On the frontlines

This podcast series launched in early 2025, after the election of Donald Trump as United States president. It explores the challenges business leaders in Asia are facing in pushing the sustainability agenda at a time when the discipline is under growing pressure to prove its value.

Luanne Sieh has been group chief sustainability officer at CIMB Bank for the last eight and a half years

The Malaysia-headquartered bank's sustainability chief tells the EB Podcast about the discipline's mandate to prove value, wrestling with NGOs, and greenwashing in finance.

25 May 2026

Unless sustainability heads allow other functions to lead ESG, it will never be fully integrated into a business, the CSO of the world's second-largest palm oil company tells the EB Podcast. But in doing so, how confident can they be that the business will stay on the right path?

L'Occitane's Asia Pacific director of sustainability Venisa Chu

The Asia Pacific ESG head of the B Corp-certified cosmetics firm says refill stations have been disappointing and getting suppliers on board with decarbonisation is difficult, but her team has not been affected by the ESG backlash.

John Haffner, deputy director of sustainability, Hang Lung Properties, says internal advocacy has been key to driving the sustainability agenda. Image: ReThink 2

Having "stretch targets" can spur innovation, says the sustainability chief for one of Hong Kong's largest real estate firms in the latest episode of "On the frontlines". He also shares why the firm has chosen to publish the draft of its net zero plan for open discussion of its climate targets.