OVER 70 directors, management and staff of CDL and the Hong Leong Group of companies benefitted from an afternoon of insightful sharing by a panel of distinguished speakers at the 5th Annual Sustainability Forum. The theme for the day was “Unlocking the Business Value of Sustainability”, and the forum was held at the Distrii Auditorium on 22 October.

Mr Sherman Kwek, CDL Group CEO, set the stage for the forum by rallying the various companies across the Group to stand committed in building a sustainable future for all. He said in his opening address, “As the global call for climate action intensifies, CDL is not resting on our laurels. In fact, we are strategically well-poised to ride on the sustainability wave and step up our actions towards lowering our carbon footprint which will bring about positive environmental and financial impact. Whichever function or industry we are in, we can all make a difference.”

Keynote speaker Mr Peter Bakkar, President and CEO of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, shared his global perspective and insights on “Unlocking Business Value from Sustainable Development Goals Integration.” He cautioned businesses on the cost of inaction, and shared how factors such as consumer demand, economic opportunities, the war for talent, corporate governance, and carbon pricing, are forming a strong business case for corporations to embrace the Sustainability Revolution. He also highlighted the importance of organisational leadership, to gear up companies that have already adopted integrated sustainability strategies for the upcoming era of integrated governance.

The other two speakers were Dr Lawrence Loh, Director of Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations at NUS Business School, and Ms Eliza Tan, Vice President of Listing Compliance at the Singapore Exchange (SGX). Dr Loh shared his insights on how sustainability reporting drives business performance, while Ms Tan covered how listed companies have responded thus far to the mandatory disclosure and reporting required by SGX.

The panel discussion that ensued after the speeches was enlightening and engaging. Moderated by Ms Esther An, CDL Chief Sustainability Officer, both the speakers and audience had a lively exchange of views that included how external consultants can help to overcome the initial pain-points of sustainability reporting, to whether listed companies here could tap into investment funds focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors through SGX roadshows overseas.

In his closing remarks, Mr Sherman Kwek reiterated that the strategic integration of ESG unlocks many benefits for an organisation, and called for a stronger focus on ESG in risk management.

The Sustainability Forum was co-organised by the Group Corporate Secretariat Services and CDL’s Sustainability department to help the Group stay abreast of global issues and accelerate ESG strategies and best practices.