Our Story

Our family has long resided on Penang Hill, and it is still one of our favourite places to be. On Penang Hill, we are so fortunate to be surrounded by life. When the opportunity came our way to establish a rainforest park on Penang Hill, it resonated with our shared love for nature and deep affection for Penang. We set out to create a park that would provide a place for people to connect to nature and boost the economic life of the Hill. Little did we know that this venture would prove to be a significant inflection point for our family.

In the course of designing the park, and as we engaged with scientists and conservationists, our enjoyment of the beauty and complexity of the Malaysian rainforest was matched by an equally strong concern for the global crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change.

It was then that we made the decision that The Habitat Penang Hill would not only have a role in environmental education and conservation, but it would also become a model of sustainable finance for nature gateways, creating a robust system to generate revenue for its own operations and upkeep. All profits would be pledged to nature conservation.

The Habitat Foundation was established in 2019 to professionally manage our conservation and sustainability initiatives in Malaysia. Through the Foundation, we were proud to contribute to the Government of Penang’s campaign to designate the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. We continue to be vested in facilitating education, research, and conservation activities within and around the Biosphere Reserve.

Today, The Habitat Penang Hill is a successful purpose-driven business and, in 2023, qualified as a BCorp, which reflects our commitment to the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profits.

Reflecting on the past six years, it has been immensely gratifying to witness the growth of the Foundation to a team of over 20 practitioners, with a project footprint now spanning 11 Malaysian states. Through the THF Grants Programme, we have also been able to support the impactful work of a growing number of individuals and organisations. Through our Foundation-led initiatives, we have helped to safeguard some of the most biodiversity-significant landscapes in Peninsular Malaysia.

In contemplating the daunting challenges facing our planet, we should never forget our own agency. Through our Foundation and The Habitat Group, we are doing our part in answering the urgent call of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to engage all sectors of society to address the drivers of biodiversity loss and to promote sustainable practices.

We are certain that we can always do more together. We look forward to engaging with new partners and supporters in this mission.