How Sunway Malls Is Making Sustainable Living The New Normal (And How You Can Join The Movement)

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When you think of malls, what comes to mind? Shopping sprees, food hunts, maybe catching a movie or two?

Well, Sunway Malls wants to change that image by redefining what “retail therapy” means — and this time, it’s not just about sales or aesthetics. It’s about building a smart, green mall that walks the talk when it comes to sustainability.

In conjunction with United Nations Day 2025, Sunway Malls is stepping up its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts with a nationwide campaign called From This to That.

The goal? To make sustainability something Malaysians can actually take part in, not just read about.

From futuristic machines that eat food waste to eco workshops that get the community involved, Sunway Malls is proving that going green doesn’t have to be complicated or boring at all.

Turning Food Waste Into Water

If you didn’t know already, food waste is one of Malaysia’s biggest environmental problems.

We throw away about 17,000 tonnes of food daily, and according to the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp), nearly a quarter of it is still edible. 

That’s roughly 4 million kilograms of perfectly good food going into landfills, where it rots and releases methane, a greenhouse gas more harmful than carbon dioxide.

To help tackle this wasteful issue, Sunway Malls has introduced something rather futuristic — a Food Digester.

It’s different from the traditional composters that turn food waste into soil — this one goes a step further. Think of it as a machine that “eats” food waste and turns it into greywater, a safe liquid discharge that can later be repurposed into liquid fertiliser through eco partnerships.

The first of its kind in Malaysia, the Food Digester is already running at Sunway Velocity Mall, and another will be installed at Sunway Pyramid by the end of 2025, with more expected to roll out across other Sunway Malls in the coming years.

They’re aiming to process about 4,000 tonnes of waste by 2026. Not too shabby for something that started with a simple idea back in 2019. That was when Sunway first launched its Food Composter initiative to help F&B tenants manage their waste more responsibly.

Together, these initiatives help Sunway Malls reduce landfill waste while setting a model for closed-loop sustainability where nothing goes to waste and show that sustainability doesn’t always need to be complicated — just smarter.

Doing It The UN Way

If you’re wondering why Sunway Malls is investing so much in these efforts, it all ties back to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — 17 global targets aimed at tackling everything from climate change to responsible consumption.

The From This to That campaign takes those big, global goals and turns them into real action here in Malaysia.

By reducing food waste, conserving energy, and promoting eco-friendly habits among shoppers, Sunway Malls is proving that sustainability isn’t just for governments or big corporations — it’s something that can happen right where we live, shop, and eat.

Building Greener Malls, One Idea At A Time

The Food Digester isn’t the only thing setting Sunway apart. Over the years, the group has been quietly transforming how malls operate behind the scenes — and the results speak for themselves. Across its properties, Sunway Malls has introduced:

• Smart Toilets that use sensors and water-saving systems.
• EV bikes for greener transport within the mall ecosystem.
• Motion-activated escalators that save energy during off-peak hours.
• Solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems that reduce dependency on non-renewable resources.

And yes, all these efforts are backed by proper certifications as Sunway Malls recently earned a suite of SIRIM and ISO certifications, including:

• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management).
• ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management).
• ISO 9001 (Quality Management).
• SIRIM 55 ESG Management Certification.

In fact, Sunway Pyramid made history as the first mall in Malaysia — and only 16 companies nationwide — to receive the SIRIM 55 accreditation, officially recognising it as a national benchmark for sustainability in retail.

So the next time you visit a Sunway Mall, just know that even if you don’t notice it, everything from the escalators to the toilets is designed to operate smarter, cleaner, and more efficiently.

Making Everyday Actions Matter

Sunway Malls’ approach to sustainability isn’t just about big tech or fancy systems — it’s also about the small, everyday things. Across all its malls, you’ll spot:

• Kloth Cares textile recycling bins to reduce fabric waste.
• E-waste collection points and buy-back centres for old electronics.
• Book corners and sharing libraries, like the Sunway Putra Mall book donation bin.
• Share Your Bags stations for shoppers to share and reuse their shopping bags (available at Sunway Velocity).
• Upcycled art mural from discarded materials at malls like Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Velocity, Sunway Carnival, Sunway Putra, and Sunway Giza.

Each one of these initiatives quietly encourages visitors to adopt small, sustainable habits that collectively make a big difference. Because sustainability isn’t a one-off campaign — it’s a mindset that shapes every decision we make together.

From This To That: Sustainability You Can Join

Of course, no green movement is complete without people. That’s where the From This to That campaign comes in.

Running from 22 October to 9 November 2025 across multiple locations — including Sunway Velocity Mall, Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Carnival Mall, Sunway Big Box Retail Park, Sunway 163 Mall, Sunway Putra Mall, and Sunway Kluang Mall — the campaign brings sustainability to life through hands-on activities.

Sunway Malls is teaming up with eco-partners like Kloth Cares and Fipper, along with green-minded tenants such as Uniqlo, The Body Shop, and Timberland, to host eco workshops, zero-waste weekend bazaars, upcycled art installations made by local artists, and entertaining performances — all designed to show how fun (and easy) going green can be.

Visitors can also take part in the Wasteless Wonder Redemption programme, where shopping earns you rewards like upcycled accessories, mini farm kits, and other green goodies.

And because Malaysians love nothing more than a chance to win big, every redemption serves as an entry for the Treasures & Treats Lucky Draw, featuring prizes including a pre-loved luxury bag worth RM16,000 and total rewards of up to RM30,000.

It’s a refreshing reminder that sustainability doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom — it can be creative, communal, and yes, even rewarding.

So who says doing good for the planet can’t come with perks!? Discover how the From This to That campaign makes sustainability worth your while at your favourite Sunway Malls, or visit their social media pages.

A Mall That’s More Than a Mall

What makes Sunway Malls’ approach so effective is how accessible it is. You don’t have to be an environmental activist to join in — you just have to show up, shop smarter, and take part in the little green steps that collectively make a big impact.

It’s sustainability that’s practical, interactive, and inclusive — proof that you can care for the planet without sacrificing your retail therapy. As Sunway Malls Chief Executive Officer, HC Chan puts it:

Our commitment to ESG is a covenant of trust with our employees, customers, and communities. Hence, we are steadfast in pursuing sustainability initiatives in Sunway Malls.

Sunway Malls Chief Executive Officer, HC Chan.

At the launch of the This to That campaign at Sunway Velocity Mall on Friday (24 October), he said sustainability is embedded in Sunway’s DNA and will remain a key part of its business strategy moving forward.

It’s the right thing to do, and we will continue to do well by doing good. To combat climate change and its impact, Sunway has developed the first-of-its-kind carbon pricing framework in Malaysia. It’s a long-term goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 to build a climate-resilient society.

Sunway Malls Chief Executive Officer, HC Chan.

At the end of the day, Sunway Malls isn’t just another place to shop — it’s a glimpse into what sustainable, conscious living could look like in Malaysia’s public spaces.

And if the future of shopping means saving the planet while getting your shopping fix, we’re all for it!

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