SEOUL, 20 November 2023 – Tomorrow, the ASEAN-Korea Centre will organise the ‘ASEAN-Korea ESG Forum’ to launch the ‘ESG Practices in ASEAN and Korea: Pathways Towards Sustainability’ Guidebook. The forum aims to bring together environmental, social and governance experts from ASEAN and Korea to discuss how to address and leverage ESG issues in a rapidly changing international trade environment.
The forum will review ESG policies and developments in ASEAN and Korea as well as discuss how ESG cooperation can facilitate trade, investment, and market access for SMEs of both regions. In the first session, Dr. Melati Nungsari, Deputy Dean of Research at the Asia School of Business who led the research for the ASEAN-Korea ESG Guidebook publication, will share highlights and implications of the research study.
The second session will focus on the role of ESG in the integration and development of ASEAN at the regional level. Four ASEAN ESG experts will present the following topics: 1) ASEAN Taxonomy and ESG Initiatives in ASEAN, 2) Developing Corporate Sustainability Agenda and Practices in ASEAN for Sustainable Supply Chain, 3) ESG Practices and Strategies in ASEAN to Overcome Challenges for SMEs in Sustainability Reporting, and 4) Green Development for ASEAN SMEs to Facilitate the Green Transition.
The session will be followed by a discussion moderated by Vice President Shin Boo Nam of the United Nations Association of Korea, who was also the former Ambassador for Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of ROK. Under the theme, “ESG as a Key Facilitator for Sustainable ASEAN-Korea Partnership”, the third session will be moderated by Dr. Ko Young Kyung, Research Professor at the Korea University Asiatic Research Institute ASEAN Center, who is also the author of the ASEAN-Korea related part of the ESG Guidebook.
The forum will proceed with presentation from Korean ESG experts on the following topics: 1) Strengthening Capacity of SMEs for Green Transition and Enhanced Access to Climate Finance, 2) Current Trends and Issues of ESG and Ways for Korean SMEs to Grow in a Changing Business Environment, 3) ASEAN-Korea Cooperation in Sustainable Supply Chain, and 4) ESG Practices of Korean and Global Companies in ASEAN with Opportunities and Challenges.
Secretary General Kim Hae-yong of the ASEAN-Korea Centre stated that “the launch of the ASEAN-Korea ESG Guidebook and the ESG Forum is significant as it marks the first step of cooperation in the field of ESG in both regions.” He further emphasised that “our cooperation on ESG will continue to expand, establish trade and investment in various industries, and ultimately contribute to the strengthening of the ASEAN-Korea partnership.” The ASEAN-Korea ESG Guidebook will be available in English on the ASEAN-Korea Centre website (http://www.aseankorea.org) from 21 November.
This Forum is part of a two-year project initiated by the ASEAN-Korea Centre in 2022 and implemented in cooperation with the Asia School of Business ASEAN Research Center (Malaysia), the ASEAN Center of the Asiatic Research Institute of Korea University, and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. The project aimed to publish a report that examines the current state of ESG in ASEAN and Korea, highlighting ESG policies and practices in each country and its industries.
- Program Inquiries: Kim Seo-yeun, Officer, TIU (02-2287-1138, ksy@aseankorea.org)
- Press Inquiries: Kim Hyun-ji, Senior Officer, IDU (02-2287-1143, hjk@aseankorea.org
