SGTech, Singapore’s leading tech association, held its flagship CXO-In-Conversation event today, centered on the theme “Tech Enabling Sustainability.” The event, graced by Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and Environment, Dr Amy Khor, brought together over 120 CXOs from various sectors, along with key influencers from government, trade associations, and business chambers, to address the pressing challenge of reducing Scope 3 emissions in value chains.

A First-of-Its-Kind Dialogue

This dialogue session marked a significant milestone as the first of its kind in Singapore, providing a platform for tech firms to openly discuss their perspectives on meeting Scope 3 decarbonisation targets. With the 2026 deadline for mandatory Scope 3 compliance approaching, the event underscored the importance of collaboration across sectors to tackle these challenges.

Dr Amy Khor highlighted the necessity of collective action, stating, “Climate change is an issue that must be tackled with concerted effort across sectors, with businesses and corporations doing their part alongside the government and communities. I am encouraged by SGTech’s efforts to rally the industry to meet this challenge head-on. I am heartened to have met SMEs who have taken the important step to commit to sustainability reporting with the assistance provided by SGTech Sustainability Guided Programme. This shows that sustainability reporting is achievable even for SMEs.”

As part of its ongoing efforts, SGTech has been operating the SGTech Sustainability Guided Programme (SGTech SGP) for the past year. The programme has enabled over 20 smaller, privately-owned companies to publish their first customised sustainability reports that meet the demands of value chain clients. Notable participants, including J&S Telecoms International, Inspire-Tech, i-Sprint Innovations, Smart Tradtz, and Websparks, have successfully completed the programme and are now utilizing their sustainability reports in tenders.

Mr Lau Shih Hor, Co-Chair of the SGTech Sustainability Steering Committee and CEO of Elixir Technology, emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “We are at a crucial juncture where collaboration between large and small tech firms is essential to address the complexities of reducing value chain emissions. As smaller enterprises are the backbone of Singapore’s economy, SGTech is taking steps to foster inclusive and sustainable value chain ecosystems in Singapore, beginning with our local and global tech firms.”

Key Highlights of the Event

• Ministerial Meet-&-Greet: Participants engaged with sustainability-compliant tech firms that are actively collaborating in value chains and reporting on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices.
• Ministerial Fireside Chat: Dr Amy Khor discussed the impact of sustainability developments on smaller enterprises and offered advice for their future growth.
• Plenary Panel: The event featured discussions between large and small tech firms on resolving Scope 3 issues, promoting a unified approach to compliance.
• Launch of SGTech Scope 3 Pledge: SGTech launched a pledge to rally more companies to join efforts in Scope 3 compliance, with support from global brands like Equinix Singapore, BSI Singapore, Razer, SAP Singapore, and local tech firms including Elixir Technology, Inspire-Tech, and others.
• Finale Panel: Experts from Singapore Exchange Regulation and TalentKraft provided insights on sustainability reporting and the talent required for it, while SGTech shared the business outcomes of its Sustainability Guided Programme.

Ms Yee May Leong, Managing Director of Equinix Singapore, highlighted the company’s commitment to sustainability, noting, “As the world’s digital infrastructure company operating 264 data centers in 33 countries across 6 continents sustainably, Equinix is committed to playing our part in striving to achieve the targets of the Singapore Green Plan 2030.”

Mr Anurax Lian, Managing Director of SimSys, echoed the importance of adapting to sustainability requirements, stating, “As an SGTech Member, we urge all smaller companies to respond to the changing times and act now, to take advantage of the time given to us to prepare and adapt.”

Following the event, SGTech plans to implement a series of Focus Group Discussions between large value chains and smaller enterprises to establish universally acceptable sustainability criteria. These discussions will take place under Chatham House rules and will continue until the end of the year.