AKC to Host Sustainable Innovation Talks & Workshop Advancing ESG- and AI-Driven Collaboration

ASEAN-Korea Centre to Host ASEAN-Korea Sustainable Innovation Talks & Workshop Advancing ESG- and AI-Driven Collaboration

- Bringing together ASEAN and Korea's leading sustainable technology companies to seek ways for deeper cooperation -

The ASEAN-Korea Centre (Secretary General Kim Jae-shin) will host the 'ASEAN-Korea Sustainable Innovation Talks & Workshop' on 18-19 September at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery. Since 2022, the Centre has advanced ASEAN-Korea cooperation on ESG as a key agenda, including the publication of the bilingual guidebook ESG Practices in ASEAN & Korea: Pathways Towards Sustainability. Building on these efforts, the upcoming event will bring together about 100 ESG experts and stakeholders from both ASEAN and Korea to explore practical ways of advancing ESG practices through innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).

The two-day event will begin on Thursday, 18 September, with opening remarks by Secretary General Kim Jae-shin and congratulatory remarks by Wong Kai Jiun, Ambassador-designate of Singapore to the Republic of Korea and Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul. This will be followed by the Sustainable Innovation Talks, which will comprise three sessions: (1) Sustainability Talks: ASEAN-Korea ESG Practices, Challenges, and the Way Forward;
(2) Bridging Sustainability and Inclusive Innovation; and (3) Innovation Talks: Navigating the Future - ASEAN and Korea's Response to a Changing World.

In the first session, company representatives from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and the Philippines will present their ESG implementation practices and strategies. The second session will feature four experts from ASEAN and Korea who will examine AI from an ESG perspective, delivering presentations on: (1) the economic implications of AI and ESG in ASEAN; (2) the impact of AI on ASEAN's climate agenda; (3) best practices for inclusive AI; and (4) human-centered AI governance. The session will be followed by a discussion moderated by H.E. Ms. Phasporn Sangasubana, Executive Director of the ASEAN Center for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD).

The third session will be moderated by Dr. Aladdin D. Rillo, Managing Director for Policy Design and Operations at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). During the session, experts on the EU, United States, ASEAN, and Korean contexts are to discuss global AI regulatory trends and explore ways to enhance ASEAN-Korea cooperation on AI. In addition, Mr. Sivaram Superamanian, Head of the Digital Economy Division at the ASEAN Secretariat, will introduce the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics (adopted at the 4th ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting in February 2024) and its expanded edition on Generative AI released in January 2025, as well as share the latest AI policy
developments in ASEAN.

On the second day, Friday, 19 September, the ASEAN-Korea Sustainable Innovation Workshop will be held as a networking platform for ASEAN and Korean companies. The program will comprise three sessions: (1) small-group discussions among companies; (2) an innovation sprint; and (3) group presentations. The workshop will provide an opportunity for ASEAN and Korean business stakeholders to engage directly, build partnerships, and explore concrete avenues for sustainable innovation in the future.

As a follow-up to the event, the Centre will publish a new report titled ESG Practices in ASEAN and Korea Part II: Pathways in Action - Corporate Implementation Case Studies. Scheduled for release at the end of this year, the report will feature interviews highlighting innovative ESG initiatives of leading companies across the ten ASEAN Member States, including the five companies featured in the Sustainability Talks, such as Lao Brewery Company (Lao PDR), PETRONAS (Malaysia), and Siam Cement Group (Thailand).

Secretary General Kim Jae-shin stated, "This event will serve as an important platform to explore synergies between ESG and AI amid rapid technological innovation, and to strengthen ASEAN-Korea cooperation in the pursuit of sustainability. The forthcoming ASEAN-Korea ESG report is also expected to present a concrete roadmap for further enhancing ESG cooperation between the two regions."

Annex 1. Program Outline.