The inaugural ASEAN Law Forum has concluded, underscoring a collective commitment to integrating Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into legal frameworks. The event, which took place from August 19 to 21, 2025, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) reinforces ASEAN’s position as a global leader in sustainable development and responsible governance. The forum aimed to build trust and strengthen cross-border cooperation through legal reform.
Organized by the Legal Affairs Division, Prime Minister’s Department, with crucial support from the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the event strengthened Malaysia’s leadership in promoting an ESG-centric vision for ASEAN. Building on prior bilateral engagements and the 2024 Kuala Lumpur Forum on International Arbitration, the Forum created a collaborative platform uniting policymakers, legal professionals, academics, and key stakeholders from ASEAN and beyond.
Under the central theme “Enhancing Access to Justice in the ASEAN Economic Community: Bridging Legal Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in the Digital Age,” the Forum tackled pressing concerns such as green finance, environmental dispute resolution, responsible supply chain management, and the role of ESG compliance in business law reform. Dedicated working groups addressed arbitration, mediation, cybercrime, AI in justice, business and human rights, and critically, the integration of environmental and social risk considerations into commercial justice systems.
The event’s dynamic discussions and outcome-driven collaborations showcased ASEAN’s resolve to proactively address climate risks, support sustainable commerce, and foster legal predictability—pillars essential for unlocking green economic opportunities and maintaining business confidence.
Special panels spotlighted topics including ESG enforcement in supply chains, maritime and Islamic finance arbitration, and environmental law, illustrating tailored reforms that capture both contemporary urgency and future regional needs. These focused dialogues reaffirmed ASEAN’s strategic priority to integrate ESG goals into legal frameworks, ensuring the bloc’s legal evolution is climate-conscious and socially inclusive.
The Forum culminated in the adoption of a landmark Joint Statement by ASEAN Law Ministers, with Malaysia championing the shared commitment to advance international commercial arbitration and sustainable mediation practices. Signed by YB Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), and observed by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, this statement codifies ASEAN’s collective ambition to embed ESG criteria and environmental stewardship at the heart of regional legal cooperation.
Leading up to this milestone, key legal officials conducted an ASEAN-wide tour, engaging with ministers and legal institutions to boost regional ESG standards and cooperation in international arbitration and mediation, garnering broad consensus and solidifying the principles enshrined in the Joint Statement.
This achievement cements Malaysia’s and ASEAN’s commitment to legal frameworks that not only protect commercial interests but also lead on global sustainability, ESG integration, and resilient environmental governance frameworks for years to come.
