The UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges (UN SSE) initiative today announced a major milestone in global capacity building: the ISSB – Applying the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards training programme has reached more than 20,000 market participants worldwide. The programme is delivered through the SSE Academy in collaboration with the IFRS Foundation and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
This achievement reflects the growing global demand for high-quality, comparable sustainability disclosures. Since the introduction of IFRS S1 and S2, the SSE Academy has partnered with stock exchanges globally to support listed companies, financial institutions, and regulators in building the practical capabilities required to implement the ISSB’s global baseline for sustainability reporting. The training has now been delivered to 20,082 participants, representing 215 hours of live training across 62 workshops, delivered in English, Spanish, Chinese and Russian.
Recognition by IFRS and stock exchanges
The impact of this collaborative work was highlighted in both the 2024 and 2025 IFRS Foundation Capacity Building Activity Reports, where for two years in a row, the SSE Academy training on IFRS S1 and S2 represented a significant proportion of all training globally on this topic.
Anthony Miller, Chief Coordinator of the UN SSE said, “The joint training programme delivered by UN SSE, IFRS Foundation and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has been instrumental in building the capacity of global capital market participants, reaching more than 20,000 participants since 2023 through UN SSE partner stock exchanges. The practical approach and focus on implementation challenges has enabled our members to better support listed companies in their sustainability reporting journey.”
This recognition has been echoed by strong endorsement from SSE partner exchanges who have hosted training sessions in their markets:
“Indonesia Stock Exchange is proud to collaborate with the UN SSE and its global partners in advancing sustainable finance in Indonesia’s capital market. The recent IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards workshop provided practical insights and showed the strong commitment of our market to strengthen sustainability reporting. This initiative also aligns with Indonesia’s efforts in adopting IFRS S1 and S2, ensuring our market is well prepared for the transition.” Iman Rachman, President Director (CEO), Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX)
“As a stock exchange, we have a responsibility to drive change, and through the training on IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards for Mexican market participants, we are confident that we will see a multiplier effect in the capabilities of our sector and in the objective of speaking a common language of sustainability with our peers around the world.” María Ariza, CEO, Bolsa Institucional de Valores (BIVA)
“Muscat Stock Exchange was pleased to host this important training session for the second year on IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards in partnership with the UN SSE and its expert partners. With sustainability reporting now mandated in our market, the workshop came at a crucial time and offered practical, high-quality guidance to listed companies and stakeholders.” Majida Al Mamari, Manager of Sustainable Investment Center, Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX)
“It was an honour for us to host such a successful training workshop on Sustainability Disclosure Standards. The workshop attracted a large audience, and we strongly believe that educating Somali capital market participants and professionals on IFRS sustainability disclosure standards is essential to building transparency, trust, and global investor confidence.” Hassan Dudde, CEO, Somali Stock Exchange (SSE)
"LSEG was delighted to host its second annual training session on the implementation of the ISSB standards. We were delighted by the high level of engagement throughout the training and participants including listed companies and the wider ecosystem extremely valued the ability to engage with the IFRS Foundation directly through the Q&A feature.” Claire Dorrian, Head of Sustainable Finance, Capital Markets & Post Trade, London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG)
Driving global implementation in 2025
Throughout 2025, the training programme has continued its expansion, with a strong focus on deepening market readiness across both emerging and developed economies. This year, the programme was hosted by a diverse group of exchanges, professional associations and international organisations including:
- Armenia, Armenia Stock Exchange
- Armenia, Federation of Euro-Asian Capital Markets
- Bangladesh, Chittagong Stock Exchange
- Fiji, South Pacific Stock Exchange
- Global, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, IFC Sustainable Banking and Finance Network and the Alliance for Green Commercial Banks
- Indonesia, Indonesia Stock Exchange
- Jordan, Amman Stock Exchange
- Kenya, Nairobi Securities Exchange
- Lao, Lao Securities Exchange and Lao Chamber of Professional Accountants and Auditors
- Malaysia, Bursa Malaysia
- Mongolia, Mongolian Stock Exchange and Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association
- Nigeria , Nigerian Exchange
- North Macedonia, Macedonia Stock Exchange
- Oman, Muscat Stock Exchange
- Somalia, Somali Stock Exchange
- Philippines, The Philippine Stock Exchange
- Türkiye, The Banks Association of Türkiye
- United Kingdom, London Stock Exchange
The regional reach of the programme has been a key factor in its success, with 95% of training sessions in 2025 taking place in emerging markets and participants originating from over 130 countries. This ensures that the global baseline for sustainability reporting is truly global in its application.
"Delivering these workshops throughout 2025 has enabled us to see a tangible impact on market readiness. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with 95% of participants reporting significant growth in learning, or advancement in their knowledge, and 95% expressing high satisfaction with the curriculum. Having now received and answered 3,000 questions during our sessions, we have gained invaluable insights into the specific challenges preparers face. This direct feedback loop allows us to continuously refine our approach, ensuring we address the most complex areas of the standards and provide the practical clarity the market is looking for”, said SSE Training Officer, Fiona Quinlan-Wells.
Looking ahead: 2026 and new board-level training
As the programme moves into 2026, the UN SSE and its partners are committed to maintaining this momentum. Plans are already underway to host additional training sessions in the coming year to meet the continued demand from exchanges and their listed companies.
Furthermore, in response to market demand, the UN SSE will launch a tailored training programme on ISSB for Boards in Q1 2026. This new curriculum is specifically designed to help board members understand their fiduciary duties and strategic responsibilities related to sustainability-related financial disclosures.
“We recognize that for these standards to be truly effective, leadership must be engaged at the highest level. That is why we are particularly excited to launch our tailored ISSB training for Boards in Q1 2026, equipping directors with the clarity they need to fulfill their fiduciary duties in an era of increased transparency. Alongside our partners, including the IFRS Foundation and IFC, we remain dedicated to delivering this vital knowledge to the capital market participants who need it most," said Tiffany Grabski, SSE Academy Head.
Standardisation and regulation require education
As policymakers worldwide accelerate the adoption of international sustainability standards, effective market education has become essential to turning these standards into real-world practice. The UN SSE meets this need through the SSE Academy, which delivers high-quality, practical training to market participants globally at no cost to stock exchanges and no cost to participants.
This impact is made possible through the commitment of SSE Official Supporters, including IFC (World Bank), Bloomberg Philanthropies, ClimateWorks Foundation, SSE Partner Exchanges and many others. By becoming an SSE Official Supporter, your organisation can play a direct role in strengthening market capacity, accelerating sustainable finance, and supporting exchanges and issuers at a critical moment of global transition. To view the full list of SSE Official Supporters and learn how your organisation can contribute, visit the SSE Official Supporters page.
To stay up to date on future training sessions, subscribe to the SSE mailing list. For more information on how to host a training session for your market, please contact the SSE team at [email protected].