My post on LinkedIn can be seen here.

In a panel discussion on Green and Sustainable Investing organized by SIAS as part of its Silver Jubilee celebrations, I shared my views on the often-interchangeable use of the terms green, sustainable, and responsible investment. In my opinion, while these terminologies may differ, they all share a common objective: to establish best practices that foster investments aligned with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspirations and standards. These investments aim to meet broader societal goals while ensuring financial returns.

I likened the diversity in terminology to the differences among accounting standards such as US GAAP, IFRS, and the Singapore Financial Reporting Standards. Although these standards have unique approaches, they ultimately aim for the same outcome—financial statements that present a true and fair view of a company’s financial health. Similarly, the various terms in ESG-related investing all seek to align financial practices with responsible environmental and social outcomes.

The panel included distinguished speakers: Dr. Kevin Ow Yong Keng, Associate Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology, and Ms. Ho Pei Hwa, Senior Vice President of Equity Research at DBS Bank. The session was moderated by Mr. Loh Uantchern, CEO for Asia Pacific at Black Sun, and provided an insightful exchange of ideas on how investments can both drive positive change and meet financial objectives.

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