The United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges initiative (UN SSE) contributed to the Asociación de Secretarios Corporativos de Latinoamérica (ASCLA) conference on corporate governance, transparency, and disclosure, reinforcing the role of capital markets in strengthening sustainability practices and informed decision-making across Latin America.
“Stock exchanges play a critical role in translating global sustainability standards into market practice,” said SSE Academy Head Tiffany Grabski when presenting. “By working with exchanges, we can reach boards, issuers, and market participants at scale, supporting stronger governance, better disclosure, and more informed decision-making. Events like this ASCLA conference are essential for connecting global standards with regional leadership and real market needs.”
The event brought together board members, corporate secretaries, and governance professionals to discuss evolving expectations around sustainability and climate-related disclosure, and the increasing importance of aligned, high-quality information for capital markets.
The Role of Exchanges in Scaling Transparency and Capacity
During the conference, the UN SSE highlighted the unique position of stock exchanges as market conveners and educators, with the ability to reach thousands of companies and market participants. Through its global network, the UN SSE works closely with exchanges to support stronger governance, improved disclosure, and the integration of sustainability considerations into capital markets.
Today, more than 130 exchanges worldwide participate in the UN SSE, using tools such as training, written guidance, sustainability reporting, and market initiatives to strengthen transparency and accountability.
A central focus of the UN SSE’s contribution was the role of education and capacity-building. Through the UN SSE Academy, exchanges are supported in delivering free, practical training to their markets on sustainability, climate risk, governance, and disclosure—helping issuers and directors respond to rapidly evolving global expectations.
Advancing ISSB Education Through Global Partnerships
The UN SSE also emphasized its close collaboration with the IFRS Foundation and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to support market understanding and implementation of the ISSB sustainability disclosure standards.
Through this joint effort, the UN SSE, IFRS Foundation, and IFC recently surpassed a major milestone of more than 20,000 market participants trained globally on sustainability and climate-related disclosure standards, underscoring the effectiveness of exchanges as channels for scaling knowledge and reaching real-economy companies.
This work is particularly relevant for boards and senior leaders, as it helps clarify disclosure expectations, supports comparability, and strengthens oversight of sustainability-related risks and opportunities.
Strengthening Board-Level Oversight of ISSB Reporting
During the conference, the UN SSE also highlighted upcoming work to further support boards and senior leadership as sustainability disclosure expectations continue to evolve.
In response to the growing number of board members participating in UN SSE ISSB training workshops, and a clear recognition that boards require different skills than report preparers, the UN SSE announced plans to launch a new, dedicated workshop for board members in 2027.
This new offering is being developed to help board directors strengthen their ability to oversee, challenge, and review ISSB-compliant sustainability reports, with a focus on governance, strategic alignment, risk oversight, and decision-useful information. Rather than focusing on technical preparation of disclosures, the workshop will equip boards with the tools needed to ask the right questions, assess credibility, and integrate sustainability information into oversight and long-term strategy.
The initiative reflects the UN SSE’s continued commitment to responding to market demand and ensuring that sustainability disclosure is not only technically robust, but also effectively governed at the highest level of organizations.
Leadership from Latin America
The session also highlighted the active role Latin American exchanges are playing in advancing sustainability. Exchanges in the region are not only participating in global initiatives but are helping lead them—through training delivered in Spanish, translated guidance, and engagement in UN SSE peer networks, including the Net Zero Exchange Alliance.
Becoming an SSE Supporter
The UN SSE encourages exchanges, regulators, and market participants across Latin America to engage as members or supporters, gaining access to global guidance, peer learning, and capacity-building programmes that support the implementation of sustainability and disclosure standards. Participation helps strengthen markets, build trust, and position institutions at the forefront of sustainable finance.
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].