CREATING STAKEHOLDER VALUE
The common denominator in our global values is value creation for our stakeholders. This principle has guided us and continues to be our North Star in all decisions.
Living up to our promise of Pure Enjoyment, Pure Goodness, we continue to delight our customers with products that are good for them.
Living up to our promise of Pure Enjoyment, Pure Goodness, we continue to delight our customers with products that are good for them. This year, we introduced the brand-new 100PLUS PRO High Protein to boost athletes’ performance and recovery. As with last year, we also promoted the importance of staying hydrated on World Hydration Day. This is especially important as the temperature keeps rising along with incidents of severe dehydration. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of our ready-to-drink portfolio today carries the Healthier Choice Logo, closing the gap to meeting our 2025 sustainability targets.
In relation to our business partners, we continue to add value to our customers. This is especially true in Thailand, where we have reached out to more than 50,000 hawkers through our Hawker Management Programme over the last decade. The holistic programme enables us to engage regularly with operators, leveraging technology to manage customer relations, as well as track and analyse data. F&N Dairies Thailand also raises the visibility of hawkers through stall decorations, regular updates on the latest promotions and product recipes so that they stay top of mind with consumers.
We continue to build on the Halal Sourcing Partnership programme launched with Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC) in FY2019. To date, we have mentored 16 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to qualify as Halal vendors for large and multi-national companies (MNCs). Of those, two have progressed to become registered Halal suppliers, including some partnering with F&NHB.
For the second consecutive year, F&NHB participated in the World Halal Business Conference Australia 2022, which focused on Halal requirements and sustainability. We also continued to promote the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in the Halal industry via the Halal Sector Forum 2023. Organised by HDC in conjunction with the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2023, the forum aimed to promote sustainability and ethical practices in the Halal market.
Our engagements with Halal authorities are not just limited to Malaysia. To support the growth of the regional Halal industry, we also engage with international Halal bodies, such as Majelis Ulama Indonesia and the Central Islamic Council of Thailand (CICOT), to ensure Halal compliance and to build a common synergy between Halal authorities in this region.
To ensure deeper understanding of the Halal concept, we have also instituted comprehensive training for all employees on the subject, including tailored training conducted in the native languages of our foreign workers.
Recognising that our employees are our most valuable assets, we continue to prioritise their well-being. In July 2023, we provided free influenza vaccinations to over 1,000 employees nationwide. We also continued with a project close to my heart, the Chairman’s Award, which inspires all-round excellence among our employees’ children. This year, RM206,000 in cash was awarded to 71 secondary and tertiary students who produced outstanding academic and extracurricular results.
To reinforce our role in building a better society, we leveraged on festive seasons to reach no fewer than 500 beneficiaries, including orphans, disabled and senior citizens in 14 homes, extending donations of essential items such as F&N products, kitchen equipment and clothing.
We also maintained F&NHB’s tradition of supporting our national athletes while promoting sports generally. This year, we proudly welcome two new 100PLUS ambassadors – Olympic silver medallist and professional track cyclist Dato’ Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and rising badminton star Ng Tze Yong.
As for our shareholders, I am pleased to share that F&NHB’s robust performance allowed us to distribute an interim dividend of 27 sen per share in June 2023. Additionally, we are proposing a special dividend of 17 sen per share over and above a final dividend of 33 sen per share for the financial year. This brings the total dividend payout for FY2023 to RM282.4 million, which is 28.3% higher than FY2022.