Sime Darby Property Bhd has completed its inaugural Economic Empowerment Programme (EEP) to support B40 communities living within its townships.

Close to 80 per cent of the 49 programme participants residing in the company's property townships such as Ara Damansara, Bandar Bukit Raja, Bukit Subang and Putra Heights in Selangor have recorded increased income during the first phase of the six-month programme which began in October 2020, the company said in a media statement today.

Sime Darby Property group managing director, Datuk Azmir Merican said that the EEP extends the company's commitment towards building sustainable communities through equitable growth for all stakeholders within its townships.

Azmir said the company will continue to support national economic recovery efforts through impactful programmes to benefit all its stakeholders, focusing more on B40 communities within its townships.

"EEP's commendable results give us the confidence to extend the programme at our other townships to benefit more communities. The programme has equipped the participants with social media marketing knowledge, as well as enhance their e-commerce business acumen to create a sustainable income stream which will benefit them for the long-term," he said.

Sime Darby Property collaborated with People Systems Consultancy (PSC), a multinational social enterprise dedicated to eradicating poverty, with a focus on several goals under the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals on the programme.

PSC executive director Raymond Gabriel believes in the sustainability of EEP to be implemented further at other Sime Darby Property townships.

"The tangible results from this programme are good examples for other organisations to learn more on how they could help small business enterprises and the B40 community with valuable skills and knowledge," he said.