This issue marks the third edition of Planet Edge, an annual sustainability-themed print supplement by The Edge Singapore. Launched with just six stories over 12 pages in 2023, this year’s iteration features 15 stories and two special features, spanning 16 pages in total.
Planet Edge shares the mission of The Edge Singapore; our coverage of Singapore-listed stocks and investing strategies for the region aims to help investors make informed decisions.
While our corporate pages focus on the financial health of public companies, Planet Edge examines the non-financial information disclosed by these listed companies. We hope this provides a holistic view of stocks in your portfolio.
This year’s edition of Planet Edge begins with two special features. Across this page is a feature on Springleaf Residence, GuocoLand’s upcoming biodiversity-focused development. It complements ongoing coverage from our real estate colleagues at EdgeProp Singapore.
The other feature spotlights palm oil company Musim Mas and its efforts to find innovative solutions to meet growing demand for the commodity. Accompanying this feature are recent comments by Olam Group CEO Sunny Verghese, who sees eight “gaps” in the global food and agricultural production sector.
The focus then shifts to two firms integral to Singapore’s economy. Temasek’s chief sustainability officer Park Kyung-Ah shares her thoughts on how the global investor engages with its portfolio companies; while the Monetary Authority of Singapore releases data on Singapore’s market for green, social, sustainability and sustainability-linked bonds and loans.
See also: Equinix issues $650 mil of green bonds due 2032 at 2.9% in sophomore S’pore offering
Listed companies face mandatory climate reporting for the current financial year, and even private companies here are being coaxed to do the same in the coming years. We spotlight three sustainability reporting tools available to the spectrum of companies here, from small- and medium-sized enterprises to large listed companies — most are free of charge for fledging firms.
Some listed companies, however, are pushing back against Singapore Exchange Regulation’s (SGX RegCo) climate reporting rules. They have given feedback to industry bodies that the expectations are too onerous, but the bourse regulator appears unmoved in its stance, telling The Edge Singapore that it is “aware” the step-up in climate reporting standards is “ambitious”.
While Singapore grapples with climate reporting, other markets have already progressed onto disclosing nature-related issues and its potential impact on business. Singapore’s three banks have joined forces to create a first-of-itskind report examining this issue, with the palm oil industry as a case study.
See also: DBS China signs MOU to advance carbon credit trading in China
Two listed companies — Frasers Property and Seatrium — recently joined City Developments and United Overseas Bank in adopting reporting standards recommended by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, a global market initiative. While only eight Singaporean firms have pledged to include such information in their annual sustainability reports, nature reporting could be the next hurdle for companies here.
Last month, the Singapore Institute of Directors invited TSMP Law Corporation joint managing partner Thio Shen Yi to explain how former Inter-Pacific Petroleum director Goh Jin Hian won an appeal to overturn a 2024 ruling over the losses of the now-insolvent marine fuel supplier.
On a panel that also included DBS Group Holdings independent director Tham Sai Choy, both lawyer and auditor discussed board directors’ duty of care, with their comments captured in our half-page report.
Stories in the latter half of this supplement spotlight global views on transition finance and energy. We have also included light-hearted features on how the luxury and hospitality sectors are shaping up to meet the demands of the environmentally-conscious traveller.
We hope this package of 17 stories helps investors and executives as they reflect on their own net-zero journeys.
Read the full slate of stories from Planet Edge 2025:
- A respectful integration with nature at GuocoLand’s Springleaf Residence
- Achieving food security will require partnerships: Musim Mas
- Olam CEO lists ‘eight major gaps’ to close for a food-secure future
- Temasek CSO discusses goal of improving portfolio performance, reducing emissions
- Singapore is Asean’s largest market for labelled bonds and loans
- Labelled bond issuance falls 25% y-o-y to US$440 bil in 1H2025
- Carbon accounting tools Gprnt, SEFR, ESGenome help firms calculate emissions
- SGX RegCo expects ‘quality reports’ aligned with ‘ambitious’ ISSB standards, despite feedback of slow progress
- TNFD adopters Frasers Property, Seatrium disclose nature-related issues in sustainability reports
- Goh Jin Hian’s lawyers explain appeal win, discuss board directors’ duty of care
- DBS, OCBC, UOB team up for nature-related credit risk report
- MSCI’s Transition Finance Tracker highlights need for forward-looking corporate climate data
- SMBC CSO discusses Japan’s energy future
- Hospitality groups reshape hotel offerings with ESG at the core
- In private aviation, reducing ferry flights should come before adopting sustainable fuels
- OCBC, CLI, CICT top S’pore names in 2024 Asean Corporate Governance Scorecard
- FairPrice Group updates baseline year of net-zero targets, plans greener stores
