CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT NURTURING A PRODUCTIVE AND FULFILLED WORKFORCE Advancing the nation also means advancing our people and providing them with employment that furthers their skills, rewards their performance and looks after their wellbeing. To this end, 2022 saw the launch of our Edgenta Workplace Wellness (“WoW”) programme, providing comprehensive and personalised help to our Edgenta Stars in managing their work-life balance, health and other issues that may impact their work and personal lives. The programme reflects our commitment to supporting our employees in a more holistic and meaningful way, towards nurturing their capabilities and enhancing our proposition as a leading employer. Supporting this, 32 wellness programmes were crafted for our workforce over the past year, providing support to our Edgenta Stars in enhancing their physical, emotional and financial wellbeing. We also organised a nationwide HR Roadshow in Malaysia to engage employees, address any concerns and enquiries, as well as educate them on our human resource tools, platforms, framework, policies and services. Further to this, we took the opportunity to educate Edgenta Stars on Human Rights through an initiative that was participated in by 1,083 employees. With the pandemic having changed employee expectations, I am pleased to share that we have since formalised flexible work arrangements that enable our Edgenta Stars to achieve a more personalised balance between work and home-based duties. The arrangement is applicable to specific job functions where flexible work is feasible. Meanwhile, from home to the world, our Global Talent Mobility Programme has been launched, providing our employees with the opportunity to take up placements of up to two years in our companies around the world. The programme seeks to improve employee engagement, motivation and retention while driving the cross-fertilisation of skills, knowledge and technologies across our increasingly global footprint. Furthermore, and in cognisance of our growing responsibility as a globally diversified organisation, I am proud to note that we are elevating our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”) through our active participation in CAN, utilising the network as a platform for collaborative discussion with other industry players on the development of a standard model for DEI policies, interventions and implementation across the country in 2023. The learnings from these engagements shall serve as a guide to our management-level teams in creating diverse and inclusive work environments where all our Edgenta Stars will feel equally supported by their peers and superiors, free of discrimination and any other unfair practices. SAFEGUARDING AND FUTURE-PROOFING OUR BUSINESS Today, we are a more global and diversified organisation than we have ever been. This means greater opportunity for growth, but it also heightens our responsibilities to safeguard value for our business and our stakeholders. In today’s rapidly changing digital landscape, we face the formidable challenge of increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks. Therefore, as we transition to become a leading Technology-Enabled Solutions Company, our focus on fortifying cybersecurity defences is paramount. On this note, we are proactively deploying advanced technologies, such as EndPoint Detection & Response (“EDR”) and Network Detection & Response (“NDR”), to bolster our capabilities in detecting and mitigating threats across our local and regional networks. At the same time, the global scope of our operations necessitates that we remain vigilant in the face of heightened competition. Consequently, cost management has emerged as a strategic imperative for our organisation. Over the past year, we have executed comprehensive cost optimisation initiatives, emphasising the implementation of digitalisation and automation to maximise cost-efficiencies throughout our processes. A prime example of this innovative approach is the deployment of our “Low Code No Code” platform, an accessible solution that empowers our employees to become “citizen developers”, enabling the transformation of manual processes into more cost-effective digital workflows. Through the adoption of such cutting-edge strategies to achieve our cost optimisation objectives, we will not only enhance productivity but also promote data-driven decision-making and elevate the customer experience. In doing so, we are poised to future-proof our Group in multiple critical dimensions, ensuring long-term resilience and success. Ultimately, however, our ability to deliver long-term value is predicated on responsible and foresighted governance that considers all aspects of value creation. On this note, our Fit and Proper Policy outlines clear standards and procedures in relation to the appointment and re-election of Directors of the Group and our subsidiaries. Meanwhile, the Board has approved our revised Terms of Reference for the Board Governance and Risk Committee and a revised Board Charter, with both incorporating updates on sustainability aspects from the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance. In striving to ensure effective stewardship of the Group in the next phase of its value creation journey, we were pleased to welcome En. Mohd Asrul Ab Rahim as a Non-Independent NonExecutive Director on 21 January 2022. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing directors, Ms Wong Shu Hsien and Mr Robert Tan, for their sterling contributions to the Group’s success over the years. SHARPENING OUR FOCUS ON FUTURE GROWTH While our commendable performance in 2022 provides optimism, it should not distract us from the global macroeconomic challenges that remain. With geopolitical instability, inflation and supply chain disruptions persisting, the world’s developed economies remain on a sluggish growth path, with Malaysia’s economy forecasted to deliver moderate growth of between 4% to 5% in 2023. To remain resilient amidst these headwinds, it is essential that we continue to focus on driving cost-efficiencies at all levels of our business. To facilitate this, we will continue to accelerate our ongoing digitalisation and automation efforts while implementing other measures to streamline our operations and business structure, including the disposal of underperforming assets where feasible. At the same time, bolstered by our strong cash position, we intend to explore further strategic partnerships in order to expand our addressable market while enhancing our margins by forging entry into high growth markets with high levels of tech readiness. As we face up to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, we are emboldened by the foresighted moves we have made to make technology and sustainability central components of our solutions. As a result, we are now ahead of the curve and positioned to deliver greater impact for our business as well as our people, communities and planet. This is a time for execution and in this respect, we can continue to count on the experience and know-how of our senior management and the over 16,000 Edgenta Stars who make up our workforce. Guided by the consistent and principled leadership of our Board, they will continue to be our rock of resilience and our driver of advancement as we breach brave new ground on our journey. Lastly, I would like to thank you – our shareholders and stakeholders – for your continued support and faith. Together, we will surmount the challenges of today and bridge the gap to a brighter, smarter and more sustainable future for UEM Edgenta. TAN SRI DR. AZMIL KHALID Independent Non-Executive Chairman p.34 p.35 UEM EDGENTA BERHAD INTEGRATED ANNUAL REPORT 2022 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 KEY MESSAGE
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