The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is pushing for a deeper integration of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles across businesses of all sizes to benefit not only the private sector but also the broader economy.

Commissioner and Sustainability Committee Chair Javey Paul D. Francisco on Thursday called on local firms to adopt ESG practices as a long-term strategy to enhance resilience and competitiveness.

“At the SEC, we believe that true progress toward a sustainable future is achieved not in leaps and bounds, but through cultivating consistent sustainable habits and embedding them within our organizational systems,” Francisco said.

ESG adoption is the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance principles into business practices to promote sustainability, ethical operations and long-term growth.

SEC initiatives

The SEC’s initiatives, such as the 2019 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines for Publicly Listed Companies, provide companies with clear frameworks for integrating ESG principles into their operations.

Additionally, the SEC’s Roadshow, which targets Small and Medium Enterprises, equips these businesses with the knowledge and tools to incorporate sustainability into their growth strategies.

The Commission also advances sustainable finance through the Philippine Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Guidelines to offer a standardized framework for directing investments into projects that generate positive environmental and social impacts.