The Global ESG Forum 2023, co-organised by the Centre for Governance and Sustainability (CGS) of National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School and the International ESG Association (IESGA), concluded successfully in Singapore. The event was attended by over 200 participants from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Poland, India, Indonesia, Korea and Malaysia. The forum saw fruitful discussions on important sustainability topics, including sustainable plastic management, consumer-centric ESG practices, circular economy, voluntary carbon markets (VCMs), net-zero initiatives, and renewable energy.

Biodiversity and nature positive reporting as the new ESG commitment

According to the “Korean 200 Biodiversity & Nature-Positive Commitments 2023” report by IESGA, there has been a significant two-fold increase in the number of companies reporting biodiversity and nature-positive practices, rising from 16 in 2019 to 37 in 2021. Furthermore, the number of companies considering biodiversity as a material issue increased to 15 in 2021, compared to just 6 in 2019. This substantial rise reflects a significant shift towards biodiversity as a key indicator of sustainability reporting in Korea. This also reinforces the growing importance of biodiversity in sustainable development.