AITE Workshop

Workshop by AIT Extension

Workshop Title: Greener Futures: ESG Frameworks and Sustainability in the Real World
Date: 11th September 2025

Time: 10:00 – 12:00 hrs.

Venue: Robert B. Banks Auditorium, AIT Conference Center

Click here to register!

Workshop Program Brief

Title: Greener Futures: ESG Frameworks and Sustainability in the Real World
 Organized by: AIT Extension
 Supported by: RecyGlo

Background and Rationale

Over the past decade, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles have shifted from voluntary corporate responsibility measures to mandatory strategic requirements in many industries. ESG frameworks are increasingly embedded in investment decision-making, regulatory compliance, supply chain standards, and stakeholder expectations. According to the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA, 2022), sustainable investing assets reached USD 35.3 trillion, accounting for over 36% of all professionally managed assets worldwide—a clear signal that markets now reward organizations with strong ESG performance.

  1. Regulatory Drivers
     Governments and regulatory bodies are making ESG disclosures mandatory. Examples include:
  • European Union: The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), effective from 2024, mandates over 50,000 companies to disclose ESG data in standardized formats.
  • United States: The SEC’s proposed climate disclosure rules require companies to report on climate-related risks and Scope 1–3 emissions.
  • ASEAN: Countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand have introduced sustainability reporting guidelines for listed companies. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) now requires listed firms to disclose ESG risks and management strategies annually.
  1. Investor and Market Expectations
     Institutional investors, such as BlackRock and State Street, prioritize ESG ratings in portfolio management. Poor ESG performance can lead to reduced access to capital, lower valuations, and reputational damage.
  2. Supply Chain and Trade Compliance
     Global buyers are demanding ESG compliance from suppliers. For example:
  • The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will require exporters of carbon-intensive products to report and pay for embedded emissions.
  • Brands like Apple and Unilever require full ESG compliance from their supply chains.
  1. Risk Management and Resilience
     ESG integration helps industries anticipate and mitigate risks from climate change, resource scarcity, labor issues, and governance failures. For example, CDP (2023) reports that climate-related supply chain disruptions cost companies over USD 1.26 trillion in 2022 alone.
  2. Competitive Advantage and Innovation
     Companies with strong ESG strategies outperform peers in operational efficiency, brand trust, and market share. According to a McKinsey (2020) study, ESG leaders enjoy 10–20% higher equity returns than laggards.

Industry-Specific Imperatives

  • Manufacturing & Energy: Regulations on carbon emissions, waste management, and occupational safety make ESG compliance critical for operational licenses.
  • Financial Services: ESG-linked lending, green bonds, and sustainable finance frameworks require integration into credit assessments.
  • Technology: Data privacy (Governance) and e-waste management (Environmental) are increasingly regulated.
  • Agriculture & Food: Social equity in labor practices and sustainable land management are essential to meet both compliance and market standards.

In Southeast Asia, ESG adoption is also driven by the need to align with ASEAN Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement commitments, and national net-zero targets. Thailand, for example, has committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero emissions by 2065, making ESG integration a cornerstone of industrial policy.

This workshop, “Greener Futures: ESG Frameworks and Sustainability in the Real World,” is designed to respond to these multi-sectoral imperatives. By combining foundational ESG knowledge with practical, industry-specific case studies from RecyGlo, it equips participants with actionable strategies to navigate compliance demands, unlock market opportunities, and future-proof their organizations against emerging sustainability challenges.

Objectives

  1. Build a solid understanding of ESG principles, standards, and reporting frameworks.
  2. Explore industry-specific ESG requirements and compliance obligations.
  3. Analyze real-world ESG adoption cases and extract practical lessons.
  4. Identify and address common barriers to ESG implementation.
  5. Apply ESG thinking to participants’ own professional and organizational contexts.

Agenda (10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon)

Time

Session Title

Description

10:00 – 10:10

Welcome & Introduction

Overview of workshop objectives, industry context, and participant expectations.

10:10 – 10:25

Special Guest 

Opening Remarks

Speaker has to be finalized….TBD

10:25 – 11:10

ESG Frameworks Explained and Case Studies by Recyglo

Fundamentals of ESG principles; global standards (GRI, SASB, TCFD, CSRD); industry-specific compliance requirementsReal-world applications in manufacturing, logistics, and waste management; lessons learned and innovative solutions.

11:10 – 11:20

Coffee Break

Networking and peer discussion.

11:20 – 11:50

Panel discussion: Practical Challenges & Solutions

Interactive discussion on barriers and strategies for ESG integration across industries.

4 PANELIST AND MODERATOR HAS TO BE IDENTIFIED

11:50 – 12:00

Application to Participants’ Context

Guided reflection and Q&A; identifying ESG opportunities and next steps.& Closing remarks

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. Define ESG concepts and explain their relevance to sustainable business.
  2. Recognize sector-specific ESG compliance requirements.
  3. Evaluate real-world ESG adoption challenges and solutions.
  4. Develop strategies for overcoming ESG implementation barriers.
  5. Apply ESG thinking to identify opportunities in their own professional context.
  6. Network with peers and explore cross-sector collaboration opportunities.

References

  1. Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (2022). Global Sustainable Investment Review.
  2. McKinsey & Company (2020). Five Ways that ESG Creates Value.
  3. CDP (2023). Supply Chain Report.
  4. European Commission (2022). Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
  5. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (2022). Proposed Rule on Climate-Related Disclosures.
  6. Stock Exchange of Thailand (2023). Sustainability Reporting Guidelines.
  7. ASEAN Secretariat (2021). ASEAN Sustainable Development Goals Framework.