The future of business - Evolving Through ESG and climate reporting

Special report on the Asia-Pacific

INTRODUCTION

As the world increasingly prioritises sustainability, the business landscape is undergoing significant changes. World leaders are recognising the urgency for strong climate action and sustainable practices, which means companies will face stricter reporting requirements, especially regarding carbon emissions, climate risks, and social impacts.

Business leaders must align with these new priorities to succeed. Understanding the implications of regulatory changes, sustainability initiatives, and climate reporting standards will be critical to navigating this evolving landscape and ensuring operational success in the future. Now is the time to rise to the challenge and lead the way towards a more sustainable future—because sustainable business is the future of business.

Welcome to our special report on the state of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and climate reporting standards across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

This report examines the evolving regulatory landscape across key APAC countries, highlighting significant reforms and policies shaping various industries in:

Key insights -

ESG and climate reporting is changing the game in Asia Pacific
There is urgency with the simultaneous adoption of standards across Asia Pacific
There is collective acknowledgment of the climate crisis and economic risks of inaction
ESG is no longer a peripheral concern, but a central business imperative
Companies must view climate and ESG concerns as integral to their growth strategies.

Each section highlights the specific sustainability challenges and opportunities that businesses in each country must address. These mounting regulations emerging across the region, each anticipating and adapting to the new sustainability business imperative, will significantly impact companies’ strategy and operations.

By tapping into the knowledge and experience of our local teams, this report helps to encapsulate the various country's journey to integrating sustainability into the regulatory, environmental, and economic landscape. As many companies operate across multiple APAC countries, this report aims to provide a holistic overview of the emerging ESG and climate reporting requirements organisations will need to know to navigate and adjust their strategies accordingly.

We have also partnered with Sustainable Platform, a data analysis firm that provides transparent sustainability performance data to provide industry and country insights into how the Asia-Pacific is tracking in the transformation to a low-carbon, sustainable economy. We have included these insights throughout the report. (see The financial imperative of climate credentials)

This report is designed to provide valuable insights and guidance to business leaders and executives to understand their exposure to the fast-moving regulatory changes happening across the region. Business leaders need to quickly respond to the changing business landscape, where climate and ESG credentials are redefining investment decisions, supply lines and products and services.

In addition, this webpage is intended to support sustainability professionals in understanding the current and emerging state of sustainability obligations across the region so they can develop and implement effective sustainability programs and strategies.

By Catherine Bell, Partner, ESG & Climate Services, Australia and Dennis Lee, Partner, Risk Advisory & ESG, Singapore (Co-leads of RSM’s ESG & climate services Asia-Pacific hub)

The financial imperative of climate credentials.

Sustainable Platform

Learn More

Climate change is transforming financial markets, with electric vehicle makers like Tesla and lithium miners seeing a rise in share prices, while oil and gas companies face declines. This shift highlights the growing importance of climate change as a financial factor, influencing how organizations report, access capital, and manage costs. To learn more about how climate change is impacting financial markets, continue reading here.

Sustainable Platform provides transparent sustainability performance data, whose valuable insights can be found throughout this report. Their data helps organisations improve sustainability practices, attract investment, and manage operational costs effectively.