The Asia Sustainability Leadership Council (ASLC), a Singapore-headquartered business insights initiative run by United States-based non-profit The Conference Board, has closed due to a funding shortfall and dwindling support from members, Eco-Business has learnt.
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The Conference Board launched the Asia-focused council in 2020 to provide training and networking for professionals working for billion-dollar multinational corporations in sustainability reporting, and to help them embed sustainability principles into business strategy and operations.
The Conference Board has merged ASLC with its China-focused sustainability council based in Shanghai, and a new council is to be established focused on Australia and New Zealand, where there is a more advanced sustainability disclosure ecosystem, according to a source familiar with the organisation.
Sustaining interest from members in Singapore and Southeast Asia has been challenging while there has been growing interest in China’s approach to sustainability, the source said.
The China Sustainability Leaders Council will be renamed the Asia Sustainability Leadership Council. It will be led by Shanghai-based Lorne Micheal Cousins, a former environmental auditor and management consultant, who is also a senior fellow for The Conference Board’s China Center.
The Australia and New Zealand Sustainability Leadership Council will be run by former United Nations policy analyst and sustainability consultant John Pabon.
Eco-Business has reached out to The Conference Board on the latest developments.
The Conference Board was founded in 1916 as the business community’s response to a period of workforce labour unrest in the US. It is known for pushing for key legislation such as paid maternity leave in the country. It has over 1,000 public and private corporations as members in 60 countries.
The organisation runs sustainability leadership councils in other jurisdictions including Europe. It runs programmes across other disciplines, including the Asia Supply Chain Management Council, Asia Talent Management Council and Asia Health & Safety Council.
