CDL Chief Sustainability Officer Ms Esther An has been named one of ten UN Global Compact Sustainability Development Goals (UNGC SDG) Pioneers for Green Infrastructure and a Low-Carbon Economy.

She is the first individual from Singapore and one of the first two Southeast Asian women to receive this prestigious recognition.

Each year, the UNGC celebrates a group of SDG Pioneers – individuals from around the world who are championing the SDGs through their own companies and inspiring others to join the movement. The ten SDG Pioneers were recognised at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit 2018 on 24 September at the Headquarters of the UN in New York.

Ms An said, “Sustainability is a priority and mainstream issue on international political, economic and business agendas. Globally, the opportunity for businesses to advance the SDGs is more than US$12 trillion annually by 2030. From conserving finite resources and the natural environment, to inclusiveness and investment in long-term financial stability and economic prosperity, there is tremendous potential for companies to align their sustainability strategy with the SDGs.”

“For more than two decades, sustainability has been strategically integrated into all aspects of CDL’s business and operations. We apply a three-pronged strategy as a property developer, an asset owner and a corporate citizen. We develop green buildings, manage them in a resource-efficient way and engage stakeholders on sustainability. Since 2016, CDL has also taken the initiative as one of the first companies in Singapore to align our material issues with the SDGs by effectively managing our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues and building innovative collaborations across sectors. We are poised to stay dynamic and resilient in delivering lasting value for our business, investors, stakeholders and the environment.”

To future-proof CDL’s business and leverage opportunities presented by the SDGs, the CDL Future Value 2030 sustainability blueprint was established in 2017. The forward-looking blueprint underpins CDL’s sustainability commitment and best practices of over 20 years and sets clear ESG goals and targets towards 2030, a milestone year for global climate agreement and sustainable development. These long-term ESG goals and targets are aligned with 10 relevant SDGs (see Annex). A forerunner in sustainability reporting since 2007, CDL tracks its sustainability-related initiatives and key ESG performance against its 2030 goals through annual Integrated Sustainability Reports  and Sustainability Quarterly Reports.