“ESG is not just the responsibility of a dedicated team – it’s integrated across our investment, legal and operational functions”

Q: From your experience, how has ESG in APAC changed over the past two years? And how has your organization adapted?

Avina Sugiarto: There’s certainly been a lot of recent geopolitical and international developments that have shaped the backdrop of ESG, not just here in APAC but globally. But our long-term strategy has remained consistent. For us, ESG and sustainability continue to be embedded in both our investment processes and the way our firm operates.

If we look back beyond the past two years, maybe to four or five years back, our approach has been steady and deliberate. Policies have been continuously upgraded, and I think, more recently, our focus has been on refining those policies and ensuring better and better implementation of our sustainability commitments.

Q: Has pushback in the US against climate-focused and DEI-focused initiatives resulted in any changes to your policies or slowed the adoption of new policies?

Avina Sugiarto: Not at all. For us, there has been no change, and from what we hear from stakeholders, we don’t anticipate much either. Our stance remains consistent and we don’t expect policies to shift because of external pressures.

ESG has always been a part of our DNA. We didn’t adopt these policies because of market pressure – we at East Ventures did it because we believe governance is critical and that creating long-term value is essential. ESG is simply good business.

Our policies are designed to formalize processes and align with international standards, such as the GRI, SASB, and TCFD frameworks. So even when the situation changes globally, from our side, we’re able to remain transparent and consistent. We believe it’s both responsible and necessary to continue advancing ESG, from both a DEI and a climate perspective, not only for today but for future generations.

Q: What does East Ventures’ approach to ESG look like, in terms of ensuring policies and practices are implemented?

Avina Sugiarto: Our approach is all-encompassing. We integrate ESG through the entire investment lifecycle – from screening and due diligence to investment decisions, monitoring and exit. ESG is incorporated in our firm’s operations, internal policies and in the many stakeholder engagements we lead.

On the investment side, we train all members of our investment team to be able to handle ESG considerations alongside portfolio diligence and monitoring. This ensures that early on in the investment cycle, during screening, the team can identify any potential ESG red flags.

So from that perspective, rather than having just ESG specialist operating in a silo, we embed ESG knowledge across our whole organization. And annually, every team – from finance and accounting to legal, corporate communications, and operations – receives training on ESG procedures, policies, and rules that we implement not just in our investments but also in our operations and how we act as an organization.

Ultimately, ESG is not just the responsibility of a dedicated team – it’s integrated across our investment, legal and operational functions, shaping both our decision-making and the way we collaborate with stakeholders.

Through our annual Sustainability Report, we remain committed to transparent and accountable reporting of sustainability-related matters annually. This allows us to measure progress, evaluate outcomes, and make necessary adjustments.

Q: Can you elaborate a bit on what engagement outside your organization looks like – either with portfolio companies or government?

Avina Sugiarto: On top of the internal focus I just mentioned, we also focus quite a bit on stakeholder engagement. With portfolio companies, that can mean encouraging greater attention to ESG performance, like from a DEI and governance perspectives.

Another important aspect of stakeholder engagement is our work with the government. For instance, every year, we release the East Ventures – Digital Competitiveness Index, which measures Indonesia’s digital ecosystem and is widely used by national and provincial governments to see where the country is doing well and where improvements can be made to raise competitiveness.

On the climate side, we run a Climate Impact Innovations Challenge with Temasek Foundation. The goal is to encourage and develop more early-stage climate technologies in Indonesia, since it’s a very nascent but crucial space here, and we believe catalytic funding is essential. We foster partnerships with government bodies as well as corporates to deliver impactful outcomes every year.

Additionally, we partner with the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce (KADIN) and World Resources Institute to develop a free greenhouse gas calculator named ECOVISEA for portfolio companies and corporates’ supply chain in Indonesia, which helps them measure and track greenhouse gas emissions.

We partner closely with our portfolio companies, offering guidance and connecting them with key stakeholders, including major corporates and government bodies. Together, we remain committed to building sustainable growth and driving long-term value across the ecosystem.

Read more in the Asia Funds ESG + Sustainability Survey 2025 Report.