Eugene Tay

Google along with the Singapore Sustainable Finance Association (SSFA) organized a roundtable last week on advancing Nature-based Solutions in Southeast #Asia. We were joined virtually by Julia (Osterman) Strong and Natalie Urban, leaders at the Symbiosis Coalition for nature-based carbon removals. Google is a founding member of Symbiosis along with Microsoft, Meta, Salesforce, and McKinsey. Participants at the roundtable were members of the SSFA’s working groups on Natural Capital & Biodiversity and Carbon Markets, as well as representatives from Singapore government agencies that are working to scale high-integrity carbon markets: Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). It was a very informative exchange of views that involved banks, asset owners, rating agencies, property developers, regulators, and corporate buyers of carbon credits. As a result, many follow-up discussions will be held to explore specific collaborations between different parties. A big thank you to the discussants Valerie Lau, CFA from UBS, Melissa Moi from UOB, and Lucy Palairet from Standard Chartered for their remarks. Working group co-lead Eric Nietsch, CFA from Manulife Investment Management was also in attendance, along with the Director of the SSFA Kavitha Menon, CFA. Finally, much appreciation to the SSFA team, Lekha Patmanathan, Adreena Lau, Kai Scene N. and others, as well as my colleagues Kaela Montgomery and Xuefei Bai for their help with organizing the event, as well as Randy Spock and Tessa Owens for their support.

374

10 Comments

🌏💡 We’re building a trusted, high-impact single family office (SFO) ecosystem and channeling more of that capital to philanthropy. 🇸🇬 We now have > 2,000 SFOs — a 10x jump in five years. And we’re seeing it translate into real giving. Total giving hit S$431m in 2023, almost 2X the year before. This didn’t happen by chance. We made deliberate moves in this space, thanks to our many partners who have given me and my colleagues valuable feedback over the years. At MAS, we’ve strengthened our SFO framework and introduced tools like the Philanthropy Tax Incentive Scheme (PTIS) and the Overseas Humanitarian Assistance Tax Deduction Scheme (OHATDS). Together, these allow family offices and donors to channel support locally, and to humanitarian and charitable causes overseas — through qualified intermediaries — with meaningful tax benefits. We’ve also partnered the Community Foundation of Singapore and AVPN so SFOs and families can give with confidence — via donor-advised funds, outcomes-based approaches and vetted opportunities. Platforms like ImpactSG - Gateway to Giving and AVPN’s ImpactCollab (supported by MAS) also help match funders to credible causes, speeding up due diligence and amplifying impact. We will continue to work hard to keep make Singapore Asia’s philanthropy hub. Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) 📸: The Straits Times

198

8 Comments

It’s time to transform sustainability leadership from aspiration into actionable global impact. From the EU’s radical regulatory overhaul to Asia’s acceleration of ESG standards, the world’s sustainable finance framework is rapidly evolving. As a Senior Policy Researcher, Sustainable Finance Advisor, and Trustee for SDG development, I’ve seen firsthand how policy innovation, rigorous due diligence, and data-driven reporting are redefining the accountability and ambition of organizations worldwide. This year, Europe’s Omnibus proposal signals both opportunity and challenge: sharp deregulation risks data transparency, yet double materiality and strengthened due diligence (CSRD, CSDDD) remain vital for tackling climate and social risks across global value chains. Meanwhile, states like California and regions across Asia are raising the bar through climate disclosure laws and new sustainability taxonomies, setting new benchmarks for corporate and financial behavior. Our collective mission is clear—advance ESG as a strategic lever for ethical trade, financial stability, and resilient economies. The future hinges on verifiable, globally interoperable standards, not mere compliance. Only through collaboration, technology-driven insight, and courageous leadership can we empower nations, institutions, and communities to deliver sustainable growth for all. Let’s unite as agents of change—bringing foresight, integrity, and relentless drive to shape the rules of global engagement for future generations. #ESGLeadership #SustainableFinance #GlobalDevelopment #DoubleMateriality #ClimatePolicy #SDGs #PolicyInnovation #ImpactMatters #StrategicForesight

88

2 Comments