Thought Leadership

Commentary: Singapore will finally charge for plastic bags. What’s next?

20 Mar 2023

Prof Sumit Agarwal, Managing Director of SGFIN reinforced the need for consumers to change their plastic bag habit besides the 5-cent charge for plastic bags. Besides waste reduction, factors contributing to the total carbon cost incurred in the life cycle of packaging materials were also discussed. The implementation of a carbon score card will potentially encourage consumers to adopt greener habits in more aspect of their lives. Merchants should continue to implement rewards for customers who choose to go green and live beyond the unsustainable convenience of plastic bags.

Channel News Asia

Peaking Inflation, Rising Interest Rates: Can Singapore Households, Businesses and Banks Cope? (edited version)

09 Feb 2023

BizBeat NUS article

Singapore’s Financial Services Industry is Going to Be Hiring. Here are Some Emerging Jobs

15 Dec 2022

In this commentary, Assoc Prof Zhang Weina, Deputy Director of SGFIN and Academic Director of Master of Science in Sustainable and Green Finance (MSGF) programme shared about emerging job opportunities in sustainable and green finance field in Singapore and beyond going forward.

Dollars and Sense article

Platform firms must not exploit protection for platform workers for more profit

29 Nov 2022

Prof Sumit Agarwal, Managing Director of SGFIN emphasised the need for transparency in price adjustments by platform firms and shared the importance of closing the employment policy gap to protect platform workers and provide a stronger safety net for them. As platform firms mature and the number of platform workers increases, Singapore has stepped up platform workers’ protection to level the playing field – by providing health insurance and Central Provident Fund (CPF) payments for platform workers.

The Straits Times article

MAS urges households to exercise prudence in spending amid rising interest rates

26 Nov 2022

In the commentary, Prof Sumit Agarwal, Managing Director of SGFIN shared that Singapore has very stringent debt-to-income and loan-to-value requirements and explained Singaporeans’ vulnerability to income and interest rates shocks as greater number of homeowners take on higher property loans.

Channel News Asia video

How will Singapore benefit from Green Economy Agreement with Australia

19 Oct 2022

Professor Sumit Agarwal, Managing Director of SGFIN, weighs in & shares his thoughts on the Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement (Watch the sharing from 2:40 to 6:55)

The Straits Times video

Debate on Innovation for Climate Action: “The world can innovate fast enough to reverse climate change”

04 Oct 2022

During Climate Action Week, Associate Professor Johan Sulaeman was invited to the Debate Session organised by NUS Enterprise on 23 September 2022 on Innovation for Climate Action. The debating proposition: “The world can innovate fast enough to reverse the effects of climate change.”

Meet the Inaugural Class of the NUS MSc in Sustainable and Green Finance Programme

12 Sep 2022

The inaugural cohort of the NUS Master of Science in Sustainable and Green Finance (MSGF) programme has commenced their journey with NUS Business School and the NUS Sustainable and Green Finance Institute! MSGF student Roy Zhang Ruoyu reflects on their stories and goals.

BizBeat NUS article

More ambitious net-zero target for Singapore could mean tougher climate policies

08 Sep 2022

Associate Professor Zhang Weina, deputy director of the Sustainable and Green Finance Institute (SGFIN) comments on emissions-intensive industries.

Business Times article

Placing a Value to Sustainability

07 Sep 2022

Assoc Prof Zhang Weina, Deputy Director of SGFIN shares her view of the value of sustainable activities’ current and future impact; and how we need more green talent to help firms and society make better decisions with these rapid developments in the sustainability landscape.

BizBeat NUS article