CIMB announces the return of its flagship The Cooler Earth Sustainability Summit themed ‘Facilitating a Just Transition’

5 September 2022

Now in its 4^th year, the 2022 Summit will feature a series of keynote presentations and panel sessions with industry leaders and sustainability figures, as well as capacity-building masterclasses

Kuala Lumpur: CIMB Group Holdings Berhad (“CIMB” or “the Group”) announced today the return of its flagship The Cooler Earth Sustainability Summit (“The Cooler Earth” or “the Summit”) this year themed ‘Facilitating a Just Transition’. Now in its 4^th year, the hybrid Summit will be held from 20 to 24 September 2022 at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur and will also be broadcast virtually to make it more accessible to local and global audiences, with on-ground experiential learning sessions across ASEAN. The Summit will be opened with a Royal Address by Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Perak Darul Ridzuan, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah.

The Summit aims to convene all stakeholders such as industry experts, corporate leaders, businesses, non-governmental organisations (“NGOs”), financiers and investors, policymakers and global citizens to deliberate on the challenges and urgent action plans required to shape a more sustainable future. This year’s theme reflects on the accelerating global action on climate following COP26 in Glasgow, whilst ensuring that we make climate solutions and social development blueprints more inclusive, equitable and just for all stakeholders.

This year’s Summit is set to deliver a wide range of keynote presentations, expert-led panel discussions and capacity-building masterclasses, as well as investor and business networking sessions all aimed at highlighting the opportunities and risks in catalysing urgent action across public, private and civil society.

The Summit will also provide a platform to showcase funding opportunities for organisations including corporates, small and medium enterprises (“SMEs”) and NGOs, particularly those that seek to generate positive social or environmental impacts. In partnership with stakeholders in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, the Summit will also host experiential events which will allow participants to have hands-on experience through community and environmental projects and activities.

Dato’ Abdul Rahman Ahmad, Group Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Group said, “Sustainability is a strategic priority for CIMB, and as a responsible financial intermediary, we are committed to driving positive impacts not only within the Group but also across the region. ESG has become an essential consideration for individuals, communities, governments and businesses of all stripes as we grapple with societal risks such as climate change and the global pandemic. Through The Cooler Earth’s theme of ‘Facilitating a Just Transition’ this year, we hope to highlight how we can together ensure that the urgent shift towards a low-carbon economy is also fair and inclusive for all stakeholders, leaving no one behind as we strive towards long-term resilience. CIMB looks forward to continue promoting the ESG agenda and at the same time catalyse meaningful action towards our aspiration of becoming an ASEAN sustainability leader."

The Summit will feature notable speakers such as YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Finance, Malaysia; H.E. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance, Republic of Indonesia; H.E. Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs at the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, Republic of Indonesia; H.E. Karima El Korri, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam; Professor Dr. Joy Jacqueline Pereira, Vice-Chair of Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (“IPCC”); Erinch Sahan, Business & Enterprise Lead, Doughnut Economics Action Lab; Anne Lasimbang, Executive Director of Partners of Community Organizations in Sabah (“PACOS”) Trust; and Paul Nicklen, acclaimed Canadian photographer, film-maker, author and marine biologist.

CIMB has been an active proponent of the ESG agenda, and in 2021 the Group announced a series of enhanced commitments. These include among others its target to achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, including scope 3 financed emissions, as well as its target to mobilise RM30 billion in sustainable finance by 2024 under its Green, Social, Sustainable Impact Products and Services (“GSSIPS”) framework.

CIMB was a drafting member of the UN United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (“UNEP FI”) Principles for Responsible Banking, is a member of the Collective Commitment to Climate Action (“CCCA”) and Net-Zero Banking Alliance (“NZBA”), and was the first emerging market bank to commit to exiting from coal by 2040.

The Cooler Earth Sustainability Summit 2022 is a complimentary event and open to all. To register and obtain the full programme, topics and speakers, please visit https://coolerearth.cimb.com