By: Nur Shuhada Abdul Basir
SEGi College Penang and The Prestige Hotel collaborated on a CSR initiative in which 20 students and 5 lecturers from the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management worked alongside the hotel management team and employees to clean the roadside of Georgetown, Penang. This initiative aimed to engage the industry in a meaningful way and raise pollution awareness among students.
Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been named one of ASEAN’s cleanest cities. Despite this recognition, the area continues to struggle with littering and rubbish, both of which are harmful to the environment.
Water bottles, cans, sandals, diapers, and even clothes were among the rubbish collected during the hour-long cleaning process. According to an Ellen MacArthur Foundation report, 32% of plastic packaging ends up in the environment, with only 14% recycled globally.
SEGi College Penang and The Prestige Hotel’s CSR initiative is a small but significant step towards reducing plastic and rubbish on the roadside. These initiatives are consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG 14: Life Below Water.
The tourism industry accounts for 8% of global carbon emissions, according to the World Tourism Organization. As a result, it is critical that hotels and colleges in the hospitality and tourism industries engage in sustainable practises in order to reduce their environmental impact.
SEGi College Penang and The Prestige Hotel’s CSR initiative exemplifies how the industry can accept responsibility for its impact on the environment and community. 
