Advancing Sustainable Reporting in Asia Pacific
The Accounting Research and Development Foundation (ARDF) successfully hosted its flagship ESG Summit from August 26-28, 2025, at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.
This premier sustainability event brought together international standards organizations, regulators, and industry leaders to advance ESG disclosure practices across the Asia Pacific region.
ARDF Chairwoman Doris Wang opened the three-day summit with an innovative AI-generated welcome address, highlighting the foundation’s commitment to embracing digital innovation in sustainability reporting. The event featured 42 professional sessions across three venues, with dedicated exhibition halls showcasing circular economy innovations and green technology solutions.
Key international participants included representatives from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), XBRL International, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC), and European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG). Significant discussion around the need for global alignment toward harmonized sustainability disclosure standards ensued!
A notable innovation was the inaugural “Sustainable Accounting Hackathon,” engaging young professionals to develop creative solutions for ESG data challenges. The summit also featured a sustainable fashion show on August 27, showcasing garments made from textiles created largely from recycled coffee grounds and a wide range of other recycled materials, demonstrating practical applications of circular economy principles.
The event emphasised the critical role of digital reporting and XBRL in enabling efficient and comparable ESG disclosures. As the region prepares for mandatory sustainability reporting requirements, such gatherings prove essential for building capacity and fostering international cooperation in sustainable finance infrastructure development. Our thanks to the ARDF for the invitation to speak and participate and congratulations to the standards setter for raising the bar in the delivery of such a professional and large event!
