Yinson Holdings Berhad (“Yinson”) has awarded RM150,000 in grants under its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR”) programme, the Yinson4Youth (“Y4Y”) grant initiative, to three youth-led organisations in Malaysia for 2026. This marks an expansion of the programme, with three organisations selected in the 2026 cycle, compared to two recipients in each of the past two years, with the aim of empowering more youths to drive sustainable and lasting solutions to environmental and societal challenges in Malaysia.
The Y4Y grant recipients are Youth Beyond Boundaries (“YBB”) from UCSI University and College, Empowered Women Engineers Society (“EWE”) from Taylor’s University, and The Planet Prodigy (“TPP”) from Universiti Malaya. The increase in grant recipients reflects a growing pool of high-quality, youth-driven projects that champion sustainability, innovation, and community empowerment. It also underscores the rising commitment and passion of Malaysian youths in driving positive change across Malaysia.
Since its launch in 2023, Y4Y has disbursed a total sum of RM200,000, which have supported four organisations in their sustainability goals that reached more than 750 beneficiaries, impacted 4 communities, and involved 584 employee volunteering hours. Now in its third year, Y4Y continues to support impactful, youth-driven initiatives that address pressing social and environmental issues in Malaysia. The 2026 recipients were selected through a competitive application process, with projects evaluated based on their potential for long-term impact, sustainability, and community engagement. Collectively, these three projects contribute to Yinson’s broader ESG 30 by 30 aspirations, under which Y4Y serves as one of several CSR initiatives advancing the Group’s long-term commitment to impact 30,000 lives, uplift 30 communities, and contribute 30,000 employee volunteering hours through a diverse portfolio of CSR programmes.
Dr Renard Siew, Yinson Group Head of Corporate Sustainability, said, “At Yinson, we believe young people have the passion, creativity, and drive to shape a more sustainable future. Through Y4Y, we are proud to empower youth-led initiatives that translate bold ideas into real-world environmental and social impact. Our partnerships with this year’s recipients mark an important step towards building stronger, more resilient communities aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.”
Through the Y4Y programme, Yinson continues to affirm its commitment to nurturing young changemakers and supporting solutions that contribute to environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and community resilience. By partnering with passionate youth-led organisations, Yinson aims to create lasting positive impacts while empowering the next generation to lead a more sustainable future.
Turning plastic waste into opportunity through circular innovation
YBB is a youth-led movement of UCSI University and College scholars focused on leadership, sustainability, innovation and community impact. Its initiative, PLAST X, seeks to reduce plastic waste by transforming post-consumer PET bottles into 3D-printing filaments and products through a circular economy model. The project combines plastic waste collection with STEM education for 100 secondary school students in three schools throughout Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. In parallel, YBB aims to train five refugees to convert collected PET bottles into usable 3D-printing filaments, as well as to develop 3D printing and workshop facilitation skills. This project aims to generate sustainable environmental impact while creating inclusive economic opportunities for vulnerable communities.
“By empowering youth-led solutions, Y4Y enables YBB to pioneer an inclusive circular economy through our PLAST X project – turning plastic waste into meaningful environmental and community impact. It also lays the foundation for our future as a social enterprise”, commented Oh Khang Chiang, YBB Deputy Chief Director.
Empowering youths through sustainable water solutions and practical green skills
EWE is a student-led society at Taylor’s University dedicated to inspiring, encouraging, and empowering female engineering students to realise their full potential. Through its RAIN4Youth: Harvesting Hope project, EWE will design, install, and operationalise a youth-led rainwater harvesting system at the At-Risk Youth Character Development Centre (Shalom) in Negeri Sembilan, in response to rising water tariffs and an inconsistent water supply. The project will directly benefit 35 individuals residing at the centre by providing access to clean and sustainable water on a daily basis. The initiative will also equip at-risk youths with practical green skills, including basic engineering and sustainability concepts, to enhance their future employability. Overall, the project aims to deliver a holistic solution that integrates water resilience, skills development, and long-term sustainability for a vulnerable community.
Tham Jia Huey, EWE Director of Communications, shared, “EWE aspires to create sustainable solutions that empower and strengthen underprivileged communities. Through the Y4Y grant, we aim to realise our ideas into measurable impact – where every drop of rainwater collected builds responsibility, resilience, and a future shaped by youth, for youth.”
Mobilising youth to protect urban ecosystems through action and education
TPP is a youth-led, interdisciplinary society hosted under Universiti Malaya’s Sustainable Development Centre (“UMSDC”), which aims to advance sustainability and planetary health through education, capacity building, and community engagement. Through its Eco-Heart Youth Empowerment Programme, TPP aims to mobilise youths to care for urban ecosystems across selected locations within Klang Valley. The programme will combine hands-on river clean-up campaigns with eco-school workshops to encourage practical environmental action. In addition, the project will develop Education for Sustainable Development (“ESD”) modules to strengthen students’ environmental literacy beyond the classroom. The project seeks to contribute to the development of a new generation of urban youths and educators who are environmentally literate, proactive, and committed to reducing plastic pollution.
Sanjeef Kumr, Executive Director of TPP shared his enthusiasm, “What excites us most is seeing young people reconnect with the rivers, lakes, and green spaces they live alongside every day. The Y4Y grant enables us to transform youths’ capacity into caretakers of their environment and communities. With Y4Y’s support, we can empower young people to move from awareness to ownership in protecting their local environment.”
