The Habitat Group comprises two organisations that are closely linked.

The Habitat Penang Hill is a commercial rainforest park established in 2016 to provide a gateway to enable people to connect with the majestic rainforest of Penang Hill with the view to awakening them to the importance of protecting nature and encouraging them to embrace more sustainable lifestyles. Managed by Flagstaff Holdings Sdn Bhd, The Habitat is a BCorp certified company which prioritises people and planet.   

The founders of The Habitat Group established The Habitat Foundation in 2019 to more directly influence biodiversity conservation at a national level. The Foundation is a charitable trust based in Penang and supports conservation through its grants programme, strategic partnerships and collaborations, and through its own foundation-led initiatives. 

The flagship initiative for the Foundation upon establishment was providing both financial and technical support for the nomination of Penang Hill under the UNESCO Man & the Biosphere Programme. The Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve was formally designated on 15 September 2021 and realising the potential for the Biosphere Reserve to be a centre for rainforest research, environmental education and awareness, and innovations towards sustainability, continues to be a major focus of our programmes. 

Our Pillars

The Habitat Foundation programme supports five main pillars – Conservation, Research, Education, Sustainability and Training.

CONSERVATION
RESEARCH
EDUCATION
SUSTAINABILITY
TRAINING

Conservation – As one of the world’s megadiversity countries, Malaysia has a prominent role to play in protecting the global heritage that has been entrusted to our care. This includes vibrant and productive ecosystems that, if well stewarded, provide the foundation for human wellbeing and a healthy economy. We support initiatives to safeguard biodiversity, reverse the loss and degradation of natural ecosystems, and advocate for the sustainable use of natural resources.

Research – There is much that we still do not know about biodiversity and ecosystems and the threats they face. We fund research to better understand our natural world and to identify actionable solutions to protect nature and the environment.

Education – The commitment to act must first come from a foundation of connection and understanding. We create and implement compelling environmental education programmes for all levels of society in order to nurture respect for nature and a commitment to reducing our environmental impact.

Sustainability – The impact of humanity on the environment is daunting, yet there are solutions that can be found by looking ahead and also behind, adopting new technology and revisiting the wisdom of previous generations and the knowledge of indigenous people. We support technological innovation and the adoption of regenerative systems in order to usher in new standards and norms and shift our society towards sustainability.

Training – There is much that needs to be done to equip the next generation with the tools for bringing about effective conservation solutions in challenging and complex circumstances. We support efforts to build capacity among conservation practitioners, community organisers and other strategic frontliners to strengthen their impact and to build supportive networks.

Governance

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees which meets five times a year to provide oversight and strategic direction to set the priorities of the Foundation. The Board is chaired by Dato’ Seri Harry Allyn Cockrell who is a founder of The Habitat Group. 

An Executive Committee is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Programme approved by the Board. The Executive Committee meets on a monthly basis and is chaired by Reza Cockrell. 

The Foundation is managed by a full-time team led by senior conservation practitioners with extensive experience in conservation.  

We believe that understanding and safeguarding life sustaining ecosystems is the basis for living on a planet that we all share.

Justine Vaz
Executive Director of The Habitat Foundation
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