LIFE AT WORK Awards 2025 Honours Malaysia's Champions of Inclusive and Sustainable Workplaces

31 October 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Marking a decade of progress in Malaysia's future of work movement, the LIFE AT WORK Awards (LAWA) 2025 celebrated outstanding employers who are redefining how the nation works, with flexibility, inclusivity, and sustainability at the heart of their initiatives.

Hosted by Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp), the strategic think tank under the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA), this year's awards carried the theme "Driving Inclusivity, Powering Sustainability."

Speaking at the gala, Steven Sim Chee Keong, Minister of Human Resources, highlighted that the awards reflect Malaysia's MADANI vision, where progress is defined not solely by profit but also by purpose. He stated, "The real measure of progress is not how high our GDP climbs, but how far our humanity reaches." He noted that inclusivity and flexibility have become defining features of a modern, competitive economy, and Malaysia is moving decisively in that direction.

Under KESUMA's leadership, the government has legally recognised the right to request Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA), expanded tax incentives for family-friendly and returnship practices, and strengthened protections for working parents through the Employment (Amendment) Act. These reforms have contributed to a more equitable labour market, with Malaysia's gender pay gap narrowing from RM211 in 2023 to RM18 in 2025. Additionally, the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2025 ranked Malaysia 108th out of 146 countries, an improvement of six places from 2024.

Malaysia continues to perform strongly in global competitiveness indicators, ranking 23rd in the World Competitiveness Index and 25th in the IMD World Talent Ranking, which underscores the country's growing reputation for an agile, inclusive, and forward-looking workforce. Steven added, "Inclusivity and flexibility are no longer optional, they are the new competitive advantage."

Wong Shu Qi, Chairperson of TalentCorp, emphasised that over the past decade, the awards have evolved into a national movement recognising organisations that "make work more human." She explained that behind every submission are stories of innovation, inclusion, and leadership — from mothers returning to work to managers learning to lead differently, and teams demonstrating that compassion and performance can coexist. Wong also highlighted that through TalentCorp's advocacy, over 900,000 Malaysians have benefited from more inclusive and flexible work arrangements, proving that "doing good for people is good for business."

This year, 266 organisations submitted 719 entries across 13 award categories, marking a 33% increase from 2024. New categories such as Future-Ready University & College, Future-Ready School, and Changemakers reflect Malaysia’s whole-of-nation approach to inclusivity and lifelong learning.

Among this year's 33 winners, key champions include Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn Bhd for the International Organisation category; Sunway Group for Public Listed Company; Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas for Private Limited Company; Bank Negara Malaysia for the Public Sector; and Q3 Management Solutions Sdn Bhd for Small & Medium Enterprise (SME). Notable CEO champions include Ng Wei Wei of United Overseas Bank Malaysia, Dato' Chu Jenn Weng of ViTrox Corporation, Datuk Wira (Dr) Ameer Ali Mydin of MYDIN Mohamed Holdings, Dato' Mohammad Faiz Mohammad Azmi of the Securities Commission Malaysia, and Dr Thomas Ong of NanoTextile Sdn Bhd. CHRO champions recognised include Rethinalingam Rubakantan of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, Andrew Chan Geh Hui of Press Metal Aluminium Holdings, Rozalawati Ngah of Emerson Process Management, Dr Vanitha Thurairasu of the Kinta District Health Office, and Wong Ye San of PLC Tax Consultants.

Highlights across categories include Allianz Malaysia’s Women at Work & Leadership (International/Public Listed Company), Tea Garden’s Women at Work & Leadership (Private Limited Company/Public Sector), Central Force International’s Women at Work & Leadership (SME), Western Digital’s Young Graduates (International/Public Listed Company), Verdant Solar’s Talent Sustainability (SME), CelcomDigi’s Corporate Social Responsibility (International/Public Listed Company), Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi Mara Balik Pulau’s Future-Ready University & College (Public Sector), Asia Pacific University (APU) for Future-Ready University & College (Private Sector), SM Teknik Alor Setar’s Future-Ready School (Public Sector), and SOLS Foundation’s Changemakers (NGO/NPO, MSME).

The LIFE AT WORK Awards 2025 reaffirm Malaysia’s commitment to building a workforce and workplace ecosystem that balances economic progress with human dignity, in line with the MADANI Economy Framework. The awards continue to serve as a platform to showcase employers leading the way in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), sustainability, and future skills readiness, supporting the national goal of increasing female labour force participation to 60% by 2030.

By celebrating organisations that combine compassion with competitiveness, LAWA 2025 reflects Malaysia’s broader mission to ensure growth is shared, inclusive, and sustainable across all sectors of society.

Steven concluded, “These organisations prove that compassion is not the opposite of performance but the foundation of it. By giving dignity, we gain excellence.” The ceremony was attended by 750 guests, including Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof, Secretary General of KESUMA, senior government officials, industry leaders, and awards participants.