The Securities and Exchange Commission, Thailand (SEC Thailand), in partnership with the CFA Institute and CFA Society Thailand, hosted a specialized seminar series focused on embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations into the investment landscape. The seminars, “Analysts Workshop: The Impact of Sustainability Issues on Valuation and Performance” for investment analysts and “Navigating the Future of Investing in the Time of Sustainability: A Paradigm Shift in the Roles of Investment Consultants?” for investment consultants, were designed to advance professionals’ understanding of how ESG factors affect corporate operations, financial valuation, and the broader investment environment. The seminars took place on 4 November 2024.

SEC Thailand Assistant Secretary-General, Mrs. Charuphan Intararoong opened the event with remarks highlighting the growing importance of ESG in enhancing market resilience and investor confidence. She expressed gratitude to Mr. Richard McGillivray, Senior Director of Product Advocacy and Education for Asia Pacific at CFA Institute, for his valuable contributions. Mr. McGillivray led interactive sessions, including workshops and case studies, that engaged approximately 200 industry participants, including executives, analysts, and consultants from across Thailand’s capital markets.These seminars underscore SEC Thailand’s commitment to building a sustainable capital market by equipping investment professionals with essential ESG knowledge and analytical tools, ensuring they are well-prepared to adapt to the evolving demands of responsible investing.

Mr. Richard McGillivray. Senior Director, Product Advocacy and Education, Asia Pacific CFA Institute said: “Environmental, Social and Governance issues impact the performance and profitability of companies. The incorporation of sustainability considerations into investment analysis and decision-making therefore continues to gain significant traction globally. CFA Institute is dedicated to enhancing ethical and professional standards within the investment industry. This includes helping investment professionals perform in emerging fields of practice such as the ability to understand, identify, and integrate material sustainability into their analyses and investment decisions. In collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand, this forum serves as an invaluable platform to exchange insights, tackle challenges, and explore strategies for improving the utilization of ESG disclosures and sustainability data in assessing the long-term value and performance of assets.

Kingpai Koosakulnirund, Vice President, CFA Society Thailand said: “Thailand’s capital market has been advancing on the ESG front with the promoting of ESG disclosure and reporting. Investment analysts are playing the next vital role by integrating ESG-related information to their analysis. Since the integration of ESG factors into investment analysis and valuation is relatively a new practice, having a practical workshop would be a useful starting point for investment analysts.”