As part of its commitment to sustainable development, Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad recently embarked on the latest phase of its partnership with WWF-Malaysia for the conservation of the Setiu Wetlands in Terengganu.
Formed in 2006, the partnership between Nestlé and WWF-Malaysia is dedicated to the sustainable management and conservation of the rich natural resources and biodiversity of the Setiu Wetlands.
The first two phases which took place from 2006 to 2013 resulted in multiple benefits to the community, including the formation of Persatuan Wanita Kg. Mangkok Setiu (PEWANIS) by the women of the Kg. Mangkok community in 2007 initially as an informal group and subsequently, it became formally registered as a society in 2010. With the support of Nestlé Malaysia and WWF-Malaysia and by harnessing the potential of the the local women community, PEWANIS has been empowered with knowledge and entrepreneurial capabilities to become environmental ambassadors of the area, spearheading conservation awareness and eco-tourism activities.
Marking the next stage of the project which will run from 2014 to 2016, representatives from Nestlé Malaysia and WWF-Malaysia recently visited the local community in Setiu, comprising members of PEWANIS and representatives from Kg. Pengkalan Gelap, at PEWANIS’s activity centre in Kampung Mangkok, known as the Pink House. It was an eventful day, which saw PEWANIS and representatives from Kg. Pengkalan Gelap enthusiastically presenting their accomplishments and plans for eco-tourism activities. As a part of Nestlé’s approach to Creating Shared Value, Dr. Zawiah Hashim, Nutrition Expert from the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, was also invited to give a nutrition talk at the Pink House. To commemorate the renewal of the partnership, Nestlé Malaysia and WWF-Malaysia representatives exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) document during the visit.
Zainun Nur Abdul Rauf, Executive Director of Group Corporate Affairs, Nestlé Malaysia, said, “Given what has been achieved thus far, we are very pleased to build on the momentum of this project and escalate our efforts with WWF-Malaysia for the protection of Setiu Wetlands. As part of our commitment to Creating Shared Value, the project is aligned with Nestlé’s two pillars of Water and Environment, and Rural Development. As the leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness company, we are confident that this initiative can help to improve the quality of life for the community from a socio-economic perspective. At the same time, it has vast potential for joint value creation, which is at the heart of our business strategy and operations.”
According to Dr. Pan Khang Aun, Head of Terrestrial Conservation (Peninsular Malaysia) from WWF-Malaysia, “We are glad to continue our partnership with Nestlé Malaysia to further our conservation efforts in Setiu. Since the inception of this project, we have worked very closely with the Setiu community, especially with PEWANIS, and we are delighted to see first-hand how much the community has developed in terms of environmental awareness. We firmly believe that local communities must play an integral role in preserving their respective environments in order for conservation efforts to have a sustainable impact. Once community members understand that protecting the environment will have reciprocal positive effects on their community, they will begin to become more actively involved in conservation-related activities such as eco-tourism. This will create a mutually beneficial relationship, whereby the environment will be protected and the community will be able to supplement their income from these conservation-based activities.”
Puan Rusnita Ngah, Chairman of PEWANIS said, “We are most appreciative that Nestlé Malaysia and WWF-Malaysia will be continuing their commitment to conserve the Setiu Wetlands. We are glad for the opportunities this collaboration has given us. We are now able to contribute positively to environmental conservation as well as the development of the eco-tourism industry within our community. With the support of Nestlé Malaysia and WWF-Malaysia, we are optimistic that we will be able to one day help other similar communities.”
Building on the previous stages, the third phase of the Setiu Wetlands project will entail promoting low-impact community-based eco-tourism via initiatives such as workshops and entrepreneurship training for local tour operators and community members on sustainable ecotourism. It will also involve the production of relevant promotional materials to raise awareness on the conservation of the Setiu Wetlands.
In addition, adopting a holistic approach, the programme will seek to educate and reach out to youth, selected groups such as PEWANIS as well as the community as a whole. This ranges from the promotion of eco-schools, conducting environmental programmes and roadshows to build awareness, mangrove nursery maintenance and seedlings supply, surveys to identify target groups, training and developing information materials to close gaps and securing opportunities to empower the community to be more actively involved in the local development process.
The Setiu Wetlands project is in line with the philosophy of Creating Shared Value, Nestlé’s way of doing business. Nestlé believes that in order to create long-term value for the company, it must also create value for the society at the same time.
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For more information, please contact:Immy Ooi
Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad
Tel: (+603) 7965 6729
Email: [email protected]
Michelle Vincent
acorn communications
Tel: (+603) 7958 8348
Email: [email protected]