Celebrated sustainability strategist and governance leader Dr. Jayanthi Desan Honoured as ESG Pioneer at ACES Awards 2025
- Written by Media Outreach
Dr. Jay receives her prestigious ESG Pioneer Award at the ACES Awards 2025, presented by the distinguished Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ni Luh Puspa
Dr. Jayanthi Desan was conferred the ESG Pioneer Award, acknowledging her
long-standing commitment to elevating ESG governance and guiding
organisations toward resilient, future-ready strategies.
In accepting her award, Dr. Jayanthi said that the greatest hurdle facing
boardrooms today is the lack of clarity around the complexity of ESG factors.
“Climate, nature, and social inequalities are not extra-financial issues — they are
core drivers of demand, cost of capital, supply chain security, and talent
retention,” she said.
“ESG must be part of business model resilience.”
She encouraged boards to build fluency in ESG, to understand its strategic
implications, and to move beyond a compliance mindset.
“By knowing where to start and how to move forward, boards can harness ESG
as a strategic force,” she added.
“ESG must be framed as a competitive agenda.”
Dr. Jayanthi also highlighted the rise of climate technologies and real-time ESG
data ecosystems — innovations she believes will redefine profitability and
reshape industry competition.
“Integrated energy systems, circular production models and low-carbon
technologies are already showing improved margins,” she said.
“And capital access will increasingly hinge on the verifiability of ESG
performance.”
She said that transparency — from product-level climate labels to automated
MRV systems — will influence not only reporting frameworks but also the
competitive playing field across sectors.
When asked for one key message to corporate boards, she delivered a decisive
call to action:
“ESG needs to be reframed as strategy in order to compete in a changing world.”
MORS Group CEO Dr. Shanggari Balakrishnan paid tribute to Dr. Jayanthi’s
impact on organisations across Asia.
“Dr. Jayanthi embodies what it means to be an ESG Pioneer,” said Dr.
Shanggari. “She brings clarity to complexity and transforms responsibility into
competitive strength. Her influence is shaping the future of business in the
region.”
The ACES Awards continues to honour leaders whose vision drives
performance, resilience, and long-term value creation.
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