Singapore, 10 December 2024 – The Orange Forum 2024, held at the SGX Auditorium in Singapore, brought together over 300 global leaders, changemakers, and innovators to celebrate the transformative achievements of the Orange Movement™.
This year’s Forum, themed “Celebrating the Global Movement of Inclusive and Sustainable Finance,” highlighted Singapore’s role as a global hub for sustainable finance and innovation.
Opening the Forum, Pol de Win, Senior Managing Director at the Singapore Exchange, remarked, “At SGX Group, we believe that reshaping our sustainable future requires the ecosystem to work in partnership. We are proud to contribute to initiatives such as the Orange MovementTM led by IIX and celebrate the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity that drive it. We are also honoured to support the listing of Orange Bonds on SGX, including IIX’s Women’s Livelihood Bond series, that empower underserved women with sustainable livelihoods.”
Driving transformative impact
The Forum spotlighted the remarkable accomplishments of the Orange Movement™:
- US$374 million was mobilised in private sector capital.
- 8 Orange Bonds™ issued, catalyzing US$2 billion in climate and gender investments across Bangladesh, Indonesia, and beyond.
- Certification of 100+ organisations with the Orange Seal™.
- 250,000+ global signatories committed to advancing equity through the Orange Pledge.
Durreen Shahnaz, Founder and CEO of Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), highlighted the essence of the Orange Movement™: “At its core, the Orange Movement challenges conventional finance, leveraging data, technology, and purpose-driven innovation to empower women and underserved communities. With 250,000 signatories to the Orange Pledge and nearly 3 million lives impacted, the Movement has proven that when we embed inclusion in our financial systems, we create equitable and sustainable solutions.
Key highlight in celebrating the global impact and innovations
During the exclusive dialogue with Prof. Lutfey Siddiqui of the Bangladesh Government, he shared his belief and support for the Orange Movement by endorsing
US$1 billion worth of Orange Bond issuance in each respective country in private and public domains.
In a surprise announcement during the Forum, IIX and PNM revealed their intent to collaborate in jointly promoting the Orange Movement™ in Indonesia.
The partnership will focus on integrating Orange Bond Principles into PNM’s sustainable finance initiatives and existing thematic bonds. This collaboration is set to strengthen gender equality and enhance impact outcomes within PNM’s current bond value chain, paving the way for the mobilisation of significant Orange capital in Indonesia—a major step forward for both the Orange Movement™ and sustainable finance in the region.
Key sessions and discussions offered bold insights into the future of finance and impact:
The Forum featured bold insights into the future of finance and impact, with four dynamic panel discussions:
- “Investing in Orange” explored how gender-lens investing drives systemic change. The panel was moderated by Mara Chiorean, Executive Director of
Sustainable Finance at ANZ, and featured distinguished speakers, including Anna-Maria Oltrop, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok, Gareth Deiner, Partner at Clifford Chance, Dr. Taimur Baig, Managing director and Chief Economist at DBS, and Razaq Manan Ahmad, Executive Vice President at PNM, Indonesia.
- “Orange Solutions for Resilient Economies” emphasised the role of partnerships in fostering sustainable growth. This session was moderated by Hama Makino, Senior Gender Policy Advisor at U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), with speakers Esther Anne Parapak, Senior Grants Manager at the Ford Foundation, Indonesia, Gay Santos, Regional Director for Southeast Asia at Water.org, Ann Tan, Managing Director at CSP Singapore, and Setyo Budiantoro from Bappenas, Indonesia.
- “Unleashing the Power of Orange Through Data” highlighted data-driven approaches to advancing sustainability and gender equality. Trisha Gray, Assistant Director of Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion at DFAT, moderated the session, featuring Candice Low, Associate Director of ESG Ratings at Sustainable Fitch, Divya Patel, CEO of the Ishk Tolaram Foundation, Zia Zaman, General Manager at Microsoft, and Nikki Kemp, Executive Director at the Singapore Green Finance Centre.
- “Growing the Global Orange Village, From Singapore to the World” celebrated the growing global impact of the ecosystem. The session was moderated by Julia Fraser, Director for Singapore at the World Bank. It included speakers Steve Okun, Founder and CEO APAC Advisors, Katja Freiwald, Regional Lead for Women’s Economic Empowerment & Migration at UN WOMEN, Simon Taylor, Director LEEAF Foundation; and Ayako Kageyama, Senior Expert on Sustainable Investments at UNDP.
Distinguished honourable guests
The event was graced by an impressive list of honourable guests, including:
- H. E. Allaster Cox, Australian High Commissioner to Singapore
- Ms. Stephanie Copus Campbell, Ambassador for Gender Equality to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Professor Lutfey Siqqidi, Special Envoy for International Affairs of the Interim Government of Bangladesh
- H.E. Medardo Macaraig, Ambassador of the Philippines
- Mr. Yasantha Yaddehi, Minister at the High Commission of Sri Lanka
- H.E. Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda
- H.E Charlotte Lobe, High Commissioner of South Africa
- H.E. Khoeun Sok, Ambassador to the Royal Embassy of Cambodia
These distinguished guests contributed to the global conversation on inclusive finance and sustainable development, bringing invaluable perspectives from their respective countries and organisations.
Honouring the excellence
The Forum included an Award Ceremony honouring organisations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing gender equality and climate action. The winners are:
- Outstanding Orange Bond Listing Achievement Award: SGX
- Orange Game-Changer Award: Ford Foundation
- Excellence in Public Sector Advocacy for Gender and Finance Award: SIDA
- Excellence in Transformative Banking Partnership for Gender-Responsive Finance Award: ANZ
High Commissioner Allaster Cox, Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, praised the collective effort: “The Orange Movement™ demonstrates the power of collaboration in addressing global challenges. Its achievements inspire us to think bigger and act bolder.”
Looking ahead
The Orange Forum 2024 catalyzed actionable strategies, impactful partnerships, and bold visions to drive equity and sustainability. As attendees left inspired and energised, the Forum reinforced the message: a sustainable, inclusive future is within reach when global leaders and local communities unite.
Join the movement
Attendees and global citizens alike are encouraged to:
- Sign the Orange Pledge and commit to advancing gender equality and sustainability. https://orangemovement.global/sign-the-pledge
- Invest in Orange Bonds™ to support impactful initiatives across the globe. https://orangemovement.global/orange-bonds
- Pursue the Orange Seal™ Certification to align organisations with the highest standards of gender and climate impact. https://orangeseal.iixvalues.com/
About the Orange Movement™
The Orange Movement™ is a global initiative led by Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), dedicated to unlocking the full potential of women, girls, and gender minorities as leaders in climate action and sustainable development. The movement aims to mobilise US$10 billion by 2030 through innovative financial instruments and collaborative efforts, empowering 100 million individuals worldwide.
For Media Inquiries, Please Contact: Veronica Nicole Lu
Associate Vice President
v.lu@iixglobal.com
Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) marketing@iixglobal.com
For more information, visit orangemovement.global
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