This month includes news from Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, Amman Stock Exchange, Bahrain Bourse, Boursa Kuwait and more. Monthly news highlights are compiled by the SSE to give an overview of the capital markets' sustainability news from that month. You can subscribe to our monthly news highlights by clicking here.
SSE INITIATIVE NEWS EVENTS
Net Zero Exchange Group adds four new members from Arab region
30 April 2024 (29 April 2024) Today in Doha, Qatar, four exchanges joined the Net Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance (NZFSPA) during the Annual Conference of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets (AFCM).
UPCOMING SSE ACADEMY WORKSHOPS
The following SSE Academy workshops are coming soon!. SSE Academy workshops are hosted by SSE Partner Exchanges and invitations are managed directly by the exchange. If you wish to register, please visit the event page. For all upcoming workshops, visit https://SSEinitiative.org/sse-academy
- Iran - Tehran Stock Exchange workshop on IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
- Bangladesh and Nepal - IFC Workshop on Climate and Sustainability Disclosure for Banks
- Greece - Athex workshop on IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
- China - Putonghua workshop on IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
- Egypt - The Egyptian Exchange workshop on IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
- Kyrgyzstan- Kyrgyz Stock Exchange training on Gender Equality and Capital Markets
- Kuwait - Boursa Kuwait workshop on IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
- Egypt - The Egyptian Exchange training on Gender Equality and Capital Markets
- Philippines - The Philippine Stock Exchange workshop on IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
- United States of America - New York Stock Exchange workshop on IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
In response to demand from participants who were unable to attend previously-held workshops on the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, we are offering two virtual workshops open to all markets. If you’d like to join and you’re not from one of the above countries, register for one of the below Global workshops:
EXCHANGE NEWS
Boursa Kuwait releases its third standalone Sustainability Report
6 April 2024
Boursa Kuwait released its third standalone Sustainability Report, which shed light on the Kuwaiti stock exchange’s corporate sustainability strategy and initiatives in 2023, as well as assessing the company’s non-financial performance and progress for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2023.
LuxSE named Exchange of the Year for seventh year
8 April 2024
The award marks the seventh time since 2017 that the LuxSE has been named Exchange of the Year, noted a press release from the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, published on 8 April 2024. The award from Environmental Finance’s Sustainable Debt Awards recognised the work of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange in the domain of sustainable development, in particular when it comes to emerging markets, gender finance and sustainable finance.
9 April 2024
The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) is pleased to announce the completion of its inaugural deep-dive workshops specifically designed with focus on various sectors of the Indian industry. These pivotal events were held across two days at different venues: the first in Mumbai on April 3, 2024, and the second in New Delhi on April 5, 2024. These day long workshops titled ‘Deep Dive in Green, Social, and Sustainability (GSS) Bonds Issuance Process’ was a joint effort with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Climate Bond Initiative (CBI) sponsored by HSBC and The Kingdom of the Netherlands, under the IFC REGIO Technical Assistance facility.
China: HKEX: Exchange Publishes Conclusions On Climate Disclosure Requirements
19 April 2024
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the Exchange), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), today (Friday) published conclusions to its consultation on the enhancement of climate-related disclosures under its environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework (Consultation Conclusions).
China stock exchanges mandate Sustainability Report for larger listed entities
20 April 2024
On 12 April 2024, Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE), Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) and Beijing Stock Exchange (BSE) issued self-regulatory guidance documents – Sustainability Report (Trial) (referred to as “Guidelines”) – respectively, which will be effective 1 May 2024. These guidelines aim to integrate the concept of sustainable development into companies' business strategies and operational activities.
Pakistan: PSX partners with London Stock Exchange Group
23 April 2024
In a landmark development, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has signed a collaborative understanding with LSEG ( London Stock Exchange Group) on Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG). Under this mutual understanding, both companies will work to develop a suite of standardised ESG data tools for PSX-listed companies to report their ESG data, according to a PSX press statement.
China: Hong Kong Exchange to Require IFRS-based Climate Disclosure Beginning 2025
25 April 2024
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong announced that all listed companies will be required to begin providing mandatory climate-related disclosures based on the IFRS Foundation’s International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) new reporting standards, with Scope 1 and 2 emissions disclosure beginning as of the 2025 reporting year.
29 April 2024
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a partnership aimed at leveraging Sri Lanka’s capital markets for sustainable financing.
30 April 2024
Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) has received two industry awards at the Annual Conference of the Arab Federation of Capital Markets (AFCM) 2024, hosted by Qatar Stock Exchange.
REGULATORS AND STANDARD SETTER NEWS
Japan Releases Proposed IFRS-Based Sustainability Reporting Standards
9 April 2024
The Sustainability Standards Board of Japan (SSBJ) announced the release of new exposure drafts for proposed standards for companies to report sustainability and climate-related information, based on the recently released sustainability disclosure standards by the IFRS Foundation’s International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
19 April 2024
The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) today welcomes the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited’s (SEHK) publication of its consultation conclusions on the enhancement of climate-related disclosure requirements for listed companies in Hong Kong.
TNFD welcomes the ISSB’s decision to commence work on nature-related issues
24 April 2024
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) welcomes the decision of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to commence work on nature-related issues drawing on the recommendations of the TNFD. This is a critical next step in developing the global baseline for sustainability reporting following the release of its IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 sustainability reporting standards in 2023.
ISSB Explores Developing New Disclosure Standards for Biodiversity, Human Capital
25 April 2024
The IFRS Foundation’s International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) announced plans to launch new projects researching corporate disclosure on risks and opportunities in key sustainability-related areas including biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services, and human capital, with the initiative aimed at informing its work on future sustainability reporting standard setting.
ESG INDICES AND PRODUCTS
Eurex To Strengthen European Green Bond Segment With New GC Pooling Green Bond Basket
29 April 2024
On 29 April 2024, Eurex launched an additional Green Bond Basket in its GC Pooling segment. This will increase liquidity and efficiency in the European repo market for green bonds, thus strengthening the green bond segment.
ICMA, IsDB and LSEG publish guidance on green, social and sustainability sukuk
29 April 2024
The International Capital Market Association (ICMA), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) today publish new guidance on the issuance of green, social and sustainability sukuk (together, “sustainable sukuk”).
Tanzania: NMB Bank Brings East Africa’s First Sustainability Bond To LuxSE
29 April 2024
Just over a year after listing the first Sub-Saharan Africa gender bond on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, Tanzania-based NMB Bank returns to the exchange with East Africa’s first sustainability bond.
GENDER EQUALITY
Nepal “rings the bell for gender equality”
19 April 2024
In a resounding call to action marking International Women’s Day 2024, UN Women Nepal, in collaboration with Global Compact Nepal, International Finance Corporation, Nepal Stock Exchanges, and United Nations Nepal, joined forces to “ring the bell for gender equality”. Held under the theme "Invest in Women - Accelerate Progress", the event underscored the pivotal role of the private sector in driving investments towards gender equality in Nepal.
Solactive And Equileap Launch First-Of-Its-Kind Benchmark For Gender Equality In Emerging Markets
25 April 2024
Solactive today announced the launch of a unique emerging markets index focusing on gender equality in partnership with Equileap, a leading data and insights company focused on advancing gender equality and diversity & inclusion in the corporate sector.
EXECUTIVE MOVES
24 April 2024
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX), which operates Asia’s third-largest stock market, has named former Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) chairman Carlson Tong Ka-shing, a veteran accountant and market regulator, as its new chairman.
Tong was elected by the board on Wednesday to succeed Laura Cha Shih May-lung, who retires after a six-year term.
