KUCHING — Sarawak is set to achieve a significant milestone in the regional sustainability landscape after being selected to lead the Integrated CSR and ESG Impact, Exhibition and Sustainability Initiative 2026.

The initiative is expected to engage millions of participants across Malaysia and the ASEAN region through two major events: ASEAN Earth Cleanup Week 2026 (AECW2026) in April and World Cleanup Day Malaysia 2026 in September.

Led by Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak Branch, with support from UiTM Headquarters, the programme is implemented through strategic collaborations with World Cleanup Day (Let’s Do It World), EarthDay.org, and Digiland Pte Ltd. It is regarded as one of the most comprehensive, community-driven, non-profit CSR and ESG initiatives ever undertaken in Malaysia and ASEAN.

AECW2026, scheduled from 21 to 26 April 2026, will involve 11 ASEAN countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste. The programme is also supported by regional partners from Japan, South Korea, and China.

Throughout the week, large-scale activities will be organised, including high-level forums, technical workshops, and coordinated cleanup operations. These activities will bring together government agencies, higher education institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the corporate sector, youth organisations, and local communities.

The initiative focuses on strengthening volunteerism, promoting zero-waste and zero-energy practices, creating job opportunities through the green and blue circular economy, and addressing poverty management and Universal Basic Income (UBI). Key emphasis is also placed on climate action, carbon management, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and ESG investments to ensure long-term sustainability.

Sarawak’s role as host reflects the state’s aspiration to implement sustainability in a practical and people-centred manner, positioning Sarawak as a living laboratory for responsible and inclusive sustainable development within ASEAN.

As a continuation of the April initiative, World Cleanup Day Malaysia 2026 will mobilise nationwide cleanup and tree-planting activities across all 13 states, coordinated through UiTM Headquarters and its 34 satellite campuses.

Through ASEAN Earth Cleanup Week and World Cleanup Day 2026, Sarawak and Malaysia aim to demonstrate how community-led action, ESG governance, and data-driven accountability can be effectively integrated to build a cleaner, greener, and more inclusive future for ASEAN and the world.