KUALA LUMPUR (April 11): The Southeast Asian bloc of Asean has launched a simplified guide to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in supply chains disclose environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices to stakeholders.

In a statement on Friday, the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) said the Asean Simplified ESG Disclosure Guide (ASEDG) Version 1 was introduced by the Asean Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) during the Asean Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting.

The guide is designed to assist SMEs across Asean in reporting ESG practices to stakeholders, such as customers, investors, and lenders. It consolidates global and local ESG standards into 38 key disclosures, organised into basic, intermediate, and advanced levels to match different stages of sustainability readiness.

SC executive chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi said the commission, as the chair of the ACMF, is pleased to initiate development of this guide as a valuable contribution to Malaysia's Asean counterparts, adding that the ACMF is committed to promoting sustainable and inclusive growth across the region.

“We encourage SMEs, investors, and all stakeholders to use this guide as a catalyst for meaningful ESG adoption,” he said.

The ASEDG will be updated over time to reflect changes in global standards and regional feedback. Further consultations are planned across Asean member states over the next six months.

The ASEDG Version 1 is available at: https://www.theacmf.org/sustainable-finance/publications