BAT MALAYSIA UNVEILS FLAGSHIP COMMUNITY FARM GARDEN
“BEYOND BENIH” IN ITS JOURNEY TO BUILD A BETTER TOMORROWTM
Company remains committed to putting sustainability front and centre.
Kuala Lumpur, 9 March 2023 – British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad (BAT Malaysia) recently unveiled its flagship community farm garden called “Beyond Benih” in Tanjong Karang to support vulnerable communities in growing their food using organic agriculture techniques.
To-date, two pilot gardens have been launched, in Tanjung Karang and Shah Alam, and both are aligned with Malaysia’s Urban Community Garden Policy. This project is part of BAT Malaysia’s commitment to sustainability and journey towards A Better TomorrowTM.
Speaking following the launch, Anthony Yong, Finance Director, BAT Malaysia said, “Our commitment to A Better TomorrowTM is our guiding light. At the heart of this purpose is our drive for sustainability, which is in the front and centre of everything we do.”
“Through this project, we aim to empower vulnerable communities for shared prosperity and positive impact. We want to play a part in creating independent, prosperous, and environmentally friendly agricultural communities that can achieve food self-sufficiency across Malaysia. Throughout this project, our role has been to support communities with resources and funding, knowledge transfer, and technical support via partnerships with the resident’s association and the Selangor Department of Agriculture.”
“BAT Malaysia intends to transform the lives of over 165,000 beneficiaries by 2026 and we will continue to invest in this programme over the next few years as part of our commitment to give back to the communities we operate in.”
Speaking following the launch of the Tanjung Karang community garden, Yang Berhormat Puan Rozana Binti Zainal Abidin, the Selangor State Assemblyman for Permatang said, “I commend BAT Malaysia for its effort to introduce programmes such as Beyond Benih, which not only supports vulnerable communities but also promotes community resilience. I hope programmes like these become a catalyst for expanding community garden programmes in the country.”
BAT Malaysia has worked closely with multiple partners throughout various phases, including the Department of Agriculture and local authorities. The company also engaged with established resident associations to develop the garden infrastructure and planted selected vegetables that will be sold at subsidised prices to the communities.
“Moving forward, we remain committed towards driving a positive change across four key areas of focus comprising harm reduction, environment, social impact and governance and look forward to continue delivering a positive impact in these spaces. Together, we believe this will drive the company’s long-term business sustainability and create shared value for consumers, society, employees and our shareholders,” Anthony concluded.
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About British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad
British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad is the leading tobacco company in Malaysia and a subsidiary of the BAT Group, which is driving its corporate purpose of building A Better TomorrowTM by reducing the health impact of our business through a multicategory portfolio. BAT Malaysia’s portfolio includes world-famous brands like DUNHILL, PETER STUYVESANT, ROTHMANS and KYO. BAT Malaysia employs almost 400 employees who are involved in a wide spectrum of disciplines, from generating insights, developing brands and making these available on a national level. In addition, we also set leading edge talent development practices as well as ensure a strong foundation of corporate governance and shareholder relations.
For more information, please contact British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad:
Rohan Gnanaganesan, Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs at rohan_gnanaganesan@bat.com