leaders, investors, and individuals accelerate leadership action on environmental and social challenges through catalytic knowledge and advisory. We are part of the Temasek Trust ecosystem with a shared purpose of building a better future for every generation. Temasek Trust is the philanthropic arm of Singapore-based global investor Temasek Holdings.

Media Contacts:

Nicole Chan
Stewardship Asia Centre
E: [email protected]
T: +65 8028 8633

Ang Bee Lin
Stewardship Asia Centre
E: [email protected]
T: +65 9238 8418