Can Property Firms Prove Their ESG Progress?

This is a podcast from BFM 89.9, The Business Station.

Good morning.

You're listening to People, Planet, Profit.

This is the show where we explore developments and debate in the ESG space.

I'm Richard Bradbury.

For companies, ESG is increasingly about providing or proving that ambition is being translated into measurable change.

Knight Frank Malaysia says it made progress across all three pillars in 2025, including a 16% reduction in energy consumption against its 2019 baseline, a recycling rate that rose to 26%, Strong Emissions Monitoring and Continued Investment in Employee Development and Governance.

That's from their 2025 ESG report.

But the more interesting question is what sits behind those headline numbers.

How do you keep cutting emissions as your business grows? How do you influence Scope 3 emissions that sit outside your direct control? And how is ESG changing the way buildings are managed, suppliers are assessed and clients make property decisions? Knight Frank has also committed to reach net zero across its value chain by 2040 with interim targets along the way.

So what will it take to get there and where are the biggest challenges still to be addressed? And joining me is Sakunan Subramaniam.

He is the Group Executive Chairman and Group ESG Oversight at Knight Frank Malaysia.

Saki, good morning.

Thank you.

Good morning, Richard.

Thank you for having me here.

It's a pleasure.