Singapore-based Tembusu Partners has taken an equity stake in Eco-Business and will be supporting the organisation in expanding its ESG activities across the globe.
Environment, social and governance (ESG) issues have been on the rise globally in recent years, fuelled by rising concerns over complex trans-national issues such as climate change, resource scarcity, pollution, exploitation of labour, supply chain management and rising inequality.
The global pandemic crisis triggered by Covid-19 has also pushed ESG issues into the mainstream as investors wake up to a more sustainable approach to investment.
According to consulting firm Deloitte, ESG assets are estimated to grow at a 16 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), totalling almost US$35 trillion by 2025.
As Asia Pacific’s first and leading media platform dedicated to sustainable development issues, Eco-Business is well-positioned to capitalise on the surge in ESG interest in Asia and globally.
“Covid-19 has highlighted that crucial relationship between humanity and our natural world. For far too long, people and ecosystems have been exploited to the detriment of the long-term resilience of our global society. ESG has moved from a fringe issue into the mainstream and governments and companies must urgently look at it,” said Jessica Cheam, founder and managing director of Eco-Business.
Established in 2009, Eco-Business is an independent media and business intelligence company dedicated to sustainable development and ESG performance.
It publishes trusted news and views in multimedia formats on business and policy developments around the world with a sustainability and ESG-focused lens. The Eco-Business website houses more than a decade-long archive of information on sustainable development issues in the region and globally.
Its content is categorised and searchable by the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and core sustainability topics, and it also provides a key platform for individuals and organisations to publish jobs, events, press release and research.
Eco-Business syndicates its trusted content to information providers such as Dow Jones’s Factiva, and also provides research, consulting and training for a wide range of multilateral, government, and private sector organisations at the Board level and throughout entire organisations.
It owns and creates thought-leadership platforms which inform policymaking, improve business practices and foster collaboration among different sectors.
Some flagship events and initiatives include its annual sustainable finance forum, Unlocking capital for sustainability; a regional summit on sustainable cities, Cities | Possibilities; and a sustainability innovation initiative The Liveability Challenge in partnership with Temasek Foundation.
Over the past decade, Eco-Business’s stories and initiatives have gained international recognition and won multiple regional and international awards such as the WAN-IFRA (World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers) Asian Digital Media Awards.
It is currently headquartered in Singapore, with a presence in Manila, Beijing, Zurich, New York, and correspondents in major cities across the world.
“We are excited to be partnering Tembusu on the next phase of the journey. As we continue our expansion and in Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States, we will continue to be guided by the sole objective of generating positive impact for society and the environment,” added Cheam.
In addition to covering Asia Pacific, Eco-Business will be ramping up its coverage on EU-Asia and US-Asia relations and policy developments, especially in the area of ESG. The company is slated to launch several new initiatives this year which will accelerate the sustainability innovation marketplace as well as provide strategic guidance on ESG issues to companies.
With this new partnership, Eco-Business founder and managing director Jessica Cheam, and executive director Junice Yeo, who is based in Beijing, will join the Tembusu team as ESG advisors.
“ESG initiatives are no longer perceived as a cost centre but rather, as a competitive advantage. We are pleased to partner Jessica and the Eco-Business team to leverage on their expertise to further strengthen Tembusu’s capability in this space,” said Andy Lim, founder and chairman of Tembusu Partners.
“We warmly welcome Jessica Cheam and Junice Yeo as ESG venture partners of Singapore and China respectively,” he added.
Separately, Daniel Lin, Co-Founder and CEO of Funded Here, a Singapore equity-based crowdfunding platform, has joined the board of Eco-Business. He brings a wealth of experience in financial services and will be advising the management team on bridging the worlds of finance and sustainability. He was previously on the board of EB Impact, the non-profit sister organisation of Eco-Business.
Industry observers have pointed out that while the coronavirus pandemic has wreaked economic havoc and pushed some industries to the brink, it has also created opportunities and incentives for ESG strategy and implementation.
“As countries around the region start recovering from the pandemic, Eco-Business will continue to play a key role in helping organisations navigate this new landscape and tie its recovery policies to positive sustainable development outcomes,” said Cheam.
