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While the global economy has allowed billions of people attain better well-being, it also has a role in the excessive exploitation of common resources, increasing inequality in society and the deterioration of the planet. Achieving sustainable development has been hampered by trade-offs in favour of economic growth over social well-being and ecological viability. The heightened awareness that present economic growth and development trend may bring irreparable damage to planet earth has people thinking of a more responsible and sustainable economic growth model.

At the global level, the United Nations has consolidated these concerns into 17 Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDG 2030). The SDG 2030 provides a development framework that is focused on protecting the environment, enhancing equity and inclusiveness, and long-term sustainability.

In Malaysia, there is now growing awareness of taking a more holistic view of economic development. Not only economic development has to create wealth, it needs to do so in an equitable and sustainable manner. This called for policies to give emphasis to poverty eradication, access to education, health, uplifting life quality of society, achieving high income, growth with equitable distribution, gender equality, managing and conserving the environment.