Steward Leadership 25 Awards showcase global impact and growing tech-driven solutions

Winning solutions across 27 countries and 25 industries signal momentum in environmental and social sustainability efforts.

Press Release

08 October 2025

 

SINGAPORE, 8 OCTOBER 2025 —Steward Leadership 25 (SL25), an annual award recognising viable solutions for the environment and society across Asia and the Pacific, has marked a significant milestone in its fourth year, with nearly 450 applications received to date, spanning 27 countries and 25 industries.

Reflecting global shifts, this award has seen a steady rise in technology-driven solutions year after year, addressing challenges such as inclusive employment, empowering smallholder farmers, and enhancing waste management. In recent years, more initiatives have also leveraged Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive solutions and safeguard against its potential misuse.

SL25 is curated by Stewardship Asia Centre (SAC), INSEAD Hoffmann Institute, WTW, and The Straits Times.

 

China’s solution joins list for the first time

Each year, new regions are represented, with China joining for the first time in 2025. The range of industries has also expanded steadily, from 19 in 2022 to 25 in 2025, reflecting a growing adoption of steward leadership across sectors.

This year, the award recognised 13 projects advancing environmental sustainability, including eight addressing climate and nature, and five promoting waste reduction and circularity. On the social front, 12 projects focused on uplifting people and communities, with seven addressing inequalities and empowering marginalised groups, and five improving access to and outcomes in healthcare. India emerged as the most significant impact area, followed by Malaysia and Singapore. Many winners are headquartered in the city-state.

“Steward Leadership 25 celebrates organisations and leaders who demonstrate that purpose can drive success. Each solution shows that when people and the planet come first, we create lasting value and inspire others to act with courage and commitment for a more sustainable collective better future,” said Rajeev Peshawaria, Chief Executive Officer of SAC.

“This year’s SL25 list showcases a growing wave of innovative solutions addressing both environmental and social challenges across Asia and the Pacific. With many headquartered in Singapore, it also reflects the nation’s emergence as a hub for stewardship-led innovation and impact,” said Jane Ang, Assistant Manager, Research and Engagement at SAC, who leads the SL25 initiative.

 

Repeat winners include reach52, OCBC Bank, and others

Through the years of the SL25 awards, several organisations have been recognised multiple times, underscoring the sustained nature of their contributions. reach52, a Singapore-based social enterprise providing healthcare to underserved communities across Southeast Asia, has been honoured four times. OCBC Bank, one of Singapore’s leading financial institutions, has received the award three times. Organisations such as DBS Bank, Singapore’s largest bank with a strong sustainability agenda, Last Mile Care, an Indian healthcare provider serving blue- and grey-collar workers, and Advanced Info Service (AIS), Thailand’s largest mobile network operator advancing digital inclusion, have each been recognised twice for consistently delivering viable solutions for society and the environment.

Past winners have reported  greater credibility with investors, collaboration opportunities with peers, and amplified visibility through media features and speaking engagements. Some winners, such as Singapore-based Inclus, which designs inclusive employment solutions for persons with disabilities, have gone on to win other regional and national awards. Koh Seng Choon, founder of Project Dignity—which won last year’s SL25 award—was named The Straits Times’ Singaporean of the Year 2024. Others, such as Bettr Group, a Singapore-based coffee education and social impact business, have leveraged the SL25 network and community to spark cross-sector collaborations, extending their impact.

 

Steward Leadership Summit

This year’s 25 winners were recognised at the Steward Leadership Summit 2025, held in Singapore on 8 October. The summit opened with welcome remarks from Professor Ivy Ng, Director at Temasek Trust, who spoke about the importance of building compassionate ecosystems that drive impact across the four pillars: Planet, People, Peace, and Progress. A highlight of the programme was a keynote address by Dasho Karma Tshiteem, core working group member for National Service and the Gelephu Mindfulness City and former Chairperson of the Royal Civil Service Commission of Bhutan. He shared how Bhutan’s philosophy of happiness and compassion offers timeless leadership lessons for today’s economy and society.

Business longevity was a central theme, and leaders such as Bey Soo Khiang, Vice Chairman of RGE and Chairman of APRIL Group, and Dr Harald Link, Chairman of B.Grimm, reflected on how enduring values contribute to prosperity across generations.

 

Winners of SL25 2025 in alphabetical order of the organisation’s name.

SolutionOrganisation NameImpact GeographyIndustry
Mobilising innovation for inclusive communitiesAdvanced Info ServiceThailandTelecommunication Services
Unlocking a fossil-free future with sand-based thermal energyAlternōGlobalEnergy
Redefining inclusive employment in the artsART:DIS SingaporeSingaporeEducation
Creating employment and equity through spice productionAuspice Condiments IndiaIndiaFood and Beverage
Building community resilience through education, health, and partnershipB.Grimm PowerThailandEnergy
Transforming transactions into impact with micro-givingB1G1Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Greater China, India, Iraq, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, PhilippinesCommercial and Professional Services
Driving net-zero apparel production with solar and biomassBrandix ApparelBangladesh, India, Sri LankaApparel
Delivering dignified healthcare to rural and semi-urban IndiaCygnus MedicareIndiaHealthcare Equipment and Services
Closing the loop in Indonesia’s circular economyDaya Selaras GroupIndonesiaManufacturing
Bridging finance and resilience for India’s smallholder farmersDvara E-RegistryIndiaFinancial Services
Powering rural healthcare with hydrogen innovationH2 EnergyMalaysiaEnergy
Advancing equity through inclusive manufacturingInclusion FactoryGreater ChinaManufacturing
Recovering critical minerals to power a circular futureKaro SambhavIndiaWaste Management
Reinventing safety footwear with upcycled innovationKIBOGreater China, SingaporeRetailing
Safeguarding livelihoods through on-site preventive careLast Mile CareIndiaHealthcare Equipment and Services
Fast-tracking urban development with sustainable modular designMalaysian Resources Corporation BerhadMalaysiaReal Estate
Improving childbirth safety with evidence-based protocolsMSD For MothersIndiaHealthcare Equipment and Services
Boosting nutrition and cutting waste with farm-to-powder innovationNutri VAustraliaManufacturing
Charging ahead with Asia’s first mobile EV conciergeP.UPMalaysia, Philippines, SingaporeTransportation
Reaching the 52% left behind by health systemsreach52India, Indonesia, Myanmar, PhilippinesHealthcare Equipment and Services
Accelerating net-zero progress with efficient coolingSustenMalaysiaEnergy
Restoring purpose and productivity through empowered senior talentThe Courage ChapterSingaporeCommercial and Professional Services
Restoring grazing lands to protect the Great Barrier ReefVerterra Ecological EngineeringAustraliaAgribusiness
Securing clean water for vulnerable communities with rapid response filtrationWateroamIndonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, ThailandManufacturing
Protecting coasts and restoring habitats with oyster reef engineeringWitteveen+Bos South-East AsiaSingaporeCommercial and Professional Services

 

About Stewardship Asia Centre

Stewardship Asia Centre is a non-profit organisation dedicated to enabling business growth and societal prosperity through education and advisory on Steward Leadership. We are part of the Temasek Trust ecosystem for good that aims to advance sustainability and impact for a better future. Temasek Trust is the philanthropic arm of Singapore-based global investor Temasek Holdings.

 

Media contact

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