Asean launches Sustainable and Responsible Fund Standards

A WEEK after I wrote about the launching of the Asean Sustainability-linked Bond Standards, the 37th Asean Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) also launched the Asean Sustainable and Responsible Fund Standards (SRFS), in which I participated as the head of delegation for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

This follows the release of the Roadmap for Asean Sustainable Capital Markets in May 2020, which contains actionable recommendations to provide strategic direction and guide the ACMF and its members in developing action plans and initiatives across the region to drive Asean's sustainable agenda forward. The SRFS is in line with the roadmap's recommendation on catalyzing products and enabling access to underserved areas to further expand the sustainable asset class that comprises equity, bonds and funds.