how to Apply

Building on its success since 2016 as a benchmark of excellence in corporate sustainability,  the Singapore Apex Corporate Sustainability Awards returns for 2024 with a new by-invitation-only category. The awards process is audited by knowledge partners and finalised by an independent panel of experts in environmental, social and governance issues.  

Awards Categories

The Singapore Apex Corporate Sustainability Awards has THREE categories:

Sustainable Business

Recognises businesses that excel in implementing sustainable practices within their core operations.
Applications are open until 30 April 2024.

Sustainable Solutions

Recognises businesses that excel in developing a product or service with outstanding technological attributes that address the sustainable needs of other businesses, the environment and society.
Applications are open until 30 April 2024.

LowCarbonSG

Recognises businesses that have achieved at least 5% improvement in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions over the past 24 months through a commendable level of effort and/or investment.
Application: By-Invitation-Only

Each category has two sub-categories within it: SMEs and Non-SMEs.

For clarity on the difference between SMEs and Non-SMEs, please refer to the table

For each of these sub-categories, a maximum of 3 winners can be selected. If applications don’t meet the requirements, the organisers reserve the right to declare no winners for a sub-category. Of the 3 winners in each sub-category, 1 winner may be awarded an additional title of being the Apex Winner for that year. The Apex Winner title is only accorded to a company when there is a unanimous agreement amongst the judges based on the quality of applications for the year.

SMEs

Non - SMEs

standalone Entities

Subsidiary of an Entity, or holders subidiaries

standalone Entities

Subsidiary of an Entity, or holders subidiaries

Company's annual sales turnover not more than 100 million
OR
Company's employment size not more than 200 workers

Group's annual sales turnover not more than 100 million
OR
Group's employment size not more than 200 workers

Company's annual sales turnover more than 100 million
OR
Company's employment size more than 200 workers

Group's annual sales turnover more than 100 million

2024 Briefing Session Details

In-Person Briefing Session​

Date: Thursday, 11 April 2024

Time: 3 PM – 5 PM

Venue: Singapore Sustainability Academy

Judges 2023

Category: Sustainable Business

Kok Ping Soon

CEO
Singapore Business Federation

Trina Liang

President
Women in Sustainability and Environment (WISE)

Federico Donato

Representing Italian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (ICCS)

Executive Director
Credit Suisse

Kevin Teo

Chief Operating Officer
AVPN

Amandeep Bedi

Managing Director (Southeast Asia) – APAC Team
ENGIE Impact

Category: Sustainable Solutions

Geoffrey Yeo

Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Urban Solutions, Sustainability & Enterprise Finance
Enterprise Singapore

Gavin Chua

Vice Chair
SGTech

Christopher Tan

Director of the Sustainability Division
National Environment Agency

Kristina Anguelova

Head of Asia Sustainable Finance
World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF)


Ravi Krishnaswamy

Senior Vice President (Asia Pacific) – Energy, Sustainability & Industrial Practice 
Frost & Sullivan

Application Process

* Note: Timelines may be revised

Now until 30 April 2024

You can apply now for these categories: Sustainable Business & Sustainable Solutions.

Submission Process:

Step 1: Complete Application Form on The Awards website

Step 2: Read the automated email you will receive for completing the awards submission.

Step 3: Complete the Responsibility Index Communicator for Enterprises (RICE). Report and download a copy for submission. Please email aslinda.razak@unglobalcompact.sg to troubleshoot issues with the RICE Tool.

Step 4: Compile the submission documents (Cover Letter, RICE Tool Report and any relevant supporting documents) and email it to events@unglobalcompact.sg by 30 April 2024

June 2024

UN Global Compact Network Singapore and the respective Knowledge Partners will evaluate all submitted applications.

A maximum of 5 applicants will be shortlisted in each sub-category (SMEs/Non-SMEs) of the award categories (Sustainable Business / Sustainable Solutions) during this phase.

Applicants will be assessed based on the assessment criteria for their respective categories:

Sustainable Business:

  • Materiality
  • Sustainability vision and statement
  • Governance, Human Rights, Environment, Labour, Anti-Corruption
  • Areas of improvement

Sustainable Solutions:

  • Materiality
  • Sustainability vision and statement
  • Governance, Human Rights, Environment, Labour, Anti-Corruption
  • Areas of improvement
  • Attributes, innovation and impact of the sustainable solution

June - July 2024

Site visits to the shortlisted applicants offices will be conducted by representatives from GCNS and the Knowledge Partners to verify data and/or view systems/operations on site.

Shortlisted applicants will be informed of the site visits in advance.

August 2024

Upon the satisfactory conclusion of the site visits, applicants will be informed if they have progressed to the final judging phase.

Finalists are required to make presentations to an independent panel of judges. The presentation must be given by a member of staff from the finalist company. Presentations must be made within the stipulated time limit. This will be followed by a Q&A by the judging panel.

For each of these sub-categories, a maximum of 3 winners can be selected. Of these 3 winners, 1 winner may be awarded an additional title of being the Apex Winner for that year.

The Apex Winner title is only accorded to a company when there is unanimous agreement among the judges based on the quality of applications for the year.

Stay tuned!

Winners will be recognised at the Singapore Apex Corporate Sustainability Awards Ceremony.

Kok Ping Soon

CEO, Singapore Business Federation

Mr Kok Ping Soon is Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the apex business chamber championing the interests of Singapore’s business community in trade, investment and industrial relations matters. SBF represents more than 28,000 companies, as well as key local and foreign business chambers. Prior to his current appointment, Ping Soon was Chief Executive of the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech), the lead agency driving Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative and public sector digital transformation. He also held various positions in the Ministry of Manpower, National Security Co-ordination Secretariat, Ministry of Trade & Industry, Singapore Tourism Board, Contact Singapore (CS), and Economic Development Board (EDB). He spent six years in the United States working for CS and EDB.

He serves on the Board of SBF Holdings, SBF Connect, Singapore Business Federation Foundation, Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, Global Compact Network Singapore and Singapore Pools. He is also a member of Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Singapore International Mediation Centre, NUS Institute of Systems Sciences, National Institute of Education Council and a fellow member of Singapore Computer Society.

Trina Liang

President, Women in Sustainability and Environment (WISE)

Trina Liang is a fund manager with a US$7bn global fund and oversees its sustainable commercial real estate investments in Asia. She is president of Women in Sustainability and Environment (WISE) and sits on the board of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) in Singapore. She is Singapore’s representative to the G20 for Women and was the past president of both UN Women (Singapore) and the Financial Women’s Association and the vice-president of the Singapore Council of Women’s Organizations (SCWO).

Federico Donato

Federico Donato – Representing Italian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (ICCS) & Executive Director, Credit Suisse

An established wealth management senior executive at Credit Suisse, with a focus on investment management and family business, Federico worked in prominent global financial institutions and was CEO of multifamily office FFA Asia.

Besides his banking career, Federico has matured an extensive and unique knowledge of international trade, cross boarder investments and government affairs by serving since over 15 years in various capacities and for several Italian, European, Singaporean institutions.

Specifically he has been President of Italian Chamber of Commerce Singapore 2014-2019, President of Eurocham Singapore 2018-2023 and is currently a board member of private companies and institutions including the Singapore Business Federation, and EU Asean Business Council among others.

Federico advises private corporations and government lead bodies within the Ministry of Manpower, Defence and Trade & Industry in Singapore, with the Ministry of Enterprises & Made in Italy.

Very active on sustainability and international trade, Federico designed Eurocham Sustainability Program and has been a judge of the Eurocham Sustainability Award since its inception in 2020.

Federico is also a regular speaker, lecturer, and contributor at international conferences and in Executive MBAs programs with prestigious universities including Bocconi, Aalto, LKYSPP and ESCP.

Kevin Teo

Chief Operating Officer, AVPN

Kevin Teo is the Chief Operating Officer at AVPN where he oversees the markets and digital transformation teams.

Prior to that, he was a Founding Partner of Volans, a Social Innovation company with offices in London and Singapore. Kevin was previously Head of East and Southeast Asia at the Schwab Foundation of Social Entrepreneurship and Global Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum. Prior to that, Kevin had a nine year stint in the enterprise software arena in Silicon Valley, Irvine and Austin. This included work at two Sequoia Capital startups that were acquired by Sun Microsystems and Symantec respectively.

Kevin is a Trustee of the Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network (SEALNet), a non-profit he co-founded in 2004. Kevin holds a Master of Gerontology from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, an MS in Information Networking from Carnegie Mellon University, and a BEng with Honors in Computing from Imperial College, London.

Amandeep Bedi

Managing Director (Southeast Asia) – APAC Team, ENGIE Impact

Amandeep Bedi is the Managing Director (SEA) of ENGIE Impact APAC team. He brings over 20 years of experience in strategy and business development in the Energy and Industrials sectors, with a focus on sustainability.  Aman’s expertise lies in providing strategic direction for the development of decarbonization roadmaps across various sectors. By defining decarbonization scenarios, assessing investment and implementation risks, and crafting tailored solutions to meet client requirements, he ensures a sustainable and efficient transition. Furthermore, he possesses extensive knowledge of waste management and recycling value chains, encompassing regulations, product needs, and processing complexity. Leveraging this expertise, he helps clients derive innovative Circular Economy solutions for plastics and resources, contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious approach.

Prior to joining ENGIE Impact, Aman has demonstrated his commitment to driving sustainability in various capacities. He held key positions, including leading the Circular Economy Business for Borouge, as a Consultant at McKinsey & Company he contributed to multiple Strategy and Operations projects for Industrial and Energy clients. He also served as the Director of Strategic Marketing for Honeywell International’s Energy and Performance materials business in India and SE Asia, and Director Consulting at Ernst and Young Parthenon, where he led commercial due diligence for international investment funds interested in sustainability-related ventures in the region.

Geoffrey Yeo

Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Urban Solutions, Sustainability & Enterprise Finance, Enterprise Singapore

Geoffrey serves as Assistant Chief Executive Officer at Enterprise Singapore, the government agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry responsible for championing enterprise development. He oversees the Urban Solutions, Infrastructure Services, Sustainability and Enterprise Finance portfolios.

Prior to his current appointment, Geoffrey has previously held Director positions heading various portfolios including Circular Economy & Sustainability, Strategic & Corporate Planning, Financing and Incentive Management. He was also the General Manager and is currently on the Board of SEEDS Capital Pte Ltd, the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore which directs investments into Singapore-based technology startups in emerging and strategic sectors.

Before joining the public service, Geoffrey spent several years in the private sector, with experience across finance and business development functions. He received the Public Service Administration Medal (Silver) in 2023.

Gavin Chua

Head of Stakeholder Engagement – Asia Pacific, Meta & Vice-chair, SGTech

Gavin is vice-chair of SGTech and serves as the founding co-chair of its Sustainability Committee and Digital Trust Chapter. He is also an executive member of Climate Action SG Alliance. 

At Meta, Gavin leads stakeholder engagements to develop the company’s internet investment interests in Asia, including the sponsorship of social impact programs in relation to sustainability. Prior to Meta, Gavin was a partner at Control Risks advising multinationals on business risks as they invested in emerging markets. Early in his career he co-founded a data analytics start-up and gained experiences from the Singapore civil service (PM’s Office), university teaching (SUSS), and think tank advocacy (SIIA).

Christopher Tan

Director of the Sustainability Division, National Environment Agency

Mr Christopher Tan is the Director of the Sustainability Division of National Environment Agency.

In his current role, Christopher manages strategies and programmes to drive sustainable waste-to-resource management and industrial energy efficiency. In previous roles, he has worked on public health operations, air quality policies, and applied research in the behavioural sciences as well as environmental & resource economics. Christopher started his career as an economist at the Ministry of Trade & Industry.

Kristina Anguelova

Head of Asia Sustainable Finance, World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF)

Kristina Anguelova is Head of Asia Sustainable Finance at World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) in Singapore and oversees technical teams across banking, investment, financial regulation and ESG technical training. She is also part of WWF’s Global Finance Practice Leadership Team and supports the network agenda for Asia.

Previously, Kristina was responsible for WWF’s Asia Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) – a multi-stakeholder alliance that aims to harness the power of the finance sector, transitioning capital markets to direct capital towards low-carbon, climate-resilient and nature-positive economies. Beyond general ESG themes, ASFI focuses on high-impact sectors in Asia such as food and agriculture, energy, transport, and infrastructure. Before joining WWF-Singapore, Kristina established and developed a multilateral association, supporting several countries with little or no representation in Singapore, building bridges and knowledge-sharing between governments, central banks and development institutions, as well as real economy participants. 

She is an active angel and impact investor, supporting early-stage startups through mentorship, advisory and investment. Her passion cuts across multiple UN SDGs but she is mainly active in SGD 1, 4, 7, 10 & 13.

Ravi Krishnaswamy

Senior Vice President (Asia Pacific) – Energy, Sustainability & Industrial Practice, Frost & Sullivan

Ravi Krishnaswamy is the Senior Vice President and Practice Leader for Energy, Industrial & Sustainability sectors and is based in Singapore. Ravi passionately supports his clients maximize their growth potential leveraging the mega trends of sustainability and digitalization

The clients Ravi has advised in past two decades include power utilities, technology companies, infrastructure developers, government agencies & industry regulators, global engineering conglomerates, equipment OEMs, financial services & investment companies and R&D entities.  Ravi’s industry experience spans areas as diverse as Power Utilities, Energy Transition, buildings & construction, facilities management, Smart Urban Infrastructure, Climate Change, Sustainability & Circular Economy, Industrial Automation and smart manufacturing & Industry 4.0.

Ravi has been a guest speaker, key note presenter and session chair for several Energy, Utilities, Environment and Buildings related industry conferences, both within and outside Asia. He is also regularly quoted and interviewed in various business publications and electronic media including CNBC, Bloomberg, and Channel News Asia.

Ravi graduated in Mechanical Engineering from National Institute of Technology (NIT) in India. Ravi has obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management from Chartered Management Institute in the UK.