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New Report Highlights Need for Ecosystem Approach to Help MSMEs in Southeast Asia Adopt More Sustainable Practices
- Report by the Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP) finds growing momentum among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Southeast Asia to adopt sustainability practices, driven by commercially motivated goals such as reducing costs, improving long-term efficiency, meeting consumer demand, entering new markets and attracting talent.
- As significant variations in ESG awareness and adoption exist across the region, advancing the adoption of ESG practices will require coordinated efforts from governments, industry associations, MNCs, investors, and financial institutions to provide MSMEs practical, constructive assistance.
- The report identifies key challenges and five ecosystem actions to unlock the full potential of MSMEs in advancing sustainable supply chains.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 May 2025 – The “Transforming for Sustainability: Driving Impact and Value through Supply Chain Action” report, by the Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP) found that MSMEs in Southeast Asia recognise the business value of adopting sustainability practices – from lowering costs and improving long-term efficiency (39%) to attracting or retaining talent in a values-driven workforce (27%) – and want to do more.
At the same time, many global multinational corporations (MNCs) are making long-term sustainability commitments, setting higher expectations across their supply chains. As MSMEs often serve as key suppliers, aligning with these evolving standards – including MNC supplier codes – is becoming increasingly critical to remain competitive and secure long-term growth opportunities.
Launched today at Ecosperity Week’s Impact Investing Roundtable 2025, the report explores key barriers to increasing supply chain sustainability and identifies practical enablers and tools across four sectors: consumer goods, food and beverage, electrical and electronics, and tourism. The findings are based on a survey of over 3,500 MSMEs from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam, alongside interviews with 85 organisations across Asia — including MNCs, solution providers, and ecosystem enablers. The report builds on CIIP’s 2024 study, developed in partnership with PwC Singapore, titled “It Takes a Community”: Enabling SME Resilience in FMCG Supply Chains.
While sustainability and ESG are separate concepts, they are closely linked – especially when looking at how ESG practices support sustainability goals. To better understand how MSMEs are putting sustainability into action, 21 practices were identified and mapped across the areas of “environmental”, “social”, and “governance”.
Encouragingly, 84% of MSMEs have adopted at least one ESG practice, with social practices being the most common due to mandated social employee protection policies in each of the countries studied. Waste management was the most common environmental practice, reflecting this key concern across the region. However, much more needs to be done.
“MSMEs are the backbone of Southeast Asia’s economies and essential partners in advancing sustainable supply chains,” said Ms. Dawn Chan, Chief Executive Officer, CIIP. “Their growing interest in ESG signals a real opportunity to unlock business resilience and long-term value. This report aims to provide a clearer view of what MSMEs need to succeed, and how ecosystem players, from industry leaders to governments and financial institutions, can work together to accelerate scalable, sustainable impact.”
MSMEs Are Making Progress, But Practical Challenges Continue to Hold Them Back
While MSMEs are making progress in meeting new sustainability requirements, many continue to face practical challenges in advancing their efforts. With lean, multi-functional teams focused on daily operations, they often lack the capacity for dedicated roles to oversee the adoption of more ESG practices – and 60% report moderate to significant difficulties in hiring staff for sustainability or ESG roles.
Financial constraints remain a key hurdle. Many cite high upfront costs, though encouragingly, half of all MSMEs surveyed plan to increase their ESG budgets by 2027.
Many also cite the inability to derive immediate benefits from adopting ESG practices, with 32% saying the ability to gain new clients or enter new markets would be a key motivating factor for future adoption of ESG practices.
To overcome these challenges, the report provides five recommendations to shape ecosystem actions.
Five Key Enablers to Raise ESG Awareness and Adoption among MSMEs
- Make ESG clear and simple. Clearly emphasise the commercial benefits of ESG practices – from cost savings to increased revenue opportunities – while highlighting clear improvement pathways. Companies should be assured that adopting ESG practices is not a formidable task and can be done in gradual steps.
- Build capacity, both internal and external. Develop industry-specific toolkits or education materials with global standards and local inputs, which are simple and actionable, while encouraging MSMEs to leverage external expertise for ad-hoc support and personalised guidance.
- Encourage more win-win customer-supplier partnerships. MNC buyers are a strong predictor of ESG adoption, and some are already leaning in to support their supply chains. This should be more widespread – MNCs can offer incentives such as longer-term contracts, paying more for sustainable products or services, and implementing shorter payment cycles.
- Invest in innovative MSME-targeted solutions. Venture capital firms and impact investors play a crucial role in facilitating ESG adoption across supply chains, providing catalytic funding to incentivise innovation and reducing the barriers to adopting ESG practices. They can play a particularly important role by backing early-stage solutions and business models that are priced and designed for MSMEs.
- Finance the change. While sustainability-linked loans are increasingly available, MSME uptake remains low – suggesting that concessional rates alone are not enough. A more holistic approach is needed, combining fit-for-purpose financing with practical guidance, stronger support for early adopters, and tools like digital platforms to assess ESG baselines and customise loan terms. These elements must work together to drive meaningful, scalable ESG adoption.
For more insights and takeaways, the full report is available at:
https://ciip.com.sg/knowledge-hub/research-insights/Details/transforming-for-sustainability–driving-impact-and-value-through-supply-chain-action
Turning Insights into Tangible Solutions
The report also revealed that country-specific conditions significantly influence ESG adoption, underscoring the importance of tailored approaches that address local needs. Notably, industry associations serve as a key source of sustainability and ESG guidance for MSMEs, given their deep understanding of sector-specific needs and ability to recommend fit-for-purpose tools and approaches.
In line with this, CIIP today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Singapore Fashion Council (SFC) to drive supply chain sustainability within the fashion and textiles industry. Under the agreement, SFC will lead the development of a sectoral plan, a resource guidebook, and a digital toolkit tailored to the sustainability needs of fashion and textiles MSMEs, leveraging insights from this report and CIIP’s ongoing ecosystem engagement efforts.
In parallel, CIIP and the Philanthropy Asia Alliance have launched the second edition of the Amplifier mentorship programme, with two dedicated tracks aimed at scaling innovative solutions for supply chain sustainability in tourism, as well as, fashion and textiles. Adopting a whole-of-ecosystem approach, the programme is supported by over 55 cross-sector partners this year.
CIIP welcomes more partners – including industry associations, corporates, technology and solution providers, investors, and financial institutions – to work together and collectively advance ESG adoption among MSMEs in the region.
For the full announcements, please refer to: https://www.temasektrust.org.sg/newsroom
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About the Centre for Impact Investing and Practices
The Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (“CIIP”) was established in 2022 as a non-profit entity by Temasek Trust to foster impact investing and practices in Asia and beyond by building and sharing knowledge, bringing together stakeholders in the community, and bringing about positive action that accelerates the adoption of impact investing principles and practices. CIIP is the anchor partner for the United Nation Development Programme’s Private Finance for the SDGs, providing Asia investors and businesses with clarity, insights and tools that support their contributions towards achieving the SDGs. Temasek and ABC Impact are CIIP’s strategic partners. For more information, please visit www.ciip.com.sg.
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MSIG Hong Kong’s 2025 Claims Report Reveals Growth in Claims Settlement Ratio for Fifth Consecutive Year and Spotlights Award-Winning Travel Insurance Offerings
Launched market-first Door-to-Door Luggage Repair Service for Travel Insurance customers
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 July 2026 – MSIG Insurance (Hong Kong) Limited (“MSIG”) today published its 2025 Claims Report, highlighting a fifth consecutive annual rise in its claims settlement ratio since 2020, strong performance across key classes, and new customer-focused travel innovations.
In 2025, MSIG honoured HK$359 million in claims in Hong Kong and Macau and achieved a 94.7% claims settlement ratio, up from 91.1% in 2020, reflecting the insurer’s sustained commitment to extraordinary claims service and role as a trusted partner. Employees’ Compensation Hong Kong recorded a 99.87% settlement ratio, followed closely by Helper (97.57%) and Travel (96.27%).
This year’s report shows significant progress in its customer-first approach – with an over 11% year-on-year increase in compliments received from customers, as well as 100% of the insurer’s 2025 Google reviews being 5-star rated.
Philip Kent, Chief Executive Officer of MSIG Hong Kong, said: “In a year of rapid change, our teams have stayed close to our customers and continued to put forward products and services that have truly helped when it mattered most. That’s what a customer-first mindset is all about and the results are clear from this year’s claims report. From innovative travel protection to extraordinary claims servicing, we continue to invest in bringing unique-to-market product features to our customers as their trusted partner, and are fully committed to further enhancing our service experience to deliver the assurance they need at every stage of their life journey.”
MSIG’s innovations in Travel Insurance also earned notable industry recognition in 2025 and 2026, reinforcing the strength of the offerings and the value they are delivering to customers:
- Won the Travel Insurance category at the 10Life 5-Star Insurance Awards 2026
- Top 3 Finalists in “Most Innovative Product/Service Award (General Insurance)” at the Hong Kong Insurance Awards 2025
New Travel Insurance services
In April 2025, MSIG launched two travel services designed to make support faster and more seamless. The market-first Door-to-Door Luggage Repair Service completed 135 luggage repair requests from April to December 2025, equal to 16% of all luggage damage claims, while Overseas Medical Teleconsultation simplifies access to care while travelling abroad. These new services reflect innovation in an area where customers value convenience, speed and reassurance.
MSIG built on that momentum in October 2025 with upgraded Travel Insurance products that added new benefits, including Cancellation of Journey for Any Reason. The enhancement gives travellers greater flexibility and strengthens MSIG’s position in a critical category where expectations are rising around responsive, real-world protection.
Beyond travel, the report highlights a wide range of cases of MSIG’s broader focus on customer-centred claims service across personal and commercial lines – demonstrating a commitment not only to efficient claims handling, but also to helping customers navigate disruption and move forward.
Hashtag: #MSIG
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About MSIG Insurance (Hong Kong) Limited (“MSIG”)
MSIG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co Ltd and a member of the MS&AD Insurance Group, Asia’s leading general insurance brand with presence in 50 countries and regions globally. The Group is amongst the world’s top 10 insurance groups based on gross revenue and one of Japan’s leading insurers with A+ Stable credit rating. With over 40,000 employees world-wide, MSIG is represented in all ASEAN markets as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Korea, India and Taiwan.
MSIG has been providing general insurance solutions to customers in Hong Kong for more than 170 years, dating as far back as 1855. We offer a wide range of solutions and services through an extensive distribution network including agents, brokers, and strategic partnerships with leading banks as well as growing collaborations with digital and consumer platforms.
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Swiss-Belhotel International Expands Bali Portfolio with the Soft Opening of The 5-Star Ashva Swiss-Belresort Ubud Bali
The launch reflects the group’s unwavering confidence in Bali’s resilient luxury tourism segment. Designed to meet the evolving preferences of modern travelers, Ashva Swiss-Belresort Ubud Bali brings sophisticated international hospitality standards to a sanctuary engineered for multi-generational family bonding, couples’ retreats, and immersive, experience-focused stays.
Sudharman Shetty, President Director of PT Ratna Forever Hospitality, stated:
“The development of Ashva Swiss-Belresort Ubud Bali represents a strategic step in expanding our hospitality business while supporting the growth of quality tourism in Ubud. We believe that Ubud’s natural beauty, cultural heritage, and unique attractions can be combined with international service standards to create a destination with strong value and long-term sustainability. Through the presence of the Swiss-Belresort brand, we hope Ashva will grow into a preferred resort choice for both domestic and international travellers, while also making a positive contribution to the local community and economy,” said Sudharman Shetty, Founder & Owner of Ratna Forever Hospitality.”
Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International, added: “Indonesia continues to be a cornerstone of our global expansion vision. This development not only reflects the deep trust of our partners at PT Ratna Forever Hospitality in our balanced approach to guest comfort and operational excellence, but it also underscores our strong confidence in the market—particularly within the high-growth segment of travelers seeking spacious, lifestyle-oriented resort experiences.”
Developed with a contemporary yet culturally rooted resort concept, Ashva Swiss-Belresort Ubud Bali features 90 beautifully appointed guestrooms and suites, alongside 4 exclusive wooden pavilions. Accommodations range from a generous 40 to 106 square meters, perfectly catering to families and groups. Select premium room and suite tiers elevate the stay experience with private heated plunge pools and smart in-room technology.
The culinary landscape introduces diverse dining destinations, including Giwangkara All Day Dining and the renowned Udupi Multi-Cuisine Restaurant, which boasts a strictly separated, dedicated kitchen section for pure vegetarian preparation.
The resort’s striking architectural centerpiece is a terraced swimming pool concept, designed with cascading water elements and a Petanu Pool Bar overlooking Ubud’s layered natural landscape. To accommodate business and celebratory milestones, the property features a grand ballroom, versatile meeting spaces, and scenic outdoor areas beautifully tailored for weddings and social events.
Ilkin Ilyaszade, Senior Vice President – Operations and Development, Indonesia at Swiss-Belhotel International, commented: “As we actively strengthen our footprint across key hubs in Indonesia, Bali remains an essential, highly resilient destination with exceptional growth potential. The soft opening of Ashva Swiss-Belresort Ubud Bali directly supports this trajectory. Beyond creating vibrant leisure experiences, our comprehensive facilities and scenic setting are strategically positioned to capture the rising demand for premium corporate meetings, weddings, and high-profile social events.”
During the soft opening phase in July and August 2026, guests can take advantage of exclusive introductory rates before the resort transitions to its grand launch in September. To discover a new expression of refined living or to secure reservations, please visit ashvaswiss-belresort.com.
SBEC Loyalty Programme: Enjoy 10%–35% OFF on Rooms, Dining, and other services at 165+ hotels globally by becoming an SBEC loyalty member. Sign up for FREE and enjoy instant benefits through the Swiss-Belhotel International App—available in the App Store and Google Play Store.
Hashtag: #SwissBelhotelInternational #UbudResort #5StarResort #IndiaMarket #WellnessResort
https://www.swiss-belhotel.com/
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Swiss-Belhotel International
Swiss-Belhotel International operates in 20 countries, managing 165+* hotels, resorts, and projects across New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, with regional offices in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, China, Indonesia, UAE, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand. Committed to delivering world-class hospitality, the group also offers the Swiss-Belexecutive Card (SBEC), a loyalty program providing many benefits, discounts from 10% to 35% on rooms, dining, and other services, plus priority check-in, complimentary upgrades, and late check-out. No collecting points, no waiting for redemption, with the free-to-join Green Global tier, members can enjoy instant discounts from their first stay! Book stays and access special offers tailored for SBI guests and SBEC members through the Swiss-Belhotel International App – available in App Store and Google Play Store. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, and 
TikTok for the latest updates and exclusive benefits. Visit swiss-belhotel.com for more information.
*Numbers may fluctuate
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Nota Sign Integrates with Hong Kong’s iAM Smart, Enabling One-Stop Account Opening, Employee Onboarding and Contract Signing for Businesses and Residents
As Hong Kong continues to advance its digital government infrastructure, iAM Smart has become an important gateway connecting public services with digital commercial services. By the first quarter of 2026, the iAM Smart mobile application had recorded more than 10 million cumulative downloads and connected users to over 1,400 online services and electronic forms provided by government departments, public organisations and private institutions.
Through its integration with this digital identity ecosystem, Nota Sign has further strengthened its local digital signing capabilities in Hong Kong.
Designed to support electronic signature and data privacy requirements in more than 100 countries and regions, Nota Sign complies with major international regulatory frameworks, including the EU eIDAS Regulation, the US ESIGN Act, Hong Kong’s Electronic Transactions Ordinance and the GDPR.
The platform has completed ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27701 certifications, as well as SOC 2 Type I and Type II audits. It supports local digital identity systems in markets including Hong Kong and Singapore and operates data centres in key regions worldwide to meet data localisation requirements, fulfilling its commitment to “Sign with Global Trust.”
Through its deep integration with iAM Smart, Nota Sign enables both corporate and individual users to complete trusted identity verification and legally valid digital signatures using their iAM Smart accounts.
The integration connects Nota Sign directly with Hong Kong’s official digital identity infrastructure and further embeds the platform into the city’s digital government ecosystem. It provides government organisations, businesses and individuals in the Greater Bay Area, particularly those in Hong Kong, with a safer, more efficient and standardised one-stop digital signing solution.
Developed by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, iAM Smart is a one-stop digital identity authentication platform. Its compliant digital signing framework is established in accordance with Hong Kong’s Electronic Transactions Ordinance.
The platform serves as a key gateway through which Hong Kong residents and businesses access digital government and commercial services. It provides trusted identity verification, encrypted security and fully traceable records and is widely used across public service applications, commercial transactions and identity verification scenarios.
The integration brings together the core capabilities of iAM Smart and Nota Sign. Hong Kong users can authorise access to Nota Sign with one click using their iAM Smart accounts, eliminating repeated registration and data entry and significantly simplifying identity verification during cross-border signing processes.
Users can also verify their identities through iAM Smart and use Nota Sign to sign contracts, commercial documents and official records online. Data is encrypted throughout the process, all actions are recorded and signing activities remain fully traceable, helping ensure that the resulting signatures meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
For users, the integration between Nota Sign and iAM Smart creates a more convenient and trusted digital signing experience for both businesses and individuals.
Whether handling local transactions in Hong Kong, collaborating across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area or conducting cross-border commercial activities, users can reduce repeated identity checks, paper document circulation and in-person procedures, improving both operational efficiency and the overall digital service experience.
Nota Sign supports a wide range of high-frequency signing scenarios, including business operations, financial services, human resources, commercial collaboration and personal affairs. Typical applications include the following:
Nota Sign can be used for local Hong Kong business activities and cross-border collaboration across the Greater Bay Area, including supply chain coordination, procurement transactions and service partnerships.
Businesses can initiate cooperation agreements, procurement contracts, service agreements, supply chain reconciliation confirmations and other commercial documents through Nota Sign.
Signatories can then use iAM Smart to complete identity authentication and digital signing, improving business collaboration efficiency and delivering a smoother signing experience.
For cross-regional employment, businesses can initiate online signing processes for offer letters, employment contracts, confidentiality agreements, non-compete agreements and overseas or cross-border assignment documents.
Employees can authenticate their identities and sign digitally through iAM Smart, allowing onboarding documentation to be completed entirely online. This reduces the costs associated with manual identity verification and paper document circulation while improving the efficiency of human resources management.
Nota Sign can support digital processes involving account opening, insurance applications, wealth management and corporate services.
Businesses can embed iAM Smart’s identity authentication capabilities into Nota Sign signing workflows. Once customers have completed identity verification, they can immediately sign account-opening agreements, authorisation documents, service agreements and other materials.
This reduces repeated authentication and duplicate data entry, providing customers with a smoother and more efficient online service experience.
Hong Kong residents can use iAM Smart to verify their identities and sign digitally when entering into tenancy agreements, granting personal authorisations or handling cross-border mandates.
Users no longer need to repeatedly enter their identity details or attend multiple in-person verification appointments. This improves the efficiency of a wide range of digital processes and makes signing more convenient and intuitive.
Huang Xiang, Founder and CEO of Fadada, said that the integration with iAM Smart represents an important strategic step in Nota Sign’s continued development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It also strengthens the platform’s local compliance service ecosystem and regional service capabilities.
Nota Sign previously established a partnership with Digi-Sign, the first commercial recognised certification authority under Hong Kong’s Tradelink.
Overseas users who do not have an iAM Smart account can use Tradelink iD-One, together with passport-based electronic Know Your Customer verification, to complete identity verification and apply for a digital certificate.
Following the integration with iAM Smart, Hong Kong residents can now complete identity authentication and digital signing directly through their iAM Smart accounts.
These two identity verification channels serve different user groups and further strengthen Nota Sign’s identity authentication network in Hong Kong.
Looking ahead, Nota Sign will continue to leverage its mature cross-border signing technology and compliance framework to provide reliable digital signing infrastructure for Chinese enterprises expanding overseas, Hong Kong and Macao businesses entering the Chinese mainland, and cross-border industrial collaboration across the Greater Bay Area.
Through these capabilities, Nota Sign aims to establish a leading cross-border electronic signing platform rooted in the Greater Bay Area and serving organisations worldwide.
Nota Sign is Fadada’s global electronic signature platform. It is designed to support electronic signature and data privacy requirements in more than 100 countries and regions and complies with regulatory frameworks including the EU eIDAS Regulation, the US ESIGN Act, Hong Kong’s Electronic Transactions Ordinance and the GDPR.
The platform integrates with dozens of recognised overseas certification authorities and provides electronic signature solutions at multiple assurance levels.
Nota Sign has completed ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27701 certifications, as well as a SOC 2 Type I audit. It operates data centres in key regions worldwide to meet data localisation requirements and supports localised signing services such as Singapore’s Singpass.
The platform has also introduced a GxP-compliant electronic signature solution designed to meet international regulatory requirements, including FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and EU Annex 11.
Powered by a legal-specific large language model, Nota Sign provides artificial intelligence capabilities such as intelligent contract review and multilingual document comparison.
It also supports integration with mainstream enterprise systems, including Salesforce and SAP, significantly shortening cross-border signing cycles and helping businesses “Sign with Global Trust.”
Fadada
www.notasign.com
ze****@****da.com
Hashtag: #FaDaDa #NotaSign
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
