RAM joins the United Nations Global Compact Initiative, announces MOU to advance sustainability finance agenda

Published on 19 Jul 2024.

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RAM Holdings Berhad (RAM) has joined the United Nations Global Compact initiative, a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible business practices. The UN Global Compact is a call to companies to align their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and to take action in support of UN goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals.

Subsequently, RAM and its wholly-owned subsidiary, RAM Rating Services Berhad (RAM Ratings), signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 3 July 2024 with the Malaysia & Brunei chapter of the UN Global Compact – the UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB) – to collaborate on various sustainability finance initiatives including sustainability training, advocacy and research.

“RAM has embodied sustainability principles in its operations since 2016. The rating agency is a pioneer signatory to the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment’s Statement on ESG in Credit Ratings. Our sustainability division has facilitated the raising of capital market financing under various national, regional and international green, social and sustainability frameworks. The MOU with UNCGMYB allows both parties to optimise collective resources, expertise and network, to advance the sustainable finance agenda in Malaysia. We look forward to this strategic partnership and the positive impact it will have on our shared ecosystem,” remarked Mr Chris Lee, RAM’s Group Chief Executive Officer. 

"A key aspect of this collaboration is the creation of a comprehensive training and certification programme that merges theoretical sustainability knowledge with practical experience to develop internal sustainable finance champions within organisations. We are excited to be able to collaborate with RAM, a UN Global Compact participant, to develop and deliver more future-fit ESG learning content that will support sustainability competency development across the board. We hope this initiative will spur the sustainable finance landscape for both corporates and SMEs," stated Faroze Nadar, Executive Director of UNGCMYB. 

 

Analytical contacts
Chan Yin Huei
(603) 3385 2498
yinhuei@ram.com.my

Media contact 
Sakinah Arifin 
(603) 3385 2500
sakinah@ram.com.my

 

About RAM Group

The RAM Group, formerly known as Rating Agency Malaysia Berhad, is a leading provider of independent credit ratings, research, training, risk analysis, and bond pricing. Established in November 1990 as Malaysia’s first credit rating agency, RAM Group transferred its rating operations to RAM Rating Services Berhad (RAM Ratings) on 1 July 2007. RAM Ratings is a wholly owned subsidiary of the RAM Group.

As the largest credit rating agency in Malaysia and ASEAN, RAM Ratings has assessed over USD 480 billion in bonds from more than 750 entities. Its diverse portfolio includes corporates, sovereign nations, financial institutions, insurance companies, project finance, and structured finance obligations. Renowned for rating Islamic securities (Sukuk), RAM Ratings has won numerous awards, including the GIFA Power Award (Islamic Rating) at the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA) in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and The Best Islamic Rating Agency (Malaysia) by The Asset Triple A Islamic Finance Awards 2022. Recently, it received the FocusEconomics Analyst Forecast Awards for #1 in Interest Rate Forecasting and #2 in Inflation Rate Forecasting.

On 26 May 2016, RAM Ratings joined the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment’s Statement on ESG in Credit Ratings, committing to a systematic incorporation of ESG into credit ratings. Additionally, RAM Group became a member of the United Nations Global Compact on 9 April 2024, reinforcing its dedication to sustainability and corporate responsibility.

Incorporated on 31 May 2000, RAM Sustainability Sdn Bhd is a wholly owned subsidiary offering sustainability services and ESG analytics. It is the first ASEAN-based provider of ESG ratings and second opinions and the first Registered Observer of the International Capital Market Association’s Green Bond Principles, Social Bond Principles, and Sustainability Bond Guidelines in ASEAN. On 12 August 2020, it became an Approved Verifier for climate bonds under the Climate Bonds Standard & Certification Scheme.

RAM Solutions Sdn Bhd, effective from 1 March 2023, integrated sustainability solutions into its credit opinion business, operating independently of external reviewers. Another subsidiary, Bond Pricing Agency Malaysia Sdn Bhd, is the sole provider of bond-pricing and valuation data on the Malaysian bond market.

Bursa Malaysia RAM Capital Sdn Bhd (BR Capital), incorporated on 27 December 2022 as a joint venture between Bursa Malaysia Berhad (51%) and RAM Holdings Berhad (49%), is a recognised market operator registered with the Securities Commission Malaysia. BR Capital operates a digital platform that allows eligible issuers to raise debt financing through the issuance of investment notes.

For further details, please refer to https://www.ram.com.my.

About UN Global Compact Network Malaysia and Brunei

UN Global Compact Network Malaysia and Brunei (UNGCMYB) is a leading advocate for action in shaping the corporates and SMEs sustainability space in Malaysia and Brunei with learning, connections and enablers to Forward Faster a collective sustainable future. As the country network of the United Nations Global Compact, we support businesses to thrive responsibly in human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. Let us unite businesses for a better world, one ambitious step at a time. Talk to us about joining us or visit our website at www.ungcmyb.org.

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