Singapore launches sustainability standard for businesses

TR 149 gives SMEs a framework to assess and improve their environmental performance.

Singapore has launched a new sustainability standard to help companies assess their environmental performance and strengthen business competitiveness.

The Technical Reference (TR) 149:2026 Specification for Organisations to Progress towards Environmental Sustainability Excellence was launched by Enterprise Singapore through the Singapore Standards Council, in partnership with A*STAR Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF).

The standard provides companies with a structured framework to assess their sustainability maturity across four levels: Essential, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. It also allows businesses to track progress over time and identify areas for improvement.

TR 149 covers five dimensions: People Readiness, Structure, Operations, Supply Network, and Product Life Cycle. Under the Operations dimension, companies can assess and improve their management of greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water, and material consumption.

EnterpriseSG said the standard is particularly useful for small and medium enterprises, which often face limited resources, expertise, and fragmented sustainability requirements.

It offers a practical step-by-step approach for businesses beginning their sustainability journey or seeking to build on existing efforts.

The standard is built on A*STAR SIMTech’s Green Compass™ framework, which supports companies’ sustainability transformation efforts.

Industry adoption will be supported through the Green 100 movement, whose digital sustainability disclosure platform is anchored on the TR 149 framework. Companies onboarded onto the platform will be introduced to the standard’s Essential level requirements.

SMF is also aligning its G.E.M. and G.E.B. certification programmes with TR 149, whilst A*STAR SIMTech has updated its training for companies and consultants in line with the standard.

OCBC Bank has developed a self-diagnostic assessment tool referencing TR 149 to help companies assess their sustainability performance and support access to sustainable finance.

Companies seeking to validate their sustainability efforts against the standard may approach certification bodies such as the Singapore Environment Council and TÜV SÜD for certification and verification services.

TR 149 was developed with inputs from industry, academia, government agencies, certification bodies, and trade associations under the Singapore Standards Council.