Sustainability
The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation believes that sustainability is at the heart of lasting, meaningful change – fostering progress that transforms lives and uplifts communities.
Overview
We are deeply committed to advancing the sustainable development agenda and the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), by the United Nations. The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation champions quality education, world-class research, and global partnerships to promote and advance the sustainable development agenda across the region.
Advancing the Sustainability Agenda
Since 2016, the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation has gifted US$ 20 million to the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN-SDSN) to advance the 17 SDGs around the world, culminating in the establishment of the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development at Sunway University in 2016 and subsequently the UN-SDSN Asia headquarters in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur in 2022.
One of only three such global centres, the UN-SDSN Asia headquarters in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur works on continent-wide sustainability solutions for Asia, with the New York City office covering the Americas, and the centre in Paris overseeing Europe and Africa. All three global centres are fully endorsed and monitored by the United Nations.
A significant portion of this gift went towards funding the SDG Academy, the flagship education platform hosted by the UN-SDSN Asia headquarters which is now playing a fundamental role in Mission 4.7, a global initiative urging governments worldwide to include a sustainability curriculum from kindergarten to secondary school levels.
To date, more than 1 million alumni from 193 countries have benefited from over 50 massive open online courses (MOOC) made available for free by the SDG Academy.
The Role of Education in Driving Sustainable Development
SDG Academy
The SDG Academy offers over 50 free online courses on sustainable development. These self-paced courses, taught by renowned sustainability experts, equip students with essential skills, empowering them to drive sustainable change. The SDG Academy’s rising enrolment rate reflects a growing global interest in sustainability, and the Academy’s impact in nurturing a culture of sustainability and global citizenship.
Foster Collaborative Partnerships to Provide Education Resources
Mission 4.7
The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation is a strategic partner of the Ministry of Education Malaysia and SDSN Asia for a professional development programme on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) for in-service teachers in Malaysian national and national-type schools. The Foundation is funding the development and delivery of the development programme for more than 3,100 teachers and some 40 schools across the country. This initiative is pivotal to support Malaysia’s education system in advancing Mission 4.7, which calls on world leaders to accelerate the implementation of education for sustainable development around the world.
Our Approaches
Joint Initiatives to Tackle Climate Change
ASEAN Green Future
The ASEAN Green Future focuses on developing capacity for quantitative and qualitative climate policy analysis and charting net-zero pathways in ASEAN that support the strategic foresight of policymakers. This regional initiative involves the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development at Sunway University, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ClimateWorks Australia, and research groups in Southeast Asia. Through research
The Science Panel for Borneo
The Science Panel for Borneo mobilises leading researchers to safeguard one of the world’s richest biodiversity regions. Inspired by the Science Panel for the Amazon, this regional initiative combines cutting-edge science with policy insights to preserve Southeast Asia’s unique ecosystems, the rainforests of Borneo, as a vital carbon sink. Backed by the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation and SDSN Asia, it delivers collaborative, evidence-based solutions to protect biodiversity while supporting sustainable development in the region.
Number at a Glance (since year 2022)
36
major and sectional events to date
10000+
participants engaged across events
310
published articles (journal articles, op-eds, reports)
160+
presentations and talks by our people at national, regional and global events
Together, Let’s Strive for Change to a Better Future!
The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation is dedicated to nation-building through quality education, research, and sustainable development – laying the groundwork for empowered communities and lasting progress. Your gift will drive action towards transformative education for sustainable development and support collaborations at local, regional and global levels.
Together, we can make a meaningful impact and create lasting change. Together, we can propel this mission forward, andcreate a ripple effect for global sustainability.