This webinar is part of the continuing cooperation among the SEC, the UN and the PRI in supporting the Thai capital market’s role in driving progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also brought to the fore investment management business operators, institutional investors and other capital market participants for an in-depth discussion on the Principles for Responsible Investment, particularly on the practices of integrating ESG factors in the investment process. At this webinar, experts from PRI as well as global market practitioners, who are PRI signatories, shared their knowledge, experiences and perspectives on responsible investment with over 300 participants.     

Ms. Ruenvadee Suwanmongkol, Secretary-General, the SEC Thailand, said: “The SEC places great emphasis on building an ecosystem conducive to sustainable development in the capital market, in line with the 20-year National Strategy and the UN SDGs. This webinar aims to enhance the understanding of investment management business operators and related parties on ESG integration. The SEC hopes that the market participants will be able to apply the shared knowledge and the Principles for Responsible Investment developed by PRI to their respective contexts, as deemed appropriate, as their efforts can contribute to the Thai capital market’s substantial progress in sustainable development. The SEC would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our intention to continue working with all sectors, both domestic and international, to build a sustainable capital market in Thailand in line with the UN SDGs.” 

Ms. Gita Sabharwal, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Thailand, said: “Capital markets have a huge influence on the Thai economy and responsible investments premised on ESG are crucial to bottom lines in a world increasingly dominated by concerns over long-term sustainability. Importantly, the PRI agenda must be domestically owned in Thailand and leadership on it has to come from within the country. By investing responsibly in line with the BCG and other policy frameworks, domestic champions of the investment world can lend invaluable support to these transformative sustainability agendas whose aims encompass inclusivity, equity and transparency. An important step in that direction was taken last year at the Sustainable Thailand Forum, where 43 financial institutions with total assets of $1.3 trillion committed to action on the SDGs and climate.”

Mr. James Robertson, Head of Asia (ex-China & Japan), PRI, said: “The PRI has been deeply encouraged by the strong growth in adoption of responsible investment practices and recognition of the importance of sustainability issues such as climate change and human rights by investors (and companies) across ASEAN. We welcomed this opportunity to collaborate with the SEC and UN to impart practical guidance and share good practice in responsible investment with Thai institutional investors and capital market participants. This webinar builds on initial sessions held in 2021, and we look forward to building on this successful partnership with further activities in the near future.”  

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Remarks:
- The PRI is an initiative developed by investors and supported by the United Nations, offering principles for responsible investment to be applied voluntarily to investment decision making and ownership practice. The PRI signatories are categorized into three groups, namely (1) Asset Owner, (2) Investment Manager, and (3) Professional Service Provider. The signatories agree to comply with the six Principles for Responsible Investment as follows:
Principle 1: We will incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes;
Principle 2: We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices;
Principle 3: We will seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest;
Principle 4: We will promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry;
Principle 5: We will work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles; and
Principle 6: We will each report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.
- This webinar is built on the previous one on the topic, “Getting Started in Responsible Investment: An Introduction to Key Concepts, Practices and the PRI for Thai Market Participants,” co-organized by the SEC, the UN and the PRI on 7th December 2021.