HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR

Held every year in partnership with the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Climate Action Week is the largest annual climate event of its kind, bringing together business leaders, political change makers, local decision makers and civil society representatives from all backgrounds.

1. Keynote Speech at UN Global Compact Leaders Summit

• CDL’s CSO, Ms Esther An was invited to give the Keynote Speech at UN Global Compact Leaders Summit on 24 September.
• Titled “Corporate Investments for Climate Ambitions – Sustainable Planet, People & Prosperity”, her presentation delved into investment and financing considerations associated with CDL’s decarbonisation plans to reach the Science-Based Target set with SBTi.
• Focusing on climate action, the presentation showcased how direct, real economy investments in critical areas of sustainable development can unlock scalable private sector contributions to the SDGs, supporting key priorities on the UN Secretary-General’s agenda.

2. WWF Panel: The Future of Nature and Climate-Related Disclosure in the US

• CDL’s CSO, Ms Esther An sat on the panel “The Future of Nature and Climate-Related Disclosure in the US”, which explored the link between climate change and nature loss, and how business disclosure is a key sustainability building block for changing the trajectory of both the climate and nature crises.
• The panel also featured:
  • Mr Judson Berkey, UBS Managing Director, Chief Sustainability Office;
  • Mr David Croft, Reckitt Group Head of Sustainability;
  • Mr Tony Goldner, TNFD Executive Director;
  • moderator Ms Elizabeth Aceituno, WWF Finance Private Sector Lead.

• Held at the SSA and organised by The Matcha Initiative and The Transmutation Principle, AlterCOP 29 was a remote alternative to COP29.
• The aim was to foster regional and local collaboration, and keep people informed about COP happenings in real time although they could not physically be there.
• Over 1,700 attendees came through the SSA & Annex across the two weeks and joined panels, workshops and masterclasses on the following subjects: Climate Change & Climate Justice; Waste & Circular Economy; Resilience & Adaptation; Green Finance & Investments; Energy & Decarbonisation; Human Capital, Youth, Bridging the Generational Gap; Biodiversity, Carbon Markets & Nature Based Solutions; Sustainable Cities & Tourism; Resource Management; Transport & Supply Chain.
• CDL CSO gave the welcome remarks on the first day and joined the panel “Energy Transition & Decarbonisation in Singapore and the region” with SMS Dr Koh Poh Koon on 15 November.
• For more information, click here.

• At COP29, CDL’s Chief Sustianability Officer Ms Esther An had an intensive 3-day participation sharing on topics such as greening the built environment, nature-based solutions to complement technologies as well as energy solutions as key to fast-forwarding action towards sustainable cities and planet:
  • Singapore Pavilion with subject experts on the adoption of Nature-positive approach to how cities and buildings can be designed, constructed and operated. The session on “A City in Nature” was graced by Minister Grace Fu.
  • UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) pavilion about Singapore’s greening of the city state to raise environmental, social and economic sustainability over nearly 6 decades.
  • Interview with CNA about the purpose of COP for businesses, and about the importance of communication and connection for businesses or any parties.
• A veteran in sustainability, Ms An’s thought leadership in COP25, 26, 27, 28 prior to COP29 has allowed CDL to establish presence on the global stage.

Singapore: 70   •  International: 44   •   Academia: 14

net-zero carbon future, nature-based solutions, sustainability reporting, strategic ESG/SDG integration, green building and smart technologies, ESG investing and green financing and more.

• CDL and East Coast Grassroots Organisations jointly organised “City in Nature: Conversation to Action” at Institute of Technical Education College East to enhance public awareness of climate impacts in Singapore and drive home the importance of public-private partnerships in the fight against the climate emergency.
• The session featured an engaging dialogue with Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, and Dr Winston Chow, Co-Chair of the IPCC Working Group II and Professor of Urban Climate and Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow at Singapore Management University, moderated by CDL’s CSO, Ms Esther An.
• The event saw a crowd of almost 400 participants as the dialogue zoomed into what climate change means for all of us in Singapore, and how we can better understand and prepare for the changes to our lives today and in the future.
• Watch the recording of the event here.

• The Sustainability Connect Symposium saw a full house at CDL’s SSA, and zoomed in on the role of ESG in driving sustainable finance to advance climate action.
• The session opened with special remarks by Dr Jesús López Zaballos. PhD, Chairperson, EFFAS – The European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies Board, which was followed by the plenary session featuring Mr Tan Chee Wee, IMC Pan Asia Alliance’s Head of Sustainability; Ms Regula Schegg, Circulate Capital’s Founding Partner; Mr Fritz Mostböck, Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA), Erste Group Bank AG’s Head of Group Research and EFFAS’ Deputy Chairperson; Mr Anthony Cheung, CESGA, World Benchmarking Alliance’s Supervisory Board Member, and moderator Ms Esther An, City Developments Limited’s Chief Sustainability Officer.
• The event closed with a sharing on ESG integration in valuation by Prof Dr Alexander Bassen, EFFAS CESGA Academic Director and Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s inaugural Chair of the Independent Standards Board.

• Companies that prioritise environmental performance, social responsibility, and good governance will be well recognised by leading global ratings and rankings. The Corporate Knights’ Global 100 ranking is considered the world’s preeminent sustainability equity index and gold standard in corporate sustainability analysis. As a benchmark for best practices in sustainable business, the Global 100 serves as a catalyst for broader adoption of responsible business and sustainability reporting practices across industries.
• Hosted at CDL’s SSA, this session spotlighted Corporate Knights’ CEO Mr Toby Heaps for a roundtable discussion on the topic of carbon reporting and strategies for closing the climate gap. The event brought together key stakeholders and experts, including leaders from companies listed on the Global 100, to engage in critical dialogue on carbon and climate reporting, and towards closing the climate reporting, investing and policy gaps.

‘The Remains of the Antarctic’ unveiled over 8,000 photo submissions taken from the 2023 Antarctic Climate Expedition (ACE) by 120 expedition ambassadors. These pictures hope to educate and inspire everyone to preserve the remains of this region and the health of our planet. The launch event featured a sharing by Ocean Geographic’s Founder Mr Michael Aw, along with interactions with ACE Ambassadors to help participants understand the importance of ocean and Antarctic conservation.

• CDL and Tsao Pao Chee (TPC) were pleased to co-present “A Conversation with David Craig”, Co-Chair of TNFD while he was in town. The event drew over 100 attendees, including representatives from corporates and financial institutions, highlighting the growing interest in nature-related financial disclosures.
• The event featured opening remarks by CDL’s CSO Ms Esther An, a panel with Mr David Craig and Ms Esther An, moderated by Mr Yuelin Yang, Deputy Group Managing Director, IMC Industrial Group, and closed with remarks by Professor Lawrence Loh, Director of Centre for Governance and Sustainability at NUS Business School.
• Key Insights: David Craig emphasised the shift in recognising nature as a strategic risk management issue, stating, “There is no credible path to net zero without nature” and how its crucial to view nature and climate together.
• Milestones Shared: One year since the TNFD launch, 440 organisations across 62 sectors are reporting on nature-related issues, representing over $6 trillion in market capitalisation and $16 trillion in assets under management. 25% of Global Systemically Important Banks (GSIBs) have committed to nature-related reporting, supported by 17 Consultation Groups globally and over 1,600 Forum members.
• Attendees gained insights into TNFD’s alignment with frameworks like ISSB, GRI, and CDP and its role in advancing global sustainability goals. The session reinforced the importance of accelerating nature-related disclosures and aligning business strategies with global policy targets.

CDL celebrated International Women’s Day with a session at SSA that mimicked a Singapore parliamentary debate on the topic ‘Empowering Women for Climate Solutions’. The debate was moderated by the ‘Speaker’, and involved exchanges between ‘ministry’ representatives from Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and members of the opposition.

The ruling representatives included: Coco Veda’s social entrepreneur, Simarna Singh, who represented MOM; CDL’s Sustainability Manager, Priscilla Tan, who represented MOE; National Youth Council’s CEO, David Chua, who represented MSF; EB Impact’s Manager, Kaamela Barvin, who represented MCCY; Steward Redqueen’s consultant Grace Chiang, and Our Singapore Reefs Co-Founder, Sam Shu Qin, who both represented the opposition party. Prime Minister’s Office’s Strategy Group Assistant Director of Global Partnerships, Reuban Manokara, represented the speaker. At the end of the debate, the audience participated in a democratic vote to pass the bill and table it in parliament

Engaging and educating staff about sustainability is vital for organisations committed to environmental responsibility. When employees are informed and involved, they can become advocates for sustainable practices, fostering a culture of accountability. Ultimately, a knowledgeable and engaged workforce is essential for integrating sustainability into the core operations and culture of a company. Organised by the CDL Sustainability team, the Intertidal Adventure with Biogirl MJ invited CDL staff to learn about Singapore’s natural environment and importance of conservation through a guided intertidal walk at Changi Beach, followed by a biodiversity workshop at the Singapore Sustainability Academy.

The One Young World Send-off, held at the SSA, gave 2024’s Singapore delegates a chance to meet with other delegates and also connect with One Young World Ambassadors who have attended the Summit in the past. The session kicked off with a welcome by CDL’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Ms Esther An, and also featured a dialogue between Samantha Thian, One Young World ASEAN Coordinating Ambassador, as well as Mr Jean-Dominique Ieraci, High Commissioner of Canada, who shared about the vibrant city of Montreal, the host for OYW 2024.

CDL took pride to be the first Singaporean company to send a representative to OYW Belfast in 2023, and sent their second delegate to the 2024 edition in Montreal, providing opportunities and exposure to nurture future leaders within the company.

The One Young World Send-off, held at the SSA, gave 2024’s Singapore delegates a chance to meet with other delegates and also connect with One Young World Ambassadors who have attended the Summit in the past. The session kicked off with a welcome by CDL’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Ms Esther An, and also featured a dialogue between Samantha Thian, One Young World ASEAN Coordinating Ambassador, as well as Mr Jean-Dominique Ieraci, High Commissioner of Canada, who shared about the vibrant city of Montreal, the host for OYW 2024.

CDL took pride to be the first Singaporean company to send a representative to OYW Belfast in 2023, and sent their second delegate to the 2024 edition in Montreal, providing opportunities and exposure to nurture future leaders within the company.

SDG Open Hack Singapore is an atypical hackathon that provides experiential learning of SDGs, organised by GGEF – a purpose-driven social enterprise set to promote innovation, sustainability and leadership. This hackathon encourages local students across various disciplines to come up with innovative solutions for societal and environmental issues linked to the UN SDGs. After seven education institutions campus editions, the winning teams gathered at the SSA for a final showdown and to celebrate their achievements. Four teams will be selected to win sustainability experiential trips to Japan and Bali plus internship opportunities.

This annual business case competition seeks to empower youths to become future sustainability champions by equipping them with the skills to integrate SDGs into business strategy and operations. It has attracted more than 4,100 youths since inauguration. Into its 14th year, 2024’s topic focused on SDG 13: Climate Action. The top three winning teams were crowned at the GCNS Summit 2024, which featured Guest-of-Honour Minister Chee Hong Tat, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance. For more information, please visit our website here.

In the lead up to World Environment Day 2024, the Company jointly organised the fifth edition of the contest with East Coast GRC. To prepare contest participants, the Company and East Coast GRC organised “Storytelling @ Bedok Public Library” on 16 March 2024, and parents and children learned the benefits of storytelling and received tips on being an engaging storyteller. The best entries were curated in a video titled “We Love Our Planet – Protect our Ocean!”. The prize presentation by DPM Heng Swee Keat took place at East Coast Family Fiesta. For more information, please visit our website here.

The CDL Green Gallery concluded its three-part climate exhibition series, and the final exhibition, “Melting Ice, Sinking Cities,” which delved into crucial themes of climate resilience and environmental conservation. Esteemed speakers gathered to share their insights on climate threats facing not only Singapore but also the polar regions, oceans, biodiversity and humanity.

The event commenced with enlightening presentations by distinguished experts in their respective fields:

• Dr. Andie Ang, President of the Jane Goodall Institute Singapore
• Dr. Stephen Chua, Research Assistant Professor at the Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang

Technological University

• Dr. Karenne Tun, Director of Coastal & Marine and Terrestrial at the National Biodiversity Centre
• Ms. Melissa Low, Research Fellow at the Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National

University of Singapore

• Dr. Chua Xin Rong, Research Scientist at the Centre for Climate Research Singapore

The CDL SME Supplier Decarbonisation Queen Bee programme, in partnership with EnterpriseSG, Global Green Connect, carbon accounting IT solution providers and financiers, aims to empower CDL’s selected 100 local SME suppliers to embark on their decarbonization journey by enhancing their ability in carbon accounting and reporting. SMEs with strong decarbonisation commitments and transparent data will have the opportunity to become preferred suppliers not only to CDL but also to other companies that are required to meet global carbon reporting standards and frameworks; such as CDP and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Participating SMEs can gain valuable knowledge and credibility for the data they collect through the program, as the framework for data collection is aligned with the requirements of CDP and SBTi. To date, 41 SMEs have successfully joined the programme.

CDL’s flagship youth environmental outreach programme, the Youth4Climate (Y4C) Festival, returned for its seventh edition in partnership with People’s Association and held at Heartbeat @ Bedok.

Held in support for Go Green SG Week (formerly known as Climate Action Week) organised by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE),

Y4C aims to rally youths and the community to accelerate climate action. DPM Heng Swee Keat, along with Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of National Development, Mr. Tan Kiat How graced the event. DPM Heng also delivered opening remarks at the

Y4C Festival on 13 July.

For more information on the event, please visit our website here.

We marked a significant milestone for CDL with the SSA Annex officially opening its doors on 25 July 2024. Opened by Guest-of-Honour Deputy Prime Minister Mr Heng Swee Keat, the opening ceremony saw more than 200 of CDL’s 3P partners and friends in attendance to celebrate the special occasion.

The 2,690 sq ft SSA Annex is an extension of the existing 4,300 sq ft SSA that was opened in 2017, marking Singapore’s first major People, Public and Private (3P) ground-up initiative that supports global and national goals to tackle climate change.

SSA Annex aims to promote sustainable practices, advocate for a low-carbon economy, and engage in businesses and the community. Intentionally built with conference facilities for in-person and virtual meetings, it anticipates uniting partners to develop innovative solutions that help advance collaborative efforts in climate action. It also houses classrooms and a gallery for sustainability-related training programmes and advocacy events, through engaging and educating partners and attendees, including members of the public.

Read our press release here.

The CDL EcoTrain arrived at City Square Mall on 19th September 2024 mid-night. Singapore’s first repurposed SMRT train cabin for sustainability education and awareness, the operationally zero-energy CDL EcoTrain aims to engage the community on pressing climate and sustainability issues, particularly younger children aged four and above. In collaboration with JKT, Singapore’s largest Science, Nature and Sustainability social media platform, the train will feature interactive displays, exhibits and workshops focused on environmental themes.

• Themed “Forward Faster Towards Business Sustainability to Achieve Decarbonisation, Digitalisation, Disclosure and Defence”, the 11th Hong Leong-CDL Group Annual Sustainability Forum was held at the SSA and attended by over 65 directors, senior management and staff of the Hong Leong and CDL Group of Companies.
• CDL’s CSO Ms Esther An kickstarted the forum with an introductory presentation, which was followed by presentations from each speaker, including:
  • Professor Lawrence Loh, Director, Centre for Governance and Sustainability at NUS Business School as our anchor knowledge speaker on key subjects of interest to corporate leaders;
  • Mr Michael Tang, Head, Listing Policy & Product Admission Head, Sustainable Development Office SGX RegCo;
  • Ms Yean Chong, Executive Director at SGTech Partner, Asia Pacific at Brand Ex Machina;
  • Mr Eric Lim, Chief Sustainability Officer at UOB; and
  • Mr Brad Weir, Head of Analytics ASIA, Aon.
• The panel discussion then ensued, and the session concluded with a closing by CDL’s Group CEO, Mr Sherman Kwek.
• Speakers shared insights about how corporates can embrace ESG business strategy to stay abreast of higher expectations from regulators, financiers, insurers and investors as well as professional support on CG reporting, IT application available.

• CDL made history and brought together renowned legendary conservationists Dr Jane Goodall and Dr Sylvia Earle for the first time in Asia.
• The event was attended by around 1,400 guests from all walks of life across the public, private and people sectors and raised some S$150,000 from ticket sales, which went towards environmental conservation efforts undertaken by JGIS and Ocean Geographic.
• The event highlights included:
  • Personal reflections and aspirations by Dr Goodall and Dr Earle, who shared their challenges and hopes for the planet
  • Children’s worries and wishes expressed by winners of CDL’s “We Love Our Planet” Storytelling Contest
  • A Net Zero pledge aimed at fostering a brighter and more sustainable future
  • An engaging dialogue between the two remarkable women, moderated by Ms Esther An, CDL’s Chief Sustainability Officer and Dr Shawn Lum, Senior Lecturer, NTU Asian School of the Environment
  • A musical performance by Singaporean musician Ms Inch Chua
  • Special Guest Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat presented the tokens of appreciation to Dr Goodall & Dr Earle from Singapore
• Read more about the event here.

In December 2024, in partnership with NParks, Ocean Geographic (OG), the Jane Goodall Institute of Singapore (JGIS) and 21 other community partners, CDL launched our first nature-action exhibition, themed “We Love Our Planet”. The exhibition highlights the critical role of nature and biodiversity in ensuring ecosystem resilience and addressing the climate crisis. It also aims to create greater awareness of the planet’s plight, how climate change is a major threat to the survival of humanity and biodiversity and to inspire more to care for our nature, our life source. The opening ceremony was graced by Dr Sylvia Earle, world-renowned marine biologist and oceanographer, along with NParks Management representatives as well as young winners from CDL’s “We Love Our Planet” Storytelling Contest.

The CDL Gallery’s outreach in 2024 comprised:

• 33,899 in-person visitors
• 1,474 virtual visits via its virtual exhibition site

Singapore Sustainability Academy Programmes