15 Years of Impact

Illuminating Pathways for Change

For 15 years, YSD has journeyed with communities—nurturing hope, building resilience, and creating impact across Malaysia and beyond. Since our full operations began in 2010, we have remained guided by one belief: that real change happens when communities discover their own strength and chart their own path forward.

From climate action that seeds sustainability, to education that unlocks potential, arts that honour heritage, and sports that open doors of inclusion—our impact is built on steady acts of courage, collaboration, and care that light the way for others.

Together with our donors, partners, and supporters, we celebrate 15 years of shared achievements while looking ahead to the pathways still to be illuminated. With humility and respect, we continue learning from communities as they shape the futures they envision.

About

Yayasan Sime Darby

Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) is the philanthropic arm of Sime Darby Berhad, SD Guthrie Berhad, and Sime Darby Property Berhad.

With a legacy spanning over four decades, we are dedicated to enhancing lives and delivering sustainable value through our five pillars of Education, Environment, Community & Health, Sports, and Arts & Culture.

Over the years, we have expanded our wings from offering scholarships to outstanding and deserving individuals to funding impactful conservation, outreach, and development programmes.

Projects & Initiatives

Year in Review

This year has been another meaningful chapter in YSD’s journey of impact. Guided by our mission to nurture hope and empower communities, we advanced initiatives towards sustainability, inclusivity, and community empowerment. Each milestone has not only reflected progress, but also opened new possibilities, reminding us that lasting change is built through steady acts of collaboration, learning, and care.

Chairman’s Foreword

For the past 15 years, Yayasan Sime Darby has made long-term investments grounded in the belief that true development must be intentionally built and sustained — through strategic planning, continuity, and alignment with national priorities.

Whether it is restoring degraded ecosystems or creating opportunities for girls and women to thrive through sports, our enduring goal has been to strengthen the public good and expand access where it is needed most.

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CEO’S Review

After a decade and a half of driving community development and environmental conservation, we have come to understand what truly sustains lasting impact. 

We have seen this in initiatives like the Global Environment Centre’s mangrove restoration programme, where conservation must go hand in hand with local livelihoods, school education, and climate resilience. Or in our support for marine volunteering, where coral protection becomes a platform for youth training, science outreach, and eco-tourism.

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Together in Vision, Stronger in Impact

United in purpose, YSD’s Council and team embody the leadership and commitment that power our journey of impact — strengthening communities and shaping a more sustainable future.

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Employee Volunteer Programmes

Our heartfelt thanks to all YSD volunteers nationwide for their dedication and generosity. From flood relief and back-to-school programmes to beach cleanups and tree planting, your efforts have touched countless lives and brought our initiatives to life.

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Chapters

Climate Action

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  • Roots of Resilience – Coastal Communities Leading Climate Action
  • Seeds of Change - From Classrooms to Climate Solutions
  • Nurturing Young Climate Champions in Sabah

Life Below Water

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  • Sea, Science and Schools
  • Beyond the Nets

Life On Land

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  • Building a National Movement for Malaysia’s Forest Guardians
  • Planting Seeds of Wonder: The Layar Liar Journey
  • A Forest Once Lost, Now Found — The Legacy of Bukit Piton

Food Security

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  • Community-Led Food Security
  • Nourishing Families, Saving the Planet

Health & Welfare

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  • Breaking Cycles, Rebuilding Lives
  • Bringing Quality Healthcare Closer to Johor

Social Resilience

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  • Inclusion and Resilience: Empowering Lives Across Malaysia

Celebrating Communities

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  • Culture That Connects: Celebrating Local Identity and Strengthening Unity
  • Kelab YSD-Kakiseni Junior: Cultivating Young Creatives in Malaysian Schools

Bridging Access

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  • YSD Scholarships Close the Rural-Urban Education Gap
  • The REACH That Ensures Uninterrupted Education
  • A Decade of Bridging Access in STEM: “Help A Person, Change The World”

Empowering Through Play

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  • Little Legends Unlock Young Potential

Our Commitment to the

As a leading corporate foundation, YSD is committed to tackling global challenges through a holistic approach to sustainable development. Across our five pillars, we support initiatives that align with national priorities and international policies for a better planet and society. In support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we highlight relevant goals throughout this report to demonstrate our aspirations and measure progress.

Financial Highlights

Our financial performance this year reflects YSD’s commitment to responsible stewardship and sustainable impact. This section highlights key achievements made possible through strong partnerships, prudent management, and a shared dedication to creating long-term value for the communities we serve.

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Chairman’s Foreword

Y.A.M Tunku Tan Sri Imran Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar

Chairman, Yayasan Sime Darby

The true measure of an institution is not in what it claims, but in what it enables. 

For the past 15 years, Yayasan Sime Darby has made long-term investments grounded in the belief that true development must be intentionally built and sustained — through strategic planning, continuity, and alignment with national priorities.

Whether it is restoring degraded ecosystems or creating opportunities for girls and women to thrive through sports, our enduring goal has been to strengthen the public good and expand access where it is needed most.

We have never subscribed to the notion that nation-building is the sole responsibility of government, non-governmental organisations, or the private sector. Rather, it is a collective endeavour — one that calls upon all institutions and individuals committed to advancing the greater good of the nation.

Since our inception, YSD has invested over RM1.2 billion in more than 1,100 transformative initiatives across the nation, positively impacting the lives of more than 7.2 million individuals. These efforts allowed us to meet urgent needs while scaling our long-term action. 

Nevertheless, the scale of past investment does not diminish the urgency of present challenges. Continued commitment is necessary to address current needs for nation-building and sustainability.

Many young women remain hesitant to pursue or stay in sports because coaching environments are still overwhelmingly male. Without a role model or a sense of safety, long-term participation often feels out of reach. While this barrier signals an issue of access, it also reflects an issue of capacity and our responsibility to help build it.  

Nowhere is this as evident than in our commitment to sports. Over the past decade and a half, working alongside 34 partners, from athletes, government agencies and institutions, this investment has benefitted 41,641 individuals. We have corrected imbalances and expanded participation, leadership, and equity—particularly for women. Each effort—past and present—has contributed to a broader shift in how sports can uplift lives and open doors to opportunity. 

For 15 years we have supported not just athletes, but ecosystems of coaching, talent discovery, and development pathways. Because sport, when supported well, creates space for young people, especially girls, to grow in confidence, pursue excellence, and claim their place in the national story.  

Our commitment to access and equity is not unique to sports. The same applies across all that we do under our 5 pillars. Every initiative we support is intended to move the needle on inclusion, cohesion, and the systems that enable opportunity.

Our 5 pillars — Education, Environment, Community & Health, Sports, and Arts & Culture — are avenues through which we pursue long-term progress. Each offers a unique lens into the barriers communities face, and how we might help remove them.

This year’s Annual Report, Life Above & Below Water, reflects both the breadth of our efforts and the magnitude of the work that still lies ahead. It reaffirms our view that true development is measured not only by what takes place on land or at sea, but by the well-being of the lives that depend on both.

Sustaining this kind of work demands institutional consistency and the conviction to stay the course.

That conviction runs through our donor companies—Sime Darby Berhad, SD Guthrie Berhad, and Sime Darby Property Berhad—who model the kind of accountability YSD holds itself to. Their commitment is present in every aspect of how we plan, act, and respond. 

That same consistency has also shaped how others see YSD. The Ministry of Finance’s decision to channel RM30 million more this year alone in matching grants and catalytic projects through YSD signals confidence in our governance, institutional readiness, and ability to scale national delivery without compromising our values.

With that confidence comes responsibility. While the Foundation was established over four decades ago, the past fifteen years of active operations have defined the rigour we must now carry forward. 

If these 15 years have taught us anything, it is that consistency—in governance, in purpose, and in delivery—remains the most reliable form of leadership we can offer. And it is that same consistency that must guide how we adapt to new challenges, evolve our strategies, and remain steadfast in our commitment to those we serve.

As challenges evolve, so must we. What must not change is our role in helping communities build the skills and confidence to carry solutions forward on their own.  

To all donors, project partners, YSD’s management and operations team, and my fellow Governing Council Members, I extend my thanks.

CEO’S Review

Yatela Zainal Abidin

CEO, Yayasan Sime Darby

When I reflect on the work we do at Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) over the past 15 years, I see positive outcomes across five pillars that are interconnected. Education, Environment, Community & Health, Sports, and Arts & Culture were never meant to stand alone— they are more impactful when we move them together.

After a decade and a half of driving community development and environmental conservation, we have come to understand what truly sustains lasting impact. We have seen this in initiatives like the Global Environment Centre’s mangrove restoration programme, where conservation must go hand in hand with local livelihoods, school education, and climate resilience. Or in our support for marine volunteering, where coral protection becomes a platform for youth training, science outreach, and eco-tourism. 

Much of that impact began with scholarships awarded, a legacy that has remained at the heart of our work since we began operations over four decades ago. Over time, our understanding of value has evolved. Rather than focusing solely on prestige, we now look more broadly for excellence and seek new ways to support potential wherever it may be found. To date YSD has awarded over 6,238 scholarships, including 3,105 to B40 students and 221 to individuals with disabilities. 

This shift is visible across our programmes for education development. LADAP Plus, our teacher development platform developed with PEMIMPIN GSL, now reaches over 51,000 educators. The SD Young Innovators Challenge, now in its tenth year, continues to turn student ideas into community solutions. And our growing investments in TVET have enabled 1,760 B40 Malaysian youths to access high-value, job-ready skills. Alongside this, we have sustained over a decade of support for partners like Yayasan Chow Kit and IDEAS Autism Centre for child protection and inclusive education. 

Our approach to environmental conservation follows the same principle. The legacy of Ulu Segama in Sabah, now known as the Bukit Piton Forest Reserve, runs deeper than most reports can capture. The 5,400 hectares restored area forms part of a critical orangutan corridor. Bukit Piton’s reclassification to a Class I Protected Forest took a decade of groundwork and coordination, which I believe none of our partners—from the Sabah Forestry Department or SD Guthrie Berhad—would describe as easy. Even though the project completed in 2019, its science, methodologies, and field-tested frameworks continue to inform our reforestation efforts across Malaysia. 

In Sarawak, we have since expanded our focus to protect the red langur through a collaboration with Sarawak Forestry Corporation at Maludam National Park. One in which ecological monitoring and species protection move in tandem with sustainable community livelihoods.

Since 2014, our conservation work has also extended to marine species protection and coastal resilience. From turtle and marine mammals conservation to awareness programmes, these efforts have now reached 52,450 coastal communities and students. With an MOU underway with the Department of Fisheries Malaysia, we look forward to supporting Malaysia’s growing focus on strengthening ocean governance. 

When the ecological cost is too high, we speak up. We objected to the plans for the Sukau Bridge and Tioman Airport expansion because the losses would have been huge and irreversible. When, in May this year, a baby elephant was struck and killed on the Gerik-Jeli Highway, and the mother’s vigil made national news, we spoke up then, as we have before. 

These moments are reminders of what is at stake, and why we continue to support human-wildlife coexistence and in situ conservation—from Asian elephants and Malayan tigers, to orangutans and hornbills—through partnerships with 37 NGOs, research institutions, and government agencies. 

A significant milestone in our conservation journey was our heavy hand in the launch of Malaysia’s inaugural National Hornbill Day on 10 November 2024—a proud testament to our collective commitment to safeguarding these majestic birds and their natural habitat.

Being on the ground is not only central to our conservation efforts—it also shapes how our volunteers respond with clarity, courage, and urgency when the need arises. Through Eco Citizen and Huluran Kasih, 2,740 employees contributed 10,811 volunteer hours across 74 environmental and community initiatives. The latter is now formalised through an MOU with the Department of Social Welfare, allowing rapid mobilisation in times of disaster, and ensuring our volunteers are trained and ready when needed. 

While corporate volunteerism is not new, collaborations with the government agency offer a level of agility and coordination that remains uncommon. Since our early days supporting COVID-19 response efforts during the height of movement restrictions, we have continued to show up, often among the first on the ground in areas hit by floods. 

This same principle of sustained, operationalised compassion continues to shape how we approach health equity. Our long-term support for cancer research tailored to Asian genetics through Cancer Research Malaysia has expanded into patient navigation programme and the MeMoSA early detection tool for oral cancer, allowing B40 families access life-saving screenings and treatment. 

Over the years, we have also helped normalise access to HIV/AIDS care and supported coronary interventions for low-income patients. Today, through Program SINAR YSD and matching grant support under Belanjawan 2025, we are tackling high-stigma and high-impact issues like teenage pregnancy and baby abandonment, while expanding early autism intervention. Within months, 34 young mothers and babies and 134 children with autism were supported, while 5,307 students reached for awareness, and 2,161 parents and individuals engaged through comprehensive sexual education. 

We continue to make access our compass when it comes to arts and cultural preservation. From klpac and Five Arts Centre, whom we have supported since their early days—enabling them to weather difficult periods, grow, and mentor others—to Kakiseni, KL Shakespeare Players, and ASK Dance Company (ADC), we are sustaining arts exposure in communities and public schools, often as the only such access available. 

Through ADC, we also brought Setanggi Tari Melayu and the elegance of classical Malay dance to the public. And through Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival 2025, we brought the arts beyond Kuala Lumpur with klpac, reaching 10 locations and over 63,000 participants. We have seen what is possible when the arts are supported, and we have seen what is lost when they are not.

We apply that same lens to sports, as one of the few institutions in Malaysia that treat it as a national development lever. Our support has helped develop elite athletes like Dato’ Azizulhasni Awang, who brought home Malaysia’s first Olympic medal in track cycling, as well as the pipeline that produces future champions. The YSD Track Series, now in its third year, builds a national platform for young cyclists like Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri to rise. 

We have also made it a priority to advance the development of women and girls in sports by supporting female-led coaching and expanding their access to training and competition. Through the Nicol David Organisation, Sime Darby Football Club, and the Malaysian Cricket Association, we are helping develop women coaches in squash, football, and cricket, while opening up more pathways for girls to participate. 

Real, lasting change only happens when we stay closely involved for the long haul. If there is a throughline across the past 15 years, it is that long-term progress demands long-term proximity. And much of that progress was made possible by the continued support of our three donor companies—Sime Darby Berhad, SD Guthrie Berhad, and Sime Darby Property Berhad—and the expanded collaboration through Belanjawan 2025, which enabled 28 high-impact initiatives to move forward, complementing efforts under other collaborations with Ministry of Finance (MOF) i.e. Program SINAR YSD, YSD SEPAKAT, and Kasih MADANI. 

Taken together, our collaboration with the government has allowed us to scale faster, respond better, and reach further. Since 2021, support from MOF has totalled RM35 million, for about 40 initiatives under our 4 pillars. This excludes the annual contributions under GDRN Bantu that has further strengthened our disaster response capacity.

This collaboration goes beyond funding to include close partnerships with MOF, Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), and various  agencies.

This work now spans communities, ecosystems, and sectors. It is made possible through the hands of many—stakeholders, donors, community partners, teachers, scientists, caregivers, artists, volunteers — and my beloved team at YSD. 

Thank you for staying through the setbacks, the late nights, and the long haul.