Axiata Group Bhd

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Direct Lobbying Transparency

Overall Assessment	Comment	Score
Moderate	Axiata Group provides a moderate level of transparency around its climate-related lobbying. It names two identifiable policy areas it has worked on – “Electricity grid access for renewables” and the regulator’s proposed “enhanced sustainability reporting framework with new climate change reporting” – giving enough detail on the subject matter and national scope to show where it is concentrating its advocacy. The company is clearer when describing how it seeks to influence policy. It reports a range of mechanisms, including a “closed-door roundtable” organised with GSMA and UNGC Malaysia & Brunei that involved government departments and the electricity utility, written “comments on [the] consultation paper” issued by the securities regulator, direct discussions by “Axiata’s Group Sustainability and Group Regulatory” with ministries and regulators on the energy transition, and participation in regional industry meetings and CEO Action Network round-table sessions; specific targets such as “Heads of regulatory agencies,” relevant ministers and Bangladesh’s Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority are identified. On the outcomes it seeks, however, disclosures remain high-level. Apart from stating that it “Support[s] with minor exceptions” the proposed sustainability-reporting amendments and wishes to “address challenges in accessing renewables and support Malaysia’s climate goals,” the company does not articulate concrete legislative changes, numeric targets or other measurable results it is lobbying for. Overall, Axiata offers detailed information on who and how it lobbies, but is less explicit about the precise policy changes it wants to secure.	2

Lobbying Governance

Overall Assessment	Comment	Score
Limited	Axiata integrates climate considerations into its broader sustainability governance, with the Board Sustainability Committee “having oversight of management deliverables and activities with respect to a broad spectrum of sustainability matters and scrutiny of climate-related risks, opportunities and measurement,” and the Sustainability Steering Committee ensuring coordination across Group and OpCo sustainability teams. However, the company does not disclose any dedicated governance process for its lobbying or policy advocacy activities, lacking information on how these are monitored, reviewed for alignment with its climate change strategy, or overseen by a specific individual or body. It articulates its engagement approach as “Policy advocacy across the countries we operate in to encourage positive action, including by enabling incentives and market mechanisms in support of a net-zero economy” and affirms “Yes” to having “a public commitment or position statement to conduct your engagement activities in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement,” but provides no further detail on oversight, sign-off or alignment mechanisms specific to its lobbying activities.	1