After LSEG was named ESG data provider for Asia in Environmental Finance's Sustainable Investment Awards 2025, Norman Chia, Global Head Product, Sustainable Finance, LSEG, says the region's adoption of sustainable finance is advancing at pace.

EF: What do you feel separates LSEG's environmental, social and governance (ESG) data offering from others, particularly within APAC?

NC: Our customers often cite the breadth and depth of our ESG data sets as one of the key areas that separates our offering from others. The ability for our customers to integrate our data into their systems is a key differentiator.

It can be very hard for clients to generate a single integrated dashboard view. They find themselves dealing with multiple vendors, different formats, and different delivery models. One of the largest asset managers advised us that they have been using multiple vendors and have been struggling with on-boarding, harmonising and integrating data into the same platform.

We help them to streamline – providing comprehensive data sets, interoperability with other data sets and flexible data delivery – via LSEG Workspace and other LSEG and third-party platforms and feeds.

Secondly, we are at the intersection of capital markets, indices and data. A lot of the emerging industry players are still asking us about the importance of sustainable finance. We are showing them how powerful this data can be and how it can help them to put money to work. It can help with product creation, indexing, and the ability to mobilise private sector capital on top of that.

EF: LSEG has engaged and partnered with several Asian stock exchanges. What benefits have these brought?

NC: Our position is rather unique. We bring our expertise and reputation as a trusted global financial infrastructure provider - along with our deep understanding of capital markets and our capabilities as an index provider. We offer the whole package, rather than just a data solution.

So, combining our capabilities across capital markets, data and indices, allows us to empower stock exchanges in Asia with industry-leading LSEG solutions. Our Sustainability Intelligence platform is one such example and our anchor client Bursa Malaysia is using the platform for ESG disclosure. It's a centralised platform for all listed companies as well as non-listed small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to calculate their carbon emissions footprint.

Bursa Malaysia is using LSEG's platform, in collaboration with Petronas, Malaysia's largest oil and gas company, in order to engage thousands of suppliers on their data chain. The goal is to create a programme to provide capacity building for suppliers and enable them to decarbonise.

EF: Last year you published reports on the state of sustainable finance in APAC region. How does it compare with other regions?

NC: Across APAC, the adoption rate of sustainable finance varies greatly. But, in general, there is now more standardised ESG disclosure, compared to previous years.

There was limited infrastructure when the sustainable finance business started in APAC, so players in this region were and are more open to exploring AI and other new technologies to enable ESG actions and disclosures. Asian markets are embracing the idea of injecting AI technology to speed up their progress, possibly allowing them to leapfrog other regions in Europe and North America.

LSEG has always been a very active contributor to industry engagements, partnering with academia, other exchanges and global initiatives. We are able to advise our Asia-based clients so they can stay abreast of the latest developments, because sometimes it can be challenging to stay on top of the rapidly evolving sustainable finance landscape.

EF: Where do you see opportunities for ESG data developing?

NC: The industry is going to develop in a few ways. Right now, private capital, especially private debt, is gaining a lot of momentum. It's becoming a main source of financing sustainability-themed activities, especially those related to the transition to a net zero carbon economy.

We are seeing a lot of requests about private market data – it is an area in which we are looking to continuously expand to service the growing demand. LSEG also provides to its customers rich ESG labelled corporate and government bonds and loans data which is integrated into our leading company and sovereign ESG data sets.

Custom solutions is another area where there will be growth, especially in APAC. In other regions, ESG is a more mature and better-established concept, but in APAC there is still a big opportunity for customised solutions in which LSEG is able to help drive more data-driven and transparent practices for clients.

Finally, the global market is more focused on forward-looking indicators to complement the analysis of historical performance indicators, especially for climate transition. LSEG supports its clients by offering the industry benchmark data developed in partnership with the Transition Pathway Initiative where company management quality is a key indicator that investors can incorporate into their portfolio for forward-looking transition preparedness assessments.

Discover more about LSEG sustainable finance and investment data-powered solutions here