Asia Pacific Leads Global Sustainability Reporting Adoption
ACCA research finds disclosure is still treated as compliance rather than a source of business value.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Environmental
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ACCA released research finding that Asia Pacific is leading the world in adopting global sustainability reporting standards. More than 80 per cent of ASEAN economies by GDP have adopted or plan to adopt ISSB standards.
Why it matters
Economies representing around 47 per cent of global GDP have mandatorily or voluntarily adopted ISSB Standards, shaping how companies report sustainability information. The research finds finance functions have not yet translated that information into risks, opportunities and business value.
The research draws on interviews and roundtables with more than 40 finance and accountancy professionals and subject experts, alongside desktop research. Only three of the ISSB Board's 12 members are from Asia Pacific, and none are from ASEAN, leaving the extent to which the region's concerns are reflected in standard-setting unclear.
The players
ACCA
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is a global professional accountancy body that released the research on sustainability reporting in Asia Pacific.
The details
Research launched on the sidelines of the 33rd APEC Summit finds disclosure is still widely treated as a compliance exercise rather than a strategic tool. Malaysia aims to introduce reasonable assurance on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for its largest listed issuers from 2028.
Timeline
The ACCA research was launched on 11 November 2026 on the sidelines of the 33rd APEC Summit.
Malaysia aims to introduce reasonable assurance on emissions for its largest listed issuers from 2028.
Water and heat could shrink GDP by 2050 if left unaddressed, according to the Global Commission on the Economics of Water.
Big Picture
The ISSB's standards, built on the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures framework, are now being adopted across Asia Pacific, which the research says accounts for around 47 per cent of global GDP. Yet with only three of the ISSB Board's 12 members from the region and none from ASEAN, adoption is running ahead of influence over the standards themselves.
Companies supplying EU markets from Asia Pacific face growing pressure from EU due diligence and reporting directives, which will affect market access. Finance teams that treat sustainability data as a compliance task may find themselves unprepared for these requirements.
The takeaway
Sustainability disclosure is becoming a market-access requirement, so finance teams should move beyond compliance and connect emissions and climate data to business risk and value.
What happens next
Malaysia aims to introduce reasonable assurance on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for its largest listed issuers from 2028.
Further reading
For more on how climate and water risks are shaping regional policy, see the Environmental section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Eco-Business.
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