Sustainability reporting: Going beyond compliance

IT will become mandatory for all SGX primary-listed companies to publish an annual sustainability report on a comply-or-explain basis with effect from the financial year ending on or after 31 December 2017. The SGX said this will help meet growing demand from investors for more information on sustainable aspects of doing business.

By making sustainability reporting mandatory, Singapore joins the ranks of the European Union, US, Japan and even Hong Kong in getting all listed companies to be transparent about the economic, environmental and social impacts caused by their business activities. Currently, SGX-listed companies may submit sustainability reports on a voluntary basis, a practice adopted by only a small number such as CapitaLand, City Developments Limited (CDL) and Singapore Exchange.

Elements of a sustainability report