Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX) is pleased to announce that it has joined the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative as a Partner Exchange. The SSE initiative, opened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in 2009, serves as a platform for exploring how exchanges, together with stakeholders, can enhance corporate transparency on Environmental, Social and Corporate (ESG) governance issues and stimulate sustainable investment.

As a Partner Exchange, SGX will commit to promoting sustainability in its markets and long-term sustainable investment through dialogues with investors, companies, and regulators. Even before joining this initiative, SGX has had a long-term commitment towards sustainability and this year made it mandatory for all listed companies to report their ESG practices from 2017 onwards. Earlier this year, SGX also launched the SGX Sustainability Indices, a suite of equity indices composed of SGX-listed stocks considered to be leaders in meeting ESG requirements.

The 2016 United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Global Dialogue also marked the first time the event has been held in Singapore. Featuring more than 20 exchanges and buy side parties, as well as 120 audience members, speakers fielded key questions on sustainable development goals, achieving effective ECG disclosure, and on new types of green finance products such as low carbon indices and green bonds.

Addressing participants at the Global Dialogue, SGX CEO Loh Boon Chye reiterated his deep commitment to supporting industry-leading standards of corporate sustainability. “As a forward-looking organisation, SGX has long held the view that attracting investors, value-adding to listed companies, and pushing for more corporate transparency are not mutually exclusive concepts. We look forward to learning from and contributing towards the good work the SSE has devoted itself to,” he said.

The United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Global Dialogue is a biennial event geared towards bringing stock exchanges together with stakeholders to share sustainability best practices and to develop new approaches to global sustainability challenges. Previous Global Dialogues have been held in New York, Xiamen, Rio de Janeiro, and Geneva.