In many respects, Europe is still regarded as a leader in sustainability. Parts of Asia are quickly catching up, however, implementing measures not only pragmatically, but also on a large scale. China, for example, installed twice as many photovoltaic systems in the first half of 2025 as Germany did in 25 years. Big Dutchman employees have now discussed sustainability trends in Asia and initiatives of the pig and poultry equipment supplier at its Klang location on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur – at the first ESG meeting in the region.
CO2 emissions, social issues and sustainable purchasing: Big Dutchman discusses sustainability trends
First ESG meeting in Malaysia
For two days, around 20 employees talked about CO2 emissions, social issues and sustainable purchasing, among other topics.
ESG manager Dr Lina Sofie von Fricken says: “It’s great that we now have team members who handle ESG issues in almost every country in which we are active.”
The attendees of the meeting came from various countries: the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, China and even Australia. Jörg Assmann, CFO of the Asia location, was also part of the meeting (more on his contribution below).
Marc Allen and Hannah Baker from Unravel Carbon were on site as external guests. The Singapore-based company specialises in calculating carbon footprints for businesses – and helps them become climate-neutral.
The Big Dutchman team in Malaysia has been working with Unravel Carbon for several years. The equipment supplier now utilises this expertise on a global level.
Dr von Fricken’s conclusion: “It’s important that our colleagues around the world understand that we, as Big Dutchman, want to and can support our customers in tackling a wide range of sustainability issues. I am very pleased with the productive and, in my view, successful exchange at this meeting!”
Many thanks to everyone involved for the constructive dialogue. And a very special thank you to the team on site in Malaysia, who impressed us with their excellent organisation – sustainably so!
P.S.: Kuala Lumpur is already suffering greatly from climate change. Due to urbanisation, the city is around four degrees Celsius warmer than the surrounding countryside. Heavy rainfall events have also increased significantly in the area. The city therefore built a SMART tunnel a few years ago. This “Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel” is a 9.7 km long combined flood relief and road tunnel. Normally, cars drive through it. During heavy rainfall, however, traffic is partially or completely blocked so floodwater can be diverted away from the city centre. The tunnel has since been recognised by the United Nations as a flagship project.
“As a family business, sustainability is especially close to our hearts. The topic is also becoming increasingly important in Asia, due to regulatory requirements, investor demand, growing consumer awareness and the region’s considerable vulnerability to the effects of climate change. Asia is rapidly developing into a global centre for sustainable finance and practices.
Large Asian companies in the food industry are already playing a leading role. They have been publishing detailed sustainability reports and key figures such as the carbon footprint per egg or kilogram of meat for years.
Here on site, Big Dutchman is not only actively working on making its own business processes more sustainable. As the market leader, we also aim to actively support our customers in realising their sustainability goals and, in particular, to contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions in agriculture.
