Business sectors face the advent of digitalisation, bringing attention to e-waste, or waste generated from obsolete electrical and electronic appliances. In addressing this issue, the study intends to examine e-waste disclosure by Bursa Malaysia listed firms. Specifically, this study investigates the extent and quality of e-waste disclosure, observes whether the reporting differs between industries and the boards on which the firms are listed, and investigates if e-waste disclosure is associated with firm and board characteristics. A total of 92 firms in the telecommunication and technology industries, listed on the Main and Ace boards of Bursa Malaysia, were selected as samples. The results reveal that despite an indication that e-waste reporting applies to the two sectors, only 16% of the firms report their commitment to managing e-waste. The disclosure shows how e-waste reporting is low in quantity and is circulated with only very general, qualitative information. An independent sample t-test reveals that firms listed on the Main board report significantly more e-waste information than their counterparts. Another t-test indicates an insignificant difference in e-waste disclosure between the firms under study. Furthermore, firm size significantly impacts e-waste disclosure, while firm performance, board size, and board gender diversity show insignificant impact. The results of this preliminary study shed some light on business firms’ commitment towards their e-waste management and reporting, which is a substantial factor for Malaysia to achieve environmental sustainability.

Manuscript type: Research paper Research aims: This study explores the institutional pressure and motivation that drives Malaysian palm oil companies to embark on sustainability practices, and uncovers the impediments of substantive change in producing truly sustainable palm oil. Design/Methodology/Approach A case study methodology was employed, gathering primary and secondary data through semistructured interviews with the company's personnel and external stakeholders, through informal conversations and group discussions with company workers, document analyses, and observations. The neo-institutional and legitimacy theory were used as the primary lens to explain the study findings. Research findings: The results indicate that both external pressures and internal issues have forced the company to engage in sustainability practices - primarily through certification. Unlike the independent stakeholder pressure found in previous studies, a chain reaction of pressures was found from NGOs and competitors to multinational buyers, whom in turn put pressure on the case company, thus jeopardising their financial bottom lines. Regulatory pressures, conforming to the industry norms, wooing host country's government, investors, and financiers add to the external motivation. Reputational problems and labour shortages, business case for sustainability, and the philanthropic nature of family-owned firms are the internal elements behind the endeavour. The barrier to change towards sustainability was mainly caused by cost concern, technical difficulties, mindset of workers, unsupportive business environment and impracticalities of safety equipment design. Originality/value: The findings shed light on the inner motive and barriers of change towards producing sustainable palm oil, the understanding of which is vital in driving further substantive changes in the palm oil industry towards sustainable development. Research limitation/Implication: The study was restricted to a single case company in the Malaysian palm oil industry and hence, generalisation of the study findings onto another context should be done in a cautious manner.

Global climate change is increasingly recognized as a critical factor influencing economic performance, thereby making the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of businesses a vital indicator of sustainability. In the context of China's "dual-carbon" objective, this study examines the relationship between climate transition risk and the ESG performance of listed Chinese companies. Utilizing text analysis techniques, this research quantifies the Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) sections of annual reports from 2014 to 2019 to extract information on climate transition risks. A multiple regression analysis is then applied to assess the impact of these risks on companies' ESG performance. The findings indicate that climate transition risk has a measurable effect on the ESG performance of enterprises, suggesting its role as an incentive for achieving carbon neutrality. Specifically, the analysis shows that climate transition risk is associated with improvements in certain aspects of ESG performance, including environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance quality. Additionally, the study reveals that non-state-owned enterprises, those with diversified business strategies, decentralized management structures, and audits conducted by Big 4 firms, tend to exhibit better ESG performance in the face of climate transition risks. These results demonstrate the nuanced impact of climate transition risk on ESG performance, particularly within the framework of China's carbon reduction goals, and highlight the importance of firm characteristics in moderating this relationship. This evidence provides a foundation for stakeholders, including enterprises, policymakers, and investors, to consider climate transition risks in their efforts to enhance ESG performance.

Research aims: Drawing on resource dependence and human capital theory, this study aims to analyse the relationship between specific attributes of women directors on company performance, specifically on the market performance proxied by Tobin’s Q. Design/Methodology/Approach: Data for the analysis are extracted from the Top 100 Malaysian companies listed in the Minority Shareholders Watch Group’s Corporate Governance Scorecard from 2018-2021. This is supported by data from interviews with the board of directors and top management to understand the impact of gender diversity on the company’s performance. Research findings: The findings suggest that the diversity of ethnicity and competency among women directors positively and significantly affects Tobin’s Q. Additionally, the results demonstrate that the proportion of women directors and Blau’s gender diversity show no impact on the market valuation. Moreover, this study also explores whether the COVID-19 pandemic and types of directorships have effects on gender diversity and company performance nexus. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This current study’s findings enrich the literature by outlining the importance of having diverse attributes among women directors. Unlike many previous studies, this study incorporates both quantitative and qualitative approaches, derived from several interview sessions with key industry players, to enrich the limited quantitative findings. Practitioner/Policy implication: The findings led to policy recommendations for key stakeholders, suggesting that regulators should encourage companies to focus on the qualities rather than just the numbers when appointing women directors. Policy recommendations on extending training to the senior management level and reviewing the number of years and directorships may be used to provide a roadmap for regulators, policymakers and companies to better meet the national agenda on women directors’ appointments. This approach could also benefit male directors and enhance overall board dynamics, ultimately advancing the national agenda for gender diversity. Research limitation: Future studies may consider other attributes among women directors, such as age, experience, expertise and political ideologies. In addition, other theories, like the upper echelon and legitimacy theories, could be integrated into understanding the role of board diversity in affecting company performance.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the viability of relocating Universiti Utara Malaysia International School (UUMIS) from its current location in Sintok to a nearby town in Jitra, Kedah in its effort of increasing student’s enrolment. Theoretical Framework: The study uses the four p’s of marketing mix and Ansoff marketing matrix in evaluating the market demand for international school in Jitra if the school were to be relocated from its current location. Design/methodology/approach: The study conducted interview sessions with UUMIS staffs, existing parents, and potential parents. Following to the input derived, a survey was formulated and distributed to the communities in Kedah and Perlis. Findings: Most existing parents and teachers are willing to send their children to UUMIS should it is relocated to Jitra with a transportation and transit service assistant. This result is supported with the survey distributed, whereby the percentage of willingness are more than half of the existing parents (60.5%). However, despite the willingness, these parents (39.6%) also found this proposal to be burdensome. As such, they suggested UUMIS to provide transportation and transit service with reasonable fees charged instead. Implication: The study has direct implication of policy for UUM and UUMIS in steering the international school development. The study also evidenced that market research prior to investments are needed not only to ascertain the demand in the new location but serving as reflective medium for an organization to improvise existing governance especially when there is an expansion/relocation plan in the pipeline. Originality/value: The study has direct implication of policy for UUM and UUMIS in steering the international school development.