ESG
Singapore firms expected to show net-zero progress under revised standards, instead of just set targets
They will be assessed on a ‘best-effort’ basis to account for constraints, but this raises greenwashing concerns
MPACT prices S$200 million of green bonds at 2.53%
Moody’s has assigned a “Baa2” rating to these bonds
Singapore banks may need to address indirect exposure to captive coal in their financing policies
Although such disclosures are not required by regulations, they do contribute to their ESG ratings
Issue 198: UBS cuts Asia ESG staff; S-E Asian renewables assets face high climate risk
This week in ESG: Swiss bank sheds four of seven Asia sustainability team staff; Zurich Insurance finds 75 per cent of assets at high risk of severe climate impact by 2030
US$165 billion of renewable energy assets in Asean face high risk of climate hazards: report
Upfront investment of about US$13 billion to make these assets more climate-resilient can help avoid US$82 billion in losses
UBS reduces Asia ESG staff by half in global restructuring
The retrenchment comes after a broader pullback among global banks from dedicated ESG financial strategies
Singapore brings back 19th-century tech to beat warming climate
The city-state has among the highest per capita use of air conditioners in the Asia-Pacific region
Issue 197: Singapore launches SME sustainability initiatives; natural disaster protection gap grows
This week in ESG: Climate transition council announces Green 100 movement; uninsured natural catastrophe losses rose to US$424 billion in 2025, Swiss Re finds
Despite backtracking on climate commitments, HSBC says it is ‘more ambitious’ on its net-zero strategy
The bank is focusing on commercialisation in the next phase of its sustainable financing road map
Sustainability for SMEs – not a complex cost, but the path to business resilience
The goal is for firms to be more agile so they can ride out crises such as the Iran war, say industry observers
