And the trophy for breakout star of 2021 goes to: sustainable finance.

As the biggest investors in the world double down on commitments (and budgets) for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, the once-elusive business case for sustainable finance is today a booming USD51.1 billion market.

The only asset class to buck the downward trend in the current economic crisis, it looks like sustainability as a sector has finally grown into its boots, proof that doing good and delivering returns are compatible and achievable goals.

In fact, the burgeoning sustainability landscape changes significantly with each passing day. Our editorial for this issue attests to it – we overhauled articles and features twice in the preceding weeks to ensure we gave readers the most current data and perspectives before hitting the printing press.

We lead with Values: The New World Currency, which explores the tectonic shift towards a human-centred economy, which global experts and leaders concur will be a cornerstone for global recovery. The corporate world is abuzz with shareholder activism, impact investing, and values-based decision-making. We must take our positions today in this nascent economy.

Our smorgasbord of banking briefs, including the AICB’s collaborative works with UK-based Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment and University of Cambridge, bring readers abreast on the major trends impacting boards and executives.

Taking the bull by the horns is Pre-empt a Green Swan, which delves into the transition risks of ‘brown to green’. Financial stability and resilience can only be enhanced when we factor these material risks in the analysis and counter them head-on.

For too long, many in the sector have narrowly defined success solely through the lens of monetary gain. In No Banking on A Dead Planet, French sustainability leader Minh Cuong Le Quan, drops the penny to remind us of the ripple effect banking has on the world and our moral duty to shape humanity’s future for good.

Last but not least, our very own Rizleen Mokhtar, CB embodies what it is to be Unfazed by the Future. Her personal journey and insights in this interview mirror the reimagining that we must undertake in order to achieve true professionalisation in Asian banking.

Sustainable finance is where we believe banks should look to for the next wave. This transition isn’t easy, but wholly necessary.

The phrase ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ comes to my mind – a rough-and-tough approach that may seem at odds with the ‘work smart, not hard’ philosophy that’s crept into modern-day corporate culture.

But in my book, nothing beats self-reliance. We succeed through our own ability and effort – by thinking independently, embracing our individuality, and leading bravely.

This journey is not for the faint-hearted, but neither is banking.

The Editor