The Asset Corporate Sustainability Leadership Awards 2026 have officially kicked off, inviting companies across Asia to participate in the region's longest-running corporate sustainability benchmarking programme.

For more than a quarter of a century, the awards have evolved alongside Asia's corporate sustainability journey. Through all these years, they have provided companies with an independent platform to benchmark their performance, validate their progress and showcase their leadership to investors, customers and other stakeholders. As sustainability has shifted from a corporate responsibility initiative to a strategic business imperative, the awards have continually evolved to reflect the changing priorities of companies across the region.

Today, sustainability is no longer viewed simply as a reporting requirement or compliance exercise. It has become a defining factor in how organizations create long-term value, build resilience and remain competitive in an increasingly complex global economy. Investors, regulators, employees and customers are all demanding greater transparency and stronger evidence that sustainability is embedded into business strategy and delivering measurable outcomes.

That changing landscape has shaped the programme’s evolution, leading to its reset last year into The Asset Corporate Sustainability Leadership Awards, highlighting a stronger focus on governance, corporate sustainability and long-term value creation. The enhanced assessment framework developed by Asset Benchmark Research (ABR) went beyond policies and disclosures. It evaluated how companies performed against more than 500 peers across markets and industries throughout Asia. The research examined whether sustainability had been embedded into corporate strategy, supported by transparent reporting and translated into meaningful environmental, social and governance outcomes.

The awards also reflected the rapid pace of change across Asia's regulatory landscape, where sustainability reporting requirements continue to mature and align with international standards. As expectations continue to rise, businesses are increasingly expected not only to set ambitious targets but also to demonstrate credible progress and accountability.

Among last year's highest honours, the prestigious Jade Awards were presented to Chunghwa Telecom and E.SUN Financial Holding, two organizations that have successfully integrated sustainability into the heart of their corporate strategy and governance.

The programme also recognized outstanding executive leadership. Richard M. Tsai, chairman of Fubon Financial Holding, and James Chen, president and chief executive officer of E.SUN Bank, were named CEOs of the Year for demonstrating how leadership from the top can drive sustainable growth and long-term business performance.

Beyond recognizing corporate performance, the awards highlighted initiatives that demonstrated the breadth of sustainability innovation taking place across Asia.

One standout example was China Telecom's Smart Yellow River Project, which applies artificial intelligence and Internet of Things technologies to monitor water quality and support biodiversity conservation across the Yellow River basin. CTBC's Youth Basketball Project demonstrated how financial institutions can create lasting social impact by combining sports, financial literacy and anti-drug education to support disadvantaged children, while Yinson Production's Zero Emissions FPSO Concept showcased how engineering innovation can reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency within the energy sector.

These diverse initiatives illustrate an important evolution in corporate sustainability. Increasingly, the leading initiatives are those that generate tangible business benefits while delivering meaningful environmental and social outcomes. Sustainability has become a catalyst for innovation, operational excellence and long-term competitiveness.

That philosophy sits firmly at the heart of this year's awards.

The 2026 programme places even greater emphasis on how sustainability contributes to long-term corporate value creation. As businesses respond to the transition towards a lower-carbon economy, changing supply chains, resource constraints and evolving stakeholder expectations, sustainability is becoming a key driver of future growth.

This year's assessment will therefore focus on how organizations translate sustainability ambitions into measurable business outcomes. Companies will be evaluated on how sustainability strengthens operational resilience, improves resource efficiency, supports innovation, enhances governance and creates enduring value for shareholders and the wider community.

As in previous years, submissions will be reviewed across a comprehensive range of metrics, including greenhouse gas emissions, energy and resource management, waste and water performance, supplier codes of conduct, sustainability financing and corporate governance. Companies will also be benchmarked against their peers across sectors and markets throughout Asia.

For contenders for the prestigious Jade Awards, members of The Asset's editorial board will conduct in-depth interviews to gain a deeper understanding of how sustainability is embedded within corporate decision-making, leadership and long-term strategy.

One of the defining strengths of The Asset Corporate Sustainability Leadership Awards has always been the dialogue created with participating companies. Over more than 25 years, these conversations have provided valuable insights into how Asia's leading organizations are navigating emerging challenges and continually raising the standard for sustainable business.

This year, The Asset is once again inviting companies to engage directly with the board of editors through interviews that explore not only their award submissions, but also the evolution of their sustainability journey, the strategic thinking behind their initiatives and the long-term value they are creating for shareholders, customers, employees and society.

As sustainability continues to redefine corporate leadership, The Asset Corporate Sustainability Leadership Awards remain committed to recognizing organizations that are setting new benchmarks for responsible business across Asia.

Companies interested in participating in the 2026 awards programme are invited to contact us at sustain@theasset.com. We look forward to hearing how your organization is helping shape the future of sustainable business in Asia.

To learn more about this awards programme, please go here.

To view highlights from our awards gala last year, please go here.