Nestlé Malaysia and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) have formalized a renewed strategic commitment to the national Halal agenda through the launch of the SYNERGY (Strengthening Your Network and Ecosystem for Resilient Growth) initiative. Under the thematic banner of ‘Memacu Halal, Memperkasa Komuniti’, the partnership seeks to fortify an inclusive and sustainable Halal industry, further cementing Malaysia’s leadership within the global Halal economy.
JAKIM has commended Nestlé Malaysia for its sophisticated end-to-end Halal ecosystem—a framework the company has refined since it first pioneered Halal practices in the 1970s. Serving as the Global Centre of Halal Excellence for the Nestlé Group, the Malaysian division now acts as a primary knowledge hub, exporting local expertise across its international network to enhance global trust in Malaysian Halal standards.
The partnership underscores the necessity of a unified front between regulators and industry leaders to maintain the integrity of the Halal value chain. Nestlé’s commitment is evident from its certified manufacturing facilities to its extensive grassroots outreach. By aligning with JAKIM, the company is scaling initiatives designed to empower Malaysian youth, support local entrepreneurs, and optimize the national supply chain, ensuring that the benefits of the Halal economy reach all levels of society.
Education and human capital development remain central to this long-term strategy. Key highlights include:
- Halal@School: A collaboration with Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) that has introduced Halal values to over 6,000 students.
- Halal@STEM: Launched in 2025 to encourage secondary students to explore science through a Halal lens, supported by the inaugural HalalSTEM Expo.
- Nestlé Youngpreneurs Programme: A business mentorship initiative that has equipped 200 university students with practical insights into Halal best practices.
Beyond education, Nestlé Malaysia continues to drive capability-building within the SME sector. Since 2010, its SME Mentoring Programme has assisted more than 1,200 enterprises in achieving Halal certification. In a more recent development, Nestlé and JAKIM introduced a specialized mentoring program for third-party logistics (3PL) providers, engaging 27 companies to ensure rigorous compliance across the entire logistics and delivery network.
Through these multifaceted efforts—including a nationwide awareness podcast with the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM)—Nestlé Malaysia and JAKIM are ensuring that Halal remains a core organizational and national value, providing a resilient foundation for the future of the global Halal sector.