If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like when an entire region decides to stop talking about sustainability and finally start doing something about it, then picture this: over a thousand policymakers, financial leaders, innovators, and change-makers gathering in Kuala Lumpur with one shared mission. That was the energy at the ICAEW ASEAN Sustainability Summit, where ambition was no longer the headline, action was.

The Summit That Rewired ASEAN’s Net-Zero Roadmap

Held at the Securities Commission Malaysia, the summit, aptly themed “ASEAN Rising: The Net Zero Playbook”, became a milestone moment for the region’s sustainability movement. More than 600 delegates in-person and 500 virtual attendees tuned in as ICAEW positioned the accountancy profession right at the heart of the net-zero transition.

Alan Vallance, ICAEW’s Chief Executive, reminded the region that sustainability isn’t just a climate issue, it’s an ethics, trust, and transparency issue too. Accountants, he said, hold something more powerful than spreadsheets: data that drives real-world decisions.
He emphasised that turning ambition into action requires “collaboration across borders, sectors and generations,” highlighting ICAEW’s work with regulators to advance credible sustainability reporting, including workshops on IFRS S1 and S2 standards.

From Policy Pillars To Practical Plans

Malaysia used the summit to make its stance clear. It’s the foundation of the future economy. Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, Dato’ Faiz Azmi outlined Malaysia’s commitment to:

• Achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050
• Implementing a carbon tax next year targeting high-emission industries
• Advancing the National Energy Transition Roadmap
• Tabling the long-awaited Climate Change Bill

The message was unmistakable. ASEAN’s path to net zero is not just environmentally necessary, it’s economically strategic. A harmonised regional approach in reporting, financing, and collaboration will position ASEAN as a serious global sustainability contender.

Collaboration Is the New Currency Of Sustainability

If one theme echoed throughout the ICAEW ASEAN Sustainability Summit, it was this: nobody goes net zero alone.
ICAEW Southeast Asia Director Elaine Hong stressed the need for alignment and trust across the region, spotlighting ICAEW’s Sustainability Accelerator Programme and Climate & Sustainability Community, initiatives that arm professionals with the practical skills to lead sustainability transitions.

Across five thematic panel sessions, leaders from PETRONAS, HSBC, KPMG, Deloitte, PwC, Oxford University, City Developments Limited Singapore and more debated everything from green financing to climate scenario analysis.

Youth voices also took centre stage through:

• A lively Student–Practitioner Debate on whether sustainability should cost more or less
• The COFAR Challenge, showcasing innovative flood adaptation ideas from the region’s rising changemakers

The summit closed with a powerful call to action from IFAC President Jean Bouquot and ICAEW leadership: ethics, data quality, and transparency must anchor ASEAN’s sustainability systems if the region wants real impact, and not just impressive headlines.