For more information, please contact the SSE team.
This webinar aims to help emerging market companies understand how to report better to investors and other key stakeholders, building on IFC’s award-winning Disclosure and Transparency Toolkit “Beyond the Balance Sheet.”
Objectives of the webinar:
(i) Demonstrate the strategic value and demand for corporate reporting and disclosure practices.
(ii) Provide practical guidance, tools and resources for integrating financial and ESG reporting practices in emerging markets; and
(iii) Further develop and support regional capacity building resources, networks, and partnerships.
NOTE: This event already took place. The news release on this event can be found here.
Webinar Summary
IFC and UN SSE Host Transparency Seminar in EAP to Boost Corporate Resilience, Attract Capital
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, attracted 400 representatives of central banks, stock exchanges, universities and companies from 42 countries in East Asia and Pacific (EAP) for the first EAP environmental, social and governance (ESG) advisory webinar “Going Beyond the Balance Sheet” on the importance of ESG disclosure and transparency.
The seminar was organized in partnership with the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (UN SSE), a network of 96 stock exchanges and regulators.
Opening remarks by Vivek Pathak, IFC’s Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, introduced the award-winning “Beyond the Balance Sheet” toolkit as a source of practical guidance for improved disclosure and transparency (D&T) practices and the importance of the collaboration with UN SSE. “I greatly look forward to many more East Asia Pacific countries adopting these tools to help their companies become more attractive to investors,” he said. Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, he stated, “It is absolutely critical” for companies to communicate with investors and stakeholders about how they are managing the crisis. Transparency of the highest standard will differentiate how companies come out of this pandemic.”
Presentations from IFC panelists, Robeco Group and the Indonesia Investment Fund addressed questions about the business case for disclosure and transparency and how companies build resilient enterprises in the new environment.
Challenges for investors include gaining access to high quality, comparable information. ESG transparency is often the starting point for change, leading to better risk informed investment decisions and better risk-adjusted returns. Companies are advised to increase forward-looking strategy information in their reporting (25% or more), linking strategic ESG objectives to governance and performance information. Investors are looking for value creation, and they want to be able to trust the company, its leadership and its activities. The performance report allows companies to tell their story beyond the balance sheet. IFC works holistically with companies, investors and regulators, and in partnership with the UNSSE, to demystify and streamline ESG reporting practices. IFC’s step-by-step guidance for integrating ESG into strategy, governance and performance helps companies to progress from basic reporting practices to international standards.
Next steps include using AI technologies to make these tools and progressive approaches available on a dynamic Disclosure and Transparency platform to help companies develop comprehensive integrated reports that incorporate the ESG and financial information, to reach as many as possible. The EAP ESG team is looking forward to rolling out the local translations of the toolkit (much interest from the chat), launching the D&T Platform and working with clients (both stock exchanges and companies) in collaboration with UN SSE.
Jointly hosted by SSE and IFC
Asia Pacific ESG Advisory Webinar Series #1
Thu, June 18, 2020
12:30 Hong Kong Time (HKT)
Speakers
- Vivek PathakRegional Director for East Asia and PacificInternational Finance Corporation
- Ralitza GermanovaCorporate Governance OfficerInternational Finance Corporation
- Erik P.M. VermeulenDirector of the International Business Law programTilburg University
- Monika KumarSustainability CoordinatorWorld Bank
- Susan BlesenerCEOThe Art of Value
- Anne E. MolyneuxMember of IIRCInternational Integrated Reporting Council
- Jerome Lavigne-DevilleSenior ConsultantInternational Finance Corporation
- Charles Travis Canfield (Chuck)Principal Corporate Governance OfficerInternational Finance Corporation
- Justin PooleyESG Manager for Asia PacificInternational Finance Corporation
- Carola van LamoenHead Sustainable Investing Center of ExpertiseRobeco
Programme
18 Jun, 2020
12:30 – 12:40
Welcoming Remarks
Speaker: Vivek Pathak, Regional Director for East Asia and Pacific, IFC
12:40 – 13:20
The Business Case for Transparency
Why is ESG transparency important when everyone is focused on financial
sustainability? This session provides an overview of the strategic value and
demand for comprehensive, integrated reporting.Speakers:
Ralitza Germanova, Corporate Governance Officer, IFC
Erik P.M. Vermeulen, Professor of Business and Financial Law and Director of the International Business Law program, Tilburg University, the Netherlands and Senior Legal Counsel on Corporate Governance (CG) at Signify
Carola van Lamoen, Robeco Head of Sustainable Investing Center of Excellence, Executive Director13:20 – 14:20
How Companies Attract Capital and Build Resilient Enterprises
Moderator: Monika Kumar, Environmental Specialist, World Bank Corporate
ResponsibilityStrategy: Where to start your corporate reporting journey and how
transparency leads to progress, including improved internal processes and
practices.Speaker: Susan Blesener, CEO, The Art of Value
Corporate Governance: What are the major components and nuances of
reporting on corporate governance to diverse users?Speaker: Anne Molyneux, Vice Chair, International CG Network, member of
International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) and Director, CS
InternationalPerformance: How to report material ESG information together with
financial results?Speaker: Jerome Lavigne-Deville, Senior Consultant, IFC
Company Leadership on Crisis Response: How to report on effective
response practices?Speaker: Charles “Chuck” Travis Canfield, Principal Corporate Governance
Officer14:20 – 14:30
Closing Remarks
Speaker: Justin Pooley, ESG Manager for Asia Pacific, IFC
About the SSE
The SSE initiative is a UN Partnership Programme organised by UNCTAD, the UN Global Compact, UNEP FI and the PRI. The SSE’s mission is to provide a global platform for exploring how exchanges, in collaboration with investors, companies (issuers), regulators, policymakers and relevant international organizations, can enhance performance on ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) issues and encourage sustainable investment, including the financing of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The SSE seeks to achieve this mission through an integrated programme of conducting evidence-based policy analysis, facilitating a network and forum for multi-stakeholder consensus-building, and providing technical assistance and advisory services.