Since the founding of QI Group by Vijay Eswaran back in 1998, corporate sustainability has remained a fundamental mission. The multinational conglomerate has not forgotten its roots or the importance of giving back to socio-economic and environmental causes despite its growth into a corporation with over 2,000 employees across offices in 30 countries. Eswaran has gone on the record saying that his organization has prioritized sustainability in its corporate culture long before it became fashionable, trendy, or critical in common parlance. And with a corporate icon of Mahatma Gandhi, the company has some rather grand ambitions when it comes to making an impact on human centric values.

While QI Group has succeeded in demonstrating its passion through a number of corporate initiatives, from going meat-free and plastic-free to implementing green infrastructure in its Malaysian headquarters, the bulk of these efforts are centralized through the RYTHM Foundation. With Gandhi as a role model for stepping up and effecting world-wide change, the slogan and genesis for the name RYTHM, raise yourself for all mankind, epitomizes the company’s efforts. RYTHM Foundation is itself founded on the concept that, as Eswaran has explained, “we need to be independent, strong in order to be able to help anybody else, leave alone mankind.” To that end, RYTHM strives to encourage QI Group employees and community members to rise up to their own high potential and give back to others so they, too, can thrive.

RYTHM has helped over 50,000 people across 10 developing countries throughout Asia in the course of over 50 different initiatives. By empowering others through volunteerism and partnerships, the Foundation has been able to more closely align its objectives, which are now reflective of those of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. RYTHM works with NGOs and nonprofits the world over to help communities raise themselves up. This is achieved through pillars in education, equality, and sustainability. QI Group encourages its employees to participate at different levels by contributing, and leadership starting from the top down participates to lead by example. “Building walls is not the answer,” said Eswaran with regard to outreach and social improvement. “We have to learn how to build bridges. This concept of sustainability should include a sustainable world, relations, harmony, and peace.”

The corporation’s approach to giving back extends beyond the Foundation. Eswaran explained in a recent interview that from a “corporate viewpoint we look at products, we look at shipping, we look at the mechanics of what we do. Everything goes back to the fact that it needs environmentally friendly, ecological. It needs to give back to mankind in whatever way possible.” Change is also a factor to keep in mind, perhaps the only real reliable aspect of a corporate or social effort. To this end, Eswaran underscores the importance of adaptability and accommodation in business. This requires looking forward as much as behind to learn from situations, adjust, and continue to provide solutions for critical issues. The company has plans to embrace sustainability on an even deeper level by sourcing products and brand merchandise from only “socially conscious, ethical, and responsible suppliers” by 2025 according to the company’s website, along with packaging that is more eco-friendly and meets specific standards.

Plans for a university with a holistic approach to education, sustainability, and social responsibility are also in the works, with building underway for a campus. A core goal for the initiative is to produce students who are more socially prepared for the challenges of current times in ways that allow them to make an impact. Eswaran shared the goals, which sum up the mission of many QI Group initiatives, “We talk about sustainability…We talk about giving back to communities, giving back to society. We talk about being able to live in this world and not necessarily leave in our wake a trail of disaster, but rather leave in our wake a better world altogether for the rest of humanity.”