Kalpana Kochhar has been appointed to run South and Southeast Asia for the foundation, whose co-chair Bill Gates recently signalled a shift in focus to human-centric climate investing.

The fast fashion giant’s recent efforts to boost its green credentials, including in making new sustainability hires, could be linked to its ambitions to go public, say experts.

Studio EB “Homeshoring”, or moving production back to a company’s home country, to counter geopolitical tensions is driving demand for low-cost migrant workers, raising labour risks in markets once deemed “low risk”, says the global assurance firm.

A new bill aims to update Sabah's labour law and align Malaysia with international standards. It introduces provisions on child labour and improved protections. However, activists stress that educating workers on their rights is crucial.