How Riverstone ESG Consulting Supports Businesses with ESG Disclosure in Singapore and Malaysia

Introduction

Due to the growing interest of sustainability becoming a central business agenda, Singapore and Malaysian firms are under increasing pressure to report their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practice more accurately and transparently. Regulators, investors and customers are no longer satisfied with mere commitments, but rather, verifiable information that will demonstrate that a firm is committed to sustainable growth.

However, in the case of most organizations, it is daunting to come up with ESG disclosures that are consistent with both the local regulations and international standards. It is difficult to find the appropriate frameworks and gather precise data, and it is hard to present information in such a manner that it is going to create trust among the stakeholders.

Riverstone ESG Consulting is critical in this. Riverstone can help businesses to turn compliance requirements into strategic benefits in the long run by providing ESG disclosure services in Singapore and Malaysia as well as ESG capacity building courses in Singapore and Malaysia.

The Growing Importance of ESG Disclosure

Singapore and Malaysia have gone a long way to enhance sustainability reporting:

Singapore: Singapore Exchange (SGX) has made it mandatory that listed companies publish sustainability reports. Since 2022, climate-related disclosures in line with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) are obligatory to some sectors and they are intended to be expanded.
Malaysia: Bursa Malaysia has improved its sustainability reporting policies, which require the disclosure of its governance, climate risks and other material ESG considerations.

These are regulatory requirements that meet the global investor expectations. Those companies that do not make credible disclosures are subject to either the loss of access to capital, regulatory fines, or loss of brand reputation.

Key Challenges Businesses Face in ESG Disclosure

Although the role of ESG is becoming increasingly significant, most companies have difficulties with:

Complicated Reporting Standards.

International standards such as GRI, SASB and TCFD may be challenging to understand and implement in business.

Data Collection and Data Verification.

When the ESG data is to be collected on a wide-scale supply chain, departments, and operations, it may be resource-consuming.

Lack of Internal Expertise

In the absence of trained personnel, businesses can overlook material problems or cannot coordinate disclosures to the requirements of the regulation.

Communication Gaps

Even in cases where the data is gathered, the companies might not have the capability to package the data in a presentable, investor-friendly manner.

Riverstone assists businesses to overcome all these pain points by providing specific consulting and training services.

Riverstone’s ESG Disclosure Support Services in Singapore and Malaysia

Riverstone provides end-to-end ESG disclosure support services in Singapore and Malaysia, designed to ensure businesses meet compliance obligations while enhancing their market reputation.

1. Materiality Assessments

Riverstone collaborates with stakeholders in order to determine the most relevant ESG issues concerning the work of an enterprise. This will make sure that the disclosures are made in areas that the investors and the regulators are most interested.

2. Framework Alignment

Riverstone ascertains that reports are in compliance with local standards (SGX, Bursa Malaysia) as well as international standards like GRI, SASB and TCFD. Such a dual alignment makes the companies more appealing to both the local and the foreign investors.

3. Data Handling and Data Corroboration.

Consultants assist companies with the implementation of systems to manage, monitor, and validate ESG data throughout several operations and supply chains, making them accurate and credible.

4. Report Drafting and Design

Riverstone helps in the preparation of their sustainability report that is both compliant and visually appealing and easy to read and comprehend to improve the level of transparency among all the stakeholders.

5. Preparation of Assurance and Audit.

Riverstone has helped companies to be ready to be assured by a third party in order to make reports worthy of scrutiny by investors and earn the trust of the investors in the long run.

ESG Capacity Building Courses for Companies in Singapore and Malaysia

Disclosure is only as strong as the people behind it. That’s why Riverstone also offers ESG capacity building courses for companies in Singapore and Malaysia to strengthen internal expertise and ensure sustainability practices are embedded into corporate culture.

These courses cover:

The Knowledge of ESG frameworks (GRI, TCFD, SASB, ISSB).
Local compliance (SGX and Bursa Malaysia reporting rules).
Skills of data collection, analysis and reporting (practical).
Leadership practices of governance and risk management.
Case studies and simulations to use ESG principles in practice.

Companies save time and expenditure on external consultants by enabling their board members, executives, and employees to have the appropriate knowledge which in the long run make them internal ESG champions.

Case Example: A Regional Manufacturing Company

A manufacturing company of medium size that operates both in Singapore and Malaysia was required to create a sustainability report to meet the needs of the investors. The company had difficulties in gathering homogenous information in its regional locations and did not understand the TCFD requirements.

Riverstone helped the company in a two-fold strategy:

Disclosure Support: This involved a materiality analysis, a data collection framework, and a report that was prepared using a GRI and TCFD framework.
Capacity Building: Conducted training workshops to teach the management team and the employees the ESG data management and compliance standards.

What came out was a professional and investor ready sustainability report which made the company a credible participant in its industry and enhanced access to green funds.

Why Companies Choose Riverstone for ESG Disclosure

Riverstone can be distinguished in Singapore and Malaysia ESG consulting environment due to a number of reasons:

Local Expertise: Intensive understanding of SGX and Bursa Malaysia needs will provide local conformity.
International Fit: Capability to harmonize local regulations with global systems renders clients competitive at the global level.
Practical Training: Hands on ESG building capacity training at companies within Singapore and Malaysia guarantee the transfer of knowledge to the internal teams.
Holistic Support: Riverstone extends disclosure to materiality assessment up to the preparation of the audit.
Experiential Track Record: Relied upon by companies in all sectors of industry, manufacturing to finance.

The Future of ESG Disclosure in Singapore and Malaysia

In the future, the role of ESG disclosure is only going to increase. Trends include:

Compulsory climate reporting to additional industries.
Incorporation with financing, with banks and investors becoming more connected on capital access status on ESG performance.
Disclosures based on technology, data analysis with the help of digital platforms and AI.
More attention towards social concerns, including diversity, equity, and human rights in supply chains.
The early entry by companies with established ESG disclosure and training will have an advantage of fulfilling these expectations.

Conclusion

ESG disclosure is no longer optional in the current business environment, and it is a mandatory attribute needed to be credible, compliant, and successful in the long term. Firms in Singapore and Malaysia not only need to create reports that will satisfy the regulatory requirements but also develop internal capacity to maintain such activities.

Riverstone ESG Consulting will offer the expertise and tools to do both. Riverstone assists businesses in Singapore and Malaysia to publish transparent and investor-ready reports through the support of ESG disclosures. In the meantime, its ESG capacity building training programs to companies in Singapore and Malaysia guarantee that workers and executives are ready to drive sustainability.

To the companies, which want to amplify their ESG experience, Riverstone has a solution, which is more than consulting it is the road to resilience, trust, and expansion in the sustainability-driven economy.