Kuala Lampur, Dec. 31 -- Despite strong gains in female education, persistent gaps in care infrastructure and workforce design continue to push women out of formal employment, with long-term consequences for productivity, governance and Malaysia's sustainability ambitions.

Malaysia's sustainability conversation has matured. Boardrooms now debate climate exposure, transition risk and sustainability disclosures with increasing fluency. As Bursa Malaysia strengthens sustainability reporting expectations and global investors align with IFRS-linked sustainability standards, attention has shifted beyond environmental metrics to a deeper evaluation of governance quality and long-term business durability.

However, one material risk remains pers...