Astro Named Best Performing Telecommunications & Media Company At The Edge Malaysia ESG Awards 2026

Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad (Astro) has been named the Best Performing Company in the Telecommunications & Media sector at The Edge Malaysia ESG Awards 2026, marking its second consecutive win after receiving the Gold Award in the same category last year.

The Edge Malaysia ESG Awards recognises public listed companies and asset management firms that demonstrate leadership in environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. This year's edition honoured 36 winners across 14 sectors, with Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability YB Dato' Sri Arthur Joseph Kurup attending as guest of honour and delivering the keynote address.

The recognition comes as Astro maintained its ESG score of 4.1 out of 5 in the December 2025 FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index assessment by FTSE Russell, retaining its position among the top 1% of media companies globally with a 100th percentile ranking.

Image Credit: Astro

Advancing environmental goals

As part of its Climate Roadmap, Astro continued to strengthen its environmental initiatives through a phased decarbonisation strategy focused on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, while laying the groundwork for future Scope 3 emissions assessments.

The company reported an 8% reduction in energy consumption and a 24% reduction in water consumption in FY26 compared with its FY22 baseline. Astro also continued collaborating with organisations such as WWF-Malaysia, Taman Tugu Malaysia and UN Global Compact Malaysia, Brunei & Cambodia to support environmental advocacy efforts.

Driving social impact through content & community programmes

On the social front, Astro aired more than 12,000 hours of Voice for Good content during FY26, including public service announcements and ESG-related programming aimed at promoting positive social messages.

The company also highlighted issues such as women's empowerment and mental health through productions including Aadhira, Mandul Bukan Pilihan and Good Boys Go To Heaven. Astro continued its efforts to improve accessibility through collaborations with the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB), while supporting educational equity through Teach For Malaysia and grassroots sports development programmes that engaged more than 4,000 students in 2025.

Meanwhile, Team Astro surpassed its three-year target of 20,000 employee volunteer hours through community initiatives such as flood relief and tree-planting activities.

Image Credit: Astro

Strengthening governance & digital safety

Governance remains a key pillar of Astro's ESG strategy, with continued focus on cybersecurity, data privacy, diversity and inclusion, workplace safety, tax integrity and transparency.

Among its recent achievements, Astro AWANI was named Malaysia's most trusted brand for the ninth consecutive year in 2026. Astro was also appointed to the National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII), underscoring its role in ensuring the continuity of essential information, communication and digital services.

The company has also stepped up anti-piracy efforts through AI-driven technologies designed to detect and remove pirated content and illegal streaming services. In addition, Astro recently joined the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a global anti-piracy coalition comprising more than 50 media companies.

Image Credit: Astro

ESG beyond recognition

Commenting on the award, Astro Chief Regulatory & Corporate Affairs Officer Laila Saat said the recognition reflects the company's commitment to creating meaningful impact beyond ESG targets.

"We are very honoured by this recognition, but for us, ESG is about more than achieving targets. As a media and content company, we have a responsibility to use our reach and influence positively. Over the past year, we generated more than 12,000 hours of Voice for Good content, while continuing to focus on digital safety, inclusion, responsible media, protecting intellectual property and supporting Malaysia's creative ecosystem.

"We see this award not as an endpoint, but as a responsibility to do more and create meaningful, lasting impact for Malaysia," she added.

Featured Image Credit: Astro