Sunway City Iskandar Puteri achieves MARC gold rating with RM2bil sustainable finance framework

15 Oct, 2025
New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: Sunway City Iskandar Puteri (SCIP) has become Malaysia’s first green township to achieve Malaysian Rating Corporation Sdn Bhd’s (MARC) coveted Gold grading, alongside the establishment of a comprehensive RM2 billion Sustainable Finance Framework.

The Sunway Group Bhd’s flagship integrated township in Johor said the achievement, realised through a strategic green financing deal with Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd, sets a new national benchmark for responsible and sustainable urban development.

Sunway Property (Southern Region) chief executive officer Gerard Soosay said the MARC Gold grading provides independent validation of the group’s sustainability commitments and represents a transformative moment for sustainable township development in Malaysia.

“By establishing the first Sustainable Finance Framework for a green township, we are demonstrating that large-scale urban development can align with the highest ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) standards while remaining commercially viable,” he said.

The achievement reinforces the group’s vision of creating communities that are not only economically vibrant but also environmentally responsible and socially inclusive, he added.

“It’s a vision we have long championed as Malaysia’s Master Community Developer, and it reflects our ongoing commitment to building sustainable townships that are truly ‘With You for Generations’,” he said.

Meanwhile, in expressing optimism about the strategic partnership, Alliance Bank group chief corporate and institutional banking officer Teoh Chu Lin said, “We are committed to supporting businesses on their sustainability journey. This brings us closer to our aim of creating positive change and impact for the environment and the communities we serve.”

SCIP noted that the sustainability credentials of both the framework and the bond have been independently verified by MARC, with the Gold grading representing the highest sustainability grading achievable.

This makes SCIP the first MARC Gold-rated township in Malaysia, an unprecedented achievement for a masterplan development.

“Unlike conventional gradings that evaluate individual buildings or single-purpose facilities, MARC’s assessment of SCIP encompasses the environmental and social impact of planned developments across the entire township, alongside governance, risk management frameworks and project selection processes,” it added.

The previous MARC Gold gradings have been awarded to individual projects such as healthcare facilities and Sunway South Quay Sdn Bhd, making this township-wide recognition particularly significant.