City Developments Limited (CDL) has emerged as the only Singapore company to sweep multiple awards at the 5th Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA), which held its virtual awards ceremony on 29 April 2020.

The property developer brought home three golds and one silver, including gold for ‘Asia’s Best Integrated Report Award’, the most prestigious award for sustainability reporting across the region. Other awards it bagged were gold for ‘Best Carbon Disclosure’ and ‘Best Sustainability Report (Digital)’, and silver for ‘Best Sustainability Report (Design)’.

CDL has been an early adopter and pioneer of sustainability reporting. It was the first corporation in Singapore to publish a dedicated sustainability report using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework since 2008. Since then, it has continued to refine metrics and raise targets that are used to assess and manage climate-related risks and opportunities which are material to CDL’s business. In 2019, CDL also played a key role in spearheading the establishment of the GRI Regional Hub in Singapore and continues to support GRI’s mission to raise local and regional standards of sustainability reporting and disclosure.

CDL Chief Sustainability Officer Ms Esther An said in her acceptance speech at the virtual awards presentation, “Sustainability reporting has provided us with good guidance on the strategic integration of material environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues, target setting and tracking, stakeholder engagement and effective communication to a global audience. Having produced 13 dedicated sustainability reports largely by our in-house capacity, we are continually raising the bar of each report’s framework and scope. A good sustainability report not only communicates operational ESG performance but must also articulate the leadership commitment and long-term strategy to future-proof our business by promptly and proactively offering comprehensive and meaningful data. Amid the many unforeseen challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the new climate economy, ESG integration and reporting will help companies enhance their business resiliency and readiness for sustainable growth.”

ASRA is a non-profit initiative that recognises and honours sustainability reporting leaders in Asia, celebrating best practices in sustainability reporting and communications. The 2019 ASRA saw 80 shortlisted companies from 13 countries competing in the finals across 19 award categories.