Representatives of business, financial institutions, regulators, civil society, and international organizations, gathered in Kuala Lumpur for the 3rd Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Rights in Asia (CSERA) Conference, affirmed that rights-based approaches are essential to strengthening business resilience, managing transition risks, and supporting sustainable economic growth across Asia.

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RECOGNIZING that the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment has reshaped expectations on business, and that climate change, biodiversity loss, and widening inequalities pose material risks to supply chains, markets, and communities, representatives underscored that integrating human rights, environmental stewardship, and inclusive development into core business decision making is critical to long-term operational stability.

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ACKNOWLEDGING that companies across Asia are moving from commitments to implementation, representatives noted that practical approaches to embedding human rights due diligence, stakeholder engagement, and credible transition planning into business strategy, demonstrating  that addressing impacts on workers, communities, and ecosystems strengthens risk management, improves materiality assessments, and supports more robust sustainability decision making.

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EMPHASIZING that inclusive engagement is central to responsible business conduct, representatives affirmed the importance of elevating Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives, supporting smallholders, promoting gender equality, and strengthening meaningful stakeholder engagement across value chains and the foundational role of dialogue, respect, and access to remedy in credible corporate sustainability efforts.

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NOTING FURTHER that businesses operating across ASEAN and global value chains face increasing pressures related to market access requirements, traceability expectations, and climate transition demands, representatives affirmed that partnership-driven approaches – across governments, investors, companies, and civil society – are essential to managing these risks and supporting practical implementation.

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In this spirit, representatives resolved to advance the following priorities:

• Integrate rights-based approaches into climate and nature action, ensuring that decarbonization and sustainability strategies safeguard workers, communities, and ecosystems

• Strengthen human rights and environmental due diligence, embedding stakeholder engagement, impact assessment, and access to remedy into core business operations and value chains

• Advance inclusive and equitable participation, including engagement with Indigenous Peoples, workers, local communities, and vulnerable groups

• Promote credible transition planning, aligning climate, nature, and human rights considerations to reduce operational, regulatory, and reputational risks

• Support responsible supply chains, improving traceability, transparency, and collaboration across ASEAN and global markets

• Reduce environmental harm, including greenhouse gas emissions, plastics pollution, and ecosystem degradation

• Strengthen access to remedy and accountability, ensuring that affected stakeholders can raise concerns and seek effective resolution

• Foster partnership-driven solutions, leveraging collaboration between business, finance, government, and civil society

• Elevate Asian leadership and solutions, sharing regional experiences in rights-based approaches to sustainability

 

This Statement reflects a shared direction for corporate sustainability in Asia – one that moves beyond commitments toward implementation, strengthens responsible business conduct, and advances practical, rights-based approaches to climate, nature, and human rights challenges across the region.