The Prime Minister’s Office as the Secretariat to the Special National Coordination Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in collaboration with the TotalEnergies Brunei, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD), and Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) through Darussalam Enterprise (DARe), organised the inaugural workshop on Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Awareness for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) today, 25th June 2024, at the Main Auditorium, Design and Technology Building (D&T), Anggerek Desa.

Yang Mulia Pengiran Khairil Bahriah binti Pengiran Haji Mohd Ali, Acting Director, Wawasan Brunei Office, Prime Minister’s Office as the Head of Secretariat to the Special National Coordination Committee on SDGs, expressed her gratitude for the cooperation of the strategic partners in the efforts to expand sustainable development initiatives, during the opening ceremony of the workshop. In her speech, she shared that MSMEs in Brunei Darussalam constitute more than 97 per cent of the business sector, highlighting the development and resilience-building of MSMEs as one of the government priorities to ensure long-term growth, in line with the Wawasan Brunei 2035. In shaping a sustainable future, the principles of ESG are fundamental in building long-term resilience especially in navigating the challenging and unpredictable global landscape. These principles not only address environmental protection but also to ensure ethical governance while fostering inclusive and fair practices.

The full day workshop organised by the United Nations Global Compact for Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam (UNGCMYB), has helped to increase participants’ awareness on the benefits of sustainable practices based on ESG principles and approaches. Various activities were held to equip MSMEs with the knowledge, resources and guidance to assess their current sustainable performance and outline future sustainable goals. It is hoped that this workshop will serve as a catalyst and empower more local entrepreneurs to lead sustainable business models that will support the nation’s effort in achieving SDG Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, in line with the country’s aspiration to realise the Wawasan Brunei 2035, particularly in fostering a dynamic and sustainable economy.

In the afternoon, during the closing session, Yang Mulia Haji Shamri bin Haji Mahali, Head of Corporate Digital and Business Development at BIBD, in his keynote remarks emphasised the commitment to building a sustainable business ecosystem is commendable and essential for ensuring long-term future success. Every businesses plays a significant role in shaping a sustainable future. He also shared some of the initiatives BIBD has implemented, 4 including providing green financing options that incentivise ecofriendly practices, offering guidance on sustainable business strategies and embeding sustainability into business core operations. These commitments aim to ensure businesses thrive while positively contributing to the environment and society.

The session was followed by the launching of the ESG START Assessment, a digital tool developed by UNGCMYB to measure an organisation’s ESG maturity level. With the launch, a total of 1000 organizations including local MSMEs will be able to assess ESG readiness and understand value-added steps to move towards sustainable development. The workshop concluded with a presentation of certificates and token of appreciation to TotalEnergies Brunei, BIBD, BEDB and UNGCMYB.

For more information on SDGs, visit the SDGs Brunei Darussalam website at www.sdgbrunei.gov.bn and follow on Instagram: @sdg_brunei.