KUALA LUMPUR: The Securities Commission’s (SC) affiliate Capital Markets Malaysia has launched Sustainable Batik Disclosure Guide (SBDG) to advance sustainable growth of batik industry.
The SC said this practical tool empowers batik artisans, entrepreneurs and producers to easily disclose their environmental, social and governance (ESG) data and practices.
It noted that the release of the SBDG coincides with SC’s annual Batik Lestari Festival, a showcase of Malaysia’s rich batik heritage that aims to build a more inclusive and sustainable marketplace.
The SC chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi said the initiative reinforces its long-term commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth.
Mohammad Faiz said SBDG is a practical tool that enables Malaysia’s batik sector to differentiate itself through sustainability, enhance market access, and preserve cultural heritage.
“It will also help meet the growing expectations of global and local buyers, investors and regulators,” he said.
The SBDG comprises 34 priority ESG disclosures, aligned with key local and international sustainability standards to ensure relevance, comparability and verifiability.
It is structured across basic, intermediate and advanced levels to support artisans and entrepreneurs at different stages of sustainability and maturity.
In a related development, the SC and Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation (Kraftangan Malaysia) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to help promote the local batik industry.
Both parties will undertake joint capacity building, sustainability, branding and promotional initiatives to empower batik producers to adopt ESG-aligned practices and strengthen market competitiveness.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
