On 31 July 2023, the European Commission adopted the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (“ESRS“). EU and non-EU entities subject to the new EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (“CSRD“) will be required to report against the ESRS, making the development of interest to entities preparing for reporting under the CSRD regime. Background The CSRD, which entered into force on 5 January…

On 30 June 2023, the Working Group on Impact Investment (“Working Group”), which was established under the Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance of the Financial Services Agency of Japan (“FSA”), published a report (“Report”) (in English and Japanese) setting out domestic and international trends in impact investment and draft basic guidelines consisting of four key principles as discussed below (“Guidelines”). …

Access to healthcare plays a crucial role in ensuring the well being of individuals within a society. The Constitution of the World Health Organization states,“The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition”. Unfortunately, the availability and quality of…

Forests form a crucial part of our ecosystem by providing homes to wildlife, supporting biodiversity and helping to reduce the impacts of climate change. Destroying forests has become a major global problem owing to human activities such as agriculture, urban developments and mining. With new technologies several forestry companies, startups and other organizations are combating deforestation in multiple ways. Deforestation…

We’ve heard a lot about climate change and its effect of rising CO2 levels on the environment, but what about the impact of the resulting climate change on human health? It is not surprising that climate change has already significantly impacted our health, with both direct and indirect effects. Without a concerted effort to slow and eventually reverse climate change,…

Global sustainability reporting is entering a promising era of alignment following the issuance of the IFRS S1 and S2 standards last month. The IFRS Foundation has since announced that it will double its responsibilities by inheriting oversight functions for the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, starting 2024. This month, the newly introduced IFRS S1 and S2 standards have also…

Revolutionising Business Continuity and Longevity – The Role of Supply Chain Auditing on ESG Metrics   Introduction Before diving deep into the heart of our subject, it is beneficial to briefly comprehend the key terminologies involved. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics are benchmarks used to measure a company’s sustainability and ethical performance. Meanwhile, supply chain auditing involves the systematic…

Mitigating Business Risks through Supply Chain Auditing on ESG Metrics   Introduction In today’s globalised economy, businesses are increasingly interconnected through complex supply chains that span continents. While these supply chains offer numerous benefits, they also expose companies to a wide range of risks. Issues such as environmental degradation, human rights violations, and unethical business practices can severely damage a…

The Crucial Role of ISO Standards in Regulating Carbon Emissions   As the climate crisis intensifies, efforts to mitigate its impacts have become more urgent than ever. International standards have a crucial role to play in this context, and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has been instrumental in formulating standards that assist businesses in managing and reducing their carbon…