The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) organizes the annual "SET Sustainability Forum" on Wednesday February 15, a gathering of experts from various sectors to focus on key sustainability or ESG trends affecting business directions, risk management and investment.
SET Sustainability Forum 1/2023: "Comprehending Key Changes for Leaders in a Disrupted World" is presided over by SET Chairman Prasarn Trairatvorakul, who gives a keynote address on "Sustainability Transformation - the Real Test for Leadership", participated by ESG experts to share their viewpoints and envision key ESG trends as follows:
- The government sector adaptation in the environmental dimension, based on the essence of the COP26/COP27 conferences with effect on the business sector in Thailand particularly in terms of various rules & regulations, generating both risks and business opportunities
- Human rights issues across the value chain with increasing global interests
- The significance of ESG data to investors as a determinant of investment strategies for investors around the world
- ESG risks that leaders from all sectors should know and pay attention to, covering business adaptation, board of directors' roles, risk assessment tools application, including institutional investors' perspectives
According to SET Chairman Prasarn Trairatvorakul, 2023 is seen as the year when the Thai business sector needs leadership with utmost capabilities, due to more severe and complicated economic, social and environmental problems, resulting in continuous and up-close impact. However, Thailand still has potential and advantages. The sooner business operators adapt, the more opportunities they can grab and the more competitive we can finally be. Significantly, the success factor in transitioning to sustainability in a timely manner needs visionary leaders with holistic views of E, S, and G inclusively. Leaders who are ready to take action and lead the organization to get updated with the advanced world, with capabilities to work with all partners so as to synergize to turn the situation around or create positive impacts in tangible ways.
"This is a test for true leaders at the crossroads we are all facing today. One way is Business as Usual or BAU, or thinking that many companies haven't started yet so we can still go on without it. The other way is to be a leader who visualizes and realizes that actually our company can cut back the use of resources and energy much more. Our company can help the society to develop quality new gens via employee welfare that enables them to not only take care of themselves but their children at different ages," added Prasarn.
SET constantly supports all sectors and encourages them to realize the importance of ESG and the implementation with responsibility among stakeholders, by providing knowledge, building understanding, updating ESG trends, and creating a network of sustainability-focused & sustainability-driven personnel in the capital market, while initiating ESG tools to support the business sector. Interested persons can watch back the seminar via online channels: SET Thailand's Facebook & YouTube.