From Commitments to Action: Scaling Sustainable Solutions in Singapore and Across Asia
Asia is at a critical inflection point. As geopolitical shifts reshape global leadership, capital flows, and supply chains, the region is no longer only implementing sustainability transitions—it is increasingly shaping them.
UNGCNS Summit 2026 is designed as an action-to-systems-to-scale journey, progressing through three interconnected layers:
- from practical implementation on the ground
- to enabling systems and technologies
- to the emergence of Asia’s leadership in the global sustainability transition
In this context, the Summit provides a structured pathway for leaders to translate ambition into action, and action into regional impact—moving from what works today → how it scales → who shapes what comes next.
Aligned with UN Global Compact principles and regional priorities, the Summit emphasises next-generation leadership by bringing together emerging and established voices to navigate a complex and rapidly evolving world.
Throughout the day, sessions highlight practical, real-world solutions across key transition areas, including:
- decarbonisation and the energy transition
- low-carbon and nature-positive urban development
- responsible use of artificial intelligence
- inclusive and equitable growth
- cross-sector and cross-border collaboration
Guest of Honour
Dr Janil Puthucheary
Senior Minister of State
Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment
Ministry of Education
Republic of Singapore
Agenda and Speakers
08:00 am - 09:00 amRegistration and Breakfast Networking
09:00 am - 09:10 am
Opening Address by Ms Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, CEO and Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact
Welcome Address by Dr Bicky Bhangu, President, UN Global Compact Network Singapore
09:10 am - 09:55 am
Fireside Chat: “Navigating Sustainability Amid Global Uncertainties” by Dr Janil Puthucheary
This fireside chat will explore why sustainability action remains critical to Singapore’s economic resilience, social cohesion, and global competitiveness, even amid increasing geopolitical, economic, and operational uncertainties. The conversation will examine how businesses can adopt pragmatic and phased approaches to sustainability in the near to medium term while continuing to build long-term resilience and value creation, and will offer perspectives on the priority areas and practical actions that organisations — from large corporates to SMEs and professional service providers — can realistically focus on over the next one to three years as the global sustainability landscape continues to evolve.
09:55 am - 10:15 am
CDL-UNGCNS Young SDG Leader Awards presented by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Janil Puthucheary
Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore
Reflecting UNGCNS’ commitment to nurturing the next generation of sustainability leaders in support of the UN Global Compact movement.
10:50am - 11.40 am
Forward Faster in Action: Translating Commitments into Measurable Impact
Building on the strategic framing from the opening fireside chat, this plenary demonstrates how companies, SMEs, and civil society organisations are translating sustainability commitments into tangible outcomes on the ground. Through real-world examples of low-carbon initiatives, circular economy practices, and cross-sector partnerships, this session highlights what is working in practice and why.
Audience engagement via Slido will be incorporated to surface practical insights and takeaways, ensuring the discussion remains grounded in implementation realities rather than abstract ambition.
11:40 am - 12:35 pm
Breakout Session 1
| Track 1 Mobilising Capital at Scale: Financing Asia’s Sustainable Transition (Workshop, Saffron Room) Gain practical tools to mobilise public and private capital for sustainable projects across Asia. Participants will explore de-risking strategies, innovative financing mechanisms, and partnership models to achieve measurable impact. 1) Rajesh Sundaresan, Co-Founder, Carbon Impact Capital (2) Ann Tan, Managing Director, CSP APAC | Track 2 Beyond Greenwashing: ESG Integrity, Accountability and Trust in Asia (Panel Discussion, Ballroom) As ESG expectations across Asia continue to evolve, organisations are under growing pressure to demonstrate credible, consistent, and decision-useful action beyond commitments. This session explores how companies are strengthening ESG governance, improving disclosure practices, and building trust across complex regional value chains, with panellists sharing practical approaches to managing ESG risks, meeting emerging expectations, and embedding accountability into real-world business decisions. 1) Eric Lim, CSO, UOB (2) Prof. Lawrence Loh, Director, Centre for Governance and Sustainability (CGS), NUS Business School |
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Networking Lunch
02:00 pm- 02:50 pm
Breakout Session 2
| Track 3 Preparing for Inequality and Social-Related Financial Disclosures (Fireside Chat, Saffron Room) This fireside chat explores how companies impact social disparities and the wider economy, and how they can contribute to more just and resilient societies. Participants will also learn how to prepare for the TISFD in 2027, including reporting on social sustainability matters. SDG Focus: 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 16 (Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions), 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) (1) Prof. Teo Yeo Yenn Provost's Chair in Sociology, Director, Centre for the Study of Social Inequality (CSSI) School of Social Sciences NTU (2) Sharan Burrow, Co-chair TISFD (3) Vivien Ang, Chief Sub-Editor Business Times | Track 4 Water Resilience: Business Solutions for a Sustainable Asia (Panel Discussion, Ballroom) Participants tackle real-world water challenges, exploring nature-based solutions, technology adoption, and cross-sector partnerships. The session provides practical strategies to strengthen resilience, manage water risks, and integrate water management with broader climate and ESG priorities. SDG Focus - 6 (Clean Water & Sanitation) |
02:40 pm - 03:40 pm
Plenary Panel
Nature-Positive Cities, Climate Action & Growth: Can Asia Deliver All Three?
As Asia urbanises at pace, the challenge is to deliver cities that are not only low-carbon, but also nature-positive and economically viable. This session focuses on how this can be achieved in practice, through city- and project-level solutions such as nature-based infrastructure, integrated urban planning, and scalable development models.
Panellists will examine real-world trade-offs and share practical insights on what it takes to implement and scale nature-positive urban solutions across Asia.
(1) Kristina Angelova, The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
(2) Esther An, CSO, City Developments Limited
03:40 pm - 04:30 pm
Plenary Panel
AI as a Force Multiplier for Sustainable Growth
Explores how AI can accelerate sustainability outcomes—improving efficiency, transparency, and low-carbon initiatives—while highlighting practical trade-offs around energy use, governance, and workforce impact. Participants will hear how organisations can adopt AI responsibly over the next 1–3 years, using it as a tool to scale measurable impact without compromising trust or ethical standards. The session will leave leaders with concrete guidance on leveraging AI to drive sustainable growth across Asia.
(1) Sorouch Kheradmand, Global Head of Sustainability, Schneider Electric
(2) Andrew Buay, CEO, Human Meridian
(3) Spencer Low, Google
(4) Grace Sai, Unravel Carbon
04:30 pm - 05:20 pm
Closing Plenary
Asia’s Moment: China, Regional Leadership and the Next Chapter of Sustainable Growth
As global dynamics shift, Asia is increasingly shaping the next phase of sustainable growth. This closing plenary takes a systems-level view, exploring how China’s influence—through capital, supply chains, and regional platforms—is reshaping development across Asia.
The discussion will consider what this means for ASEAN and businesses in the region, and how Asia can move from participant to architect of the global sustainability agenda, setting the direction for future collaboration and growth.
05:20 pm
Closing Remarks by David Fogarty, CEO & ED, UN Global Compact Network Singapore
The closing remarks will synthesise the day’s discussions, reaffirm UNGCNS’s role as an enabler of trusted partnerships, and challenge participants to turn dialogue into concrete action. Attendees will be encouraged to collaborate across sectors and borders to help build Asia’s next sustainable growth engine.
Note: Programme is subject to change.
Updated as of May 2026.
