The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has introduced a simplified guide, “Navigating the Transition: A Guide for Boards,” to assist company boards in adopting the National Sustainability Reporting Framework (NSRF).

Launched in September 2024, the NSRF is a significant step in advancing Malaysia’s corporate sustainability agenda.

The guide provides board of directors with simplified and actionable steps on key areas such as governance, sustainability data boundaries, financial impact assessments, and integration with enterprise risk management systems.

The NSRF incorporates the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, including IFRS S1 and IFRS S2, to ensure consistent and comparable sustainability-related financial disclosures.

The implementation of the NSRF follows a phased approach.

Group 1, comprising large companies listed on Bursa Malaysia’s Main Market with a market capitalisation of RM2 billion and above, will adopt the ISSB Standards in 2025.

Group 2, consisting of other Main Market issuers, will comply by 2026, while Group 3, which includes ACE Market-listed issuers and large non-listed companies, will follow in 2027.

To further support this transition, the Advisory Committee on Sustainability Reporting (ACSR) has introduced PACE (Policy, Assumptions, Calculators, Education).

This initiative includes tools such as the Interoperability Module to bridge the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and IFRS standards, Illustrative Sustainability Reports to guide disclosures, and an NSRF Preparers’ Programme to enhance capacity-building efforts.

The board guide and other related resources are available here.

SC Chairman Dato’ Mohammad Faiz Azmi said,

“The NSRF is not a compliance tool, but a blueprint for embedding sustainability in corporate decision-making.

With this guide, we are equipping boards to not only meet global standards but to lead with purpose and resilience in shaping a sustainable future for Malaysia.”

Featured image credit: Edited from Freepik