Grasping sustainability opportunities for Asia
Published date: 12 October 2022
GRI Asia Conference to bring together ESG experts and thought leaders
A global gathering of business leaders, sustainability experts and reporting practitioners takes place next month, to focus on how Asia can unlock its sustainability potential.
The GRI Asia Conference 2022 – The Future is Ours: Sustainability Trajectory in Asia – takes place across four dates in November (9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th). Build around online and interactive sessions, the conference is open to all organizations and stakeholders with an interest in sustainability reporting and corporate accountability in Asia.
The four sessions are:
- The GRI Standards – Global best practice for impact reporting (9 November): why GRI reporting matters, with a panel debate on how companies and stock exchanges can get engaged
- Supply chain management: A missing link for sustainability (16 November): challenges in achieving transparent supply chains, including a moderated discussion on how monitoring and reporting enable sustainability
- Net-zero: The role of climate impact disclosures (23 November): why business participation in assessing climate risk is essential, including break-out periods to explore stakeholder needs and how to achieve a just transition
- Sustainability reporting and harmonization: a zero-sum game? (30 November): update on collaboration on sustainability standards between GRI and IFRS Foundation, with a panel discussion on the benefits of alignment
Input from across the continent
GRI’s regional network has a significant presence in Asia, with offices in New Delhi, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Sustainability reporting in South Asia has made huge strides and there is significant untapped potential – particularly when it comes to business engagement in the low-carbon transition. The conference and the dialogue it will facilitate could therefore not be more timely.”
Aditi Haldar, Director of GRI South AsiaSustainability reporting in the Greater China Region has evolved over the years with businesses, stakeholders and investors increasingly aligning with global best practice, as a fundamental step for effective disclosure. This gathering is a chance to deepen our engagement, signalling opportunities for stakeholders from the region to contribute to the debate on how to achieve corporate accountability.”
Verna Lin, Head of GRI Greater ChinaSouth-East Asia is an economic powerhouse and it’s influence on the global sustainability landscape is growing. The GRI Asia Conference will allow us to share experiences, regionally and globally, as we seek to articulate the next steps to advance sustainable development.”
Allinnettes Adigue, Head of GRI ASEANSpeakers at GRI Asia 2022 include:
- From GRI: CEO Eelco van der Enden; Judy Kuszewski, GSSB Chair; Chief of Standards Bastian Buck; Peter Paul van de Wijs, Chief Policy Officer; Asthildur Hjaltadottir, Chief Regional Officer.
- Capital markets: Tan Boon Gin, CEO of Singapore Exchange Regulation; Soraphol Tulayasathien, Senior Executive VP, Stock Exchange of Thailand;
- Business leaders: Girish Ramachandran, President, TCS Asia-Pacific; Esther An, CSO, City Developments Ltd; Rajesh Chhabara, MD of CSRWorks International; Catherine Ileto, VP Corporate Communications, SMIC; Sylvain Guyoton, Chief Rating Officer, EcoVadis; Anirban Ghosh, CSO of Mahindra Group; Elaine Cohen, MD of Beyond Business; Raj Mullick, VP, Reliance Industries; Madhulika Sharma, CSO of ITC Ltd.
- Other stakeholders: Mardi McBrien, Director, IFRS Foundation; Charlie Villaseñor, Chairman, Procurement and Supply Institute of Asia; Jessica Cheam, MD of EcoBusiness.
Early-bird discounts
A special fee is available (four for the price of three) when booking all sessions together – plus a discounted early booking rate is open until 19 October.
GRI Community Members (Plus or Consultant packages) are eligible for further discounts. GRI Certified Sustainability Professionals can collect one Continuing Education Unit by attending all conference sessions.