KUCHING, Sarawak, 24 October 2025: Across industries and communities, one truth remains constant: The people driving real change often go unseen.
Grassroots leaders and local changemakers quietly build impact through trust, relationships, and accountability, yet their efforts rarely reach the visibility or recognition needed to inspire others or attract wider support.
That’s exactly the gap the Borneo Inspires Legacy Awards (BILA) set out to bridge. Held for the first time on 3 October 2025 in Kuching, the awards were created to spotlight the unsung heroes of community transformation and to give corporations a credible way to connect, collaborate, and invest in changemakers making a tangible difference.
Among this year’s winners, one stood out for reimagining what corporate responsibility could mean. The Corporate Meetings and Corporate Incentives (CSR) Champion Award was presented to Brewspark Technologies Group, a Malaysian tech company whose sustainability vision extends far beyond mere financial contributions.
“True change happens when organisations get involved, not just donate,” said Lord Dr Kazuki Foo Ming Wei, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Brewspark Technologies Group. “Spogomi proves that protecting the planet can be fun, active, and something the next generation can be proud of.”
Those words capture the spirit behind Spogomi Malaysia, Brewspark’s award-winning sustainability initiative that is redefining how Malaysians engage with environmental responsibility. What began as a simple idea – turning litter collection into a competitive team sport – has grown into a national movement that combines teamwork, fitness, and advocacy for a cleaner planet.
Spogomi, a concept born in Japan in 2008 through The Nippon Foundation, merges two words: sport and gomi, the Japanese word for trash. The idea was designed to encourage communities to clean their surroundings while fostering a sense of fun, cooperation, and purpose.
Teams compete to collect and properly sort waste within a time limit, earning points based on the type and quantity of trash gathered.
“When we first introduced Spogomi to Malaysia in 2023, we didn’t know how people would respond,” Foo shared. “But Malaysians embraced it wholeheartedly. What started as a small pilot event in one city soon evolved into a nationwide sensation. By 2025, Spogomi Malaysia had expanded to eight regional events, attracting 135 teams from across the country.”
Across all events, Spogomi Malaysia collected and sorted an impressive 1,027kg of waste, all processed according to each city’s recycling guidelines. The national finals showcased the movement’s energy and efficiency, as participants sorted a remarkable 540kg of waste in just one hour.
But behind those numbers lies a deeper story of strategy, innovation, and collaboration. Brewspark approached Spogomi Malaysia not merely as a corporate social responsibility project, but as a national sustainability model, one that could drive behavioural change, inspire environmental pride, and produce real data for long-term solutions.
The group collaborated with local councils to develop waste segregation heatmaps, an innovative approach to visualising the distribution and types of waste collected across different communities. This data helped local authorities identify problem areas and tailor their recycling and waste management strategies more effectively.
Brewspark also partnered with the Centre for Marine Research Studies, leveraging scientific expertise to interpret the data and propose actionable insights — turning a regular clean-up into an ongoing, evidence-based sustainability effort. Still, Foo admits that the journey wasn’t without its challenges.
“When people come together for a good cause, the results speak for themselves. But coordinating a project of this scale was no easy task,” he reflected. “Each city had its own systems and priorities. Getting everyone aligned to a single sustainability vision required patience, flexibility, and a lot of communication.”
Despite the hurdles, teamwork and perseverance saw them through, and the outcome proved what can happen when purpose drives collaboration.
A Legacy of Action
Beyond the waste collection, Spogomi Malaysia has become a catalyst for awareness and community spirit where environmental conservation is an act of pride rather than an obligation. Schools have begun incorporating Spogomi principles into student activities, while local councils are exploring ways to adopt similar models for ongoing community engagement.
Through initiatives like this, Brewspark Technologies Group is proving that corporate social responsibility can be a living legacy that empowers citizens, creates partnerships, and contributes to national sustainability goals. Their recognition at the Borneo Inspires Legacy Awards isn’t just about an achievement, but a stand that sustainability is most powerful when it’s shared.
“Change begins the moment you choose to act,” Foo concluded. “No effort is ever too small when it’s driven by purpose and heart.”
Borneo Inspires Legacy Awards (BILA)
Held on 3 October 2025 in Kuching, Sarawak, BILA marked the first award ceremony of its kind in Malaysia and Borneo to recognise changemakers who are shaping the future of the business events industry.
For more information, visit: Business Events Sarawak.
(Source: Your Stories — BESarawak)
