2026 October Meeting Report: Discussion with Ms. Sunita Devi Appukuttan , Sustainability and ESG Consulting expert ESD Consultant

Subject: Strategic Recommendations for Strengthening THINAI as a Community-Based Sustainable Living Initiative

The meeting with Ms. Sunita Devi, an ESD consultant, writer and corporate sustainability adviser, provided valuable insights into the institutional development, stakeholder engagement and future implementation of the THINAI programme.

Ms. Sunita Devi advises corporate organisations on sustainability initiatives, green products and their contributions to society and the environment. She also supports organisations in preparing annual reports, CSR reports and other communication materials highlighting their social and environmental impact.

She shared several strategic suggestions for developing THINAI beyond a training programme into a structured, multi-stakeholder community sustainability movement. Her handwritten notes further outlined a transition from the current state to a proposed future state, particularly through the establishment of a Sustainable Living Foundation.

1. Understanding the THINAI Stakeholder Ecosystem

- Ms. Sunita Devi observed that THINAI involves several stakeholders, making it a complex initiative requiring systematic coordination.

- It is important to identify the roles, interests and potential contributions of corporates, government agencies, NGOs, SMEs, educational institutions and local communities.

- A structured collaborative approach will help bring these stakeholders together around common sustainability objectives.

2. Creating Public Interest in Sustainability

- We need to create a genuine thirst among people to learn and practise sustainable living.

- Competitions, recognition programmes and community-level challenges could encourage individuals, families, schools and communities to participate.

- Sustainability should become an aspiration and a regular way of life rather than remaining merely a training subject.

- The emphasis should be on translating awareness and knowledge into sustained individual and collective action.

3. Establishing a Community University Foundation

Ms. Sunita Devi suggested that Mr. Manoharan could establish a foundation under the concept of a Community University, supported by a Board of Directors.

The proposed foundation could:

- Provide an institutional structure for THINAI initiatives.

- Coordinate educational programmes and community engagement activities.

- Develop partnerships with NGOs, corporates, universities and government agencies.

- Mobilise CSR resources and other support.

- Promote sustainable living through advocacy and structured learning programmes.

She also suggested that established organisations such as the Malaysian Nature Society could become collaborative partners.

4. Product Development and Communication

- THINAI should develop clearly defined products, services and learning programmes.

- Appropriate vendors should be identified and appointed for product development and delivery.

- Each product or programme should have suitable public relations (PR), promotional and communication materials.

- Ms. Sunita Devi expressed her willingness to support THINAI in developing educational content, publications and communication materials.

- Corporate CSR reporting could also help document and communicate the measurable contributions of THINAI initiatives to communities and the environment.

5. Ms. Sunita Devi's Proposed Roadmap: From Current State to Future State

Her handwritten framework provides a practical roadmap for THINAI's institutional and operational development.

A. Current State

Ms. Sunita  Devi identified two broad areas of existing activities:

i. Sustainable Living Learning Modules

The learning modules are intended for different stakeholder groups:

- Teachers through Teacher Training programmes (TTT).

- Parents through Parent Training programmes (TPT).

- Children in schools through CSR-supported projects.

- Other identified community learning groups.

ii. Product Development

- Development of sustainable living products.

- Engagement of appropriate vendors.

- Community CSR initiatives to support product development and implementation.

B. Proposed Future State

Ms. Sunita Devi suggested three major areas of development.

i. Government Agencies and Local Authorities

Government departments and local authorities could be approached to:

- Invite THINAI to participate in or organise sustainability events and community engagements.

- Sponsor relevant events and activities.

- Collaborate on local community CSR initiatives.

- Support the practical application of sustainable living modules.

- Provide access to farms, land or plots for activities such as traditional medicinal plant cultivation and medicinal horticulture.

This would help connect THINAI's educational activities with local development opportunities and available public resources.

ii. Corporate Partnerships

Corporates could become important partners through their CSR programmes.

She specifically suggested:

- Collaborating with property developers to introduce sustainable living models in residential developments.

- Using these models to engage and educate local communities.

- Encouraging corporates to sponsor community engagement programmes.

- Developing practical sustainability initiatives that demonstrate corporate social and environmental responsibility.

This could create opportunities for THINAI to work with the private sector while extending sustainability practices into neighbourhoods and residential communities.

iii. Establishing a Sustainable Living Foundation for Advocacy

This was one of her important institutional recommendations.

The proposed foundation could undertake the following activities:

1. Registration and institutional development: Establish and register a Sustainable Living Foundation with an appropriate governance structure.

2. Collaboration with nature-related organisations: Develop partnerships with organisations such as:

- Malaysian Nature Society (MNS).

- Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM).

- Other relevant environmental and nature-related associations.

3. Advocacy partnerships: Collaborate with other foundations, universities and schools to promote sustainable living. She mentioned sustainability related  organisations (Yayasan ABC  &etc.) as potential examples of partners.

4. State and city-level advocacy: Promote and advocate the establishment of sustainable living communities in different states and cities. 

5. Structured learning programmes: Develop systematic courses and programmes for different stakeholder groups, including teachers, parents, children, community leaders, entrepreneurs and corporate representatives.

The foundation could therefore become an institutional platform for advocacy, education, partnerships and community transformation.

6. Sustainability Master Trainer Certification

Ms. Sunita Devi suggested providing Certificates of Attendance to participants attending Sustainability Master Trainer (SMT) training programmes.

This could be developed into a structured recognition pathway, encouraging participants to continue learning and contribute to THINAI's community activities.

7. Appreciation of Indigenous Knowledge and Technology

Ms. Sunita Devi particularly appreciated THINAI's emphasis on indigenous knowledge and indigenous technologies.

She recognised the importance of integrating traditional wisdom with appropriate modern innovations.

This is an important distinguishing feature of THINAI: preserving and applying beneficial indigenous practices while embracing modern knowledge and technologies that contribute to the well-being of humanity and other species.

She expressed strong interest in this dimension of THINAI and indicated her willingness to support the initiative.

8. Potential Contributions from Ms. Sunita Devi

Based on the discussion, Ms. Sunita Devi could potentially support THINAI in the following areas:

- Developing educational and communication content.

- Preparing PR and promotional materials.

- Supporting sustainability-related publications and annual reports.

- Advising on corporate CSR engagement and reporting.

- Facilitating connections with corporate organisations and potential partners.

- Providing strategic advice on stakeholder engagement and institutional development.

9. Key Strategic Implications for THINAI

The discussion and Ms. Sunita Devi's written suggestions point towards six important strategic directions:

·      Strategic direction |Proposed development

·      Education| Structured learning modules for different stakeholder groups

·      Institutional development | Establishment of a Sustainable Living Foundation

·      Corporate engagement      | CSR partnerships and sustainable living models 

·      Government collaboration  | Local authority partnerships and community projects         

·      Advocacy  | Sustainable living communities across states and cities

10. Overall Observation and Conclusion

Ms. Sunita Devi's recommendations provide an important perspective on how THINAI could evolve from its current learning-module and product-development activities into a wider community sustainability movement.

One particularly valuable suggestion is the establishment of a Sustainable Living Foundation, which could provide an institutional identity and long-term structure for advocacy, collaboration, community engagement and educational programmes.

Her proposed approach also highlights the importance of moving beyond individual training activities and creating practical opportunities for communities to practise sustainable living with the support of governments, corporates, NGOs, universities and local authorities.

Most importantly, her appreciation of indigenous knowledge and technology reinforces THINAI's philosophy of combining beneficial traditional wisdom with appropriate modern innovations.

A key strategic thought emerging from this meeting:

THINAI should evolve through three interconnected stages:

1. Educate: Develop learning modules and train Sustainability Master Trainers.

2. Engage: Bring together communities, corporates, government agencies, NGOs and educational institutions to implement sustainability initiatives.

3. Institutionalise: Establish a Sustainable Living Foundation to sustain advocacy, partnerships, structured programmes and community-level transformation.

Ultimately, the objective should be to create sustainable living communities where knowledge becomes practice, practice becomes a habit, and individual habits gradually develop into a sustainable community culture.

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