(29 October 2018) The United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative was invited to give a keynote address at the Federation of Euro-Asian Exchanges (FEAS) inaugural annual conference, ConFEAS 2018. With a focus on innovation, the SSE highlighted how stock exchanges are integrating sustainability into market disclosure, product development and new service offerings.

“For several years now, sustainability issues from climate change to labour conditions and gender equality have been the inspiration for tremendous innovation at stock exchanges,” said Tiffany Grabski, Deputy Coordinator of the SSE initiative. “In the last 12 to 24 months in particular we’ve seen a significant uptake in the number of new sustainability themed products and services coming out of exchanges. This includes the market education services of exchanges that has nearly quadrupled in the area of sustainability over the last 4 years.”

The first of an annual series, ConFEAS 2018 aimed to create a better understanding of developments in stock markets on a regional and global level.  In recognition of the opportunities for FEAS members to play a leading role in the development of sustainable finance in their markets, FEAS and the SSE are working together to help educate stock exchanges on sustainability topics such as environmental, social and governance disclosure, green finance and promotion of gender equality on boards.

ConFEAS 2018 was hosted by the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX).

About FEAS

The Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges (FEAS) was established on 16 May 1995 in Istanbul with 12 founding members. During the Extraordinary General Assembly Meeting of the Federation held on May 16, 2017 in Tehran, it was decided to move the Federation’s headquarter from Istanbul, Turkey to Yerevan, Armenia. The purpose of the Federation is to contribute to the cooperation, development, support and promotion of capital markets in the Euro-Asian Region (i.e. Europe, Asia and the Mediterranean Basin). Currently, there are 33 members: 20 full members, 5 affiliate members and 8 observers including post trade institutions, dealers associations from 20 countries. For information about FEAS, its members and activities, please visit www.feas.org.