KUALA LUMPUR, 1 April 2026 — Business leaders, policymakers, investors and civil society representatives from across Asia gathered in Kuala Lumpur from 30 to 31 March for the Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Rights in Asia (CSERA) Conference, hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to examine how companies can better address environmental and human rights risks in global supply chains.

Supported by the European Union, the two-day conference was held at the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB) Centre of Excellence, marking the first time the regional CSERA conference has been hosted in Kuala Lumpur. Discussions focused on strengthening corporate accountability, advancing responsible business practices and building more resilient supply chains amid rising environmental pressures, regulatory developments and evolving market expectations.

As global supply chains face growing scrutiny over their environmental and social impacts, the conference provided a platform for dialogue and practical exchange on how companies operating in Asia can integrate sustainability, human rights due diligence and environmental risk management into their core operations.

UNDP Resident Representative to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, Edward Vrkić, called on businesses and governments to ensure that complexity does not become a barrier to meaningful action.

“We know that corporate accountability on human and environmental rights is complex business. But we can no longer afford to hide behind that complexity,” he said.

He emphasized that responsible business practices must be embedded within corporate strategy and supported by enabling policy environments.

“Rights-based frameworks should not be seen as compliance exercises, but as the foundation for long-term resilience – of companies, communities and economies.”

Vrkić also stressed that the voices of those most affected by environmental and human rights risks must remain central to decision-making, including workers, women and girls, Indigenous Peoples and communities on the frontlines of environmental change.

Echoing this sentiment, Deputy Head of Mission of the European Union Delegation to Malaysia, Dr. Insa Ewert, highlighted the importance of international cooperation in strengthening responsible and sustainable supply chains.

“For the European Union, building resilient and sustainable supply chains is fundamental. This conference exemplifies how, through our cooperation with UNDP and other partners in Malaysia, we can strengthen partnerships between governments, businesses and civil society, and advance rights-based resilience through dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning,” she said.