Sustainability accreditation initiative targets launch by end of 2026

The Association of Sustainability Professionals (ASP) is expected to launch by the end of 2026, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said. Announced during the Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3) Journey to Zero Conference 2026, the industry initiative was incubated with support from the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC).

BNM said ASP would seek to accredit and recognise sustainability competencies while improving capabilities and professional standards. The initiative supports the objectives set out in the SC’s Capital Market Masterplan 2026-2030.

Another initiative involves closer cooperation between JC3, the financial sector and six Malaysian universities. These are Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Universiti Malaya, Sunway University and Monash University. BNM said the collaboration aims to build financial-sector capacity through practical solutions, applied research and talent development.

BNM also said JC3 would keep developing climate and nature project opportunities through the Climate Finance Innovation Lab. The platform helps projects considered marginally bankable move closer to obtaining funding.

More than 800 people attended the two-day conference, representing government, academia, investors, businesses and the financial sector. Topics included carbon markets, adaptation, energy-transition financing and project bankability. BNM Governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour called on financial institutions to deepen their knowledge of nature-related risks and incorporate those considerations into business decisions and risk management.