Corporate governance, and not just the strength of the balance sheet, is currently considered as an established investment criterion. Good corporate governance has become equally important in both public and private sectors. Among the corporate governance challenges that were identified across the board, the protection of minority shareholders’ rights is the most significant.

Mobilizing the private sector for green finance still faces many challenges, some of which are largely unique to green projects. This plenary session examines the private sector financing opportunities and challenges in the context of green business development in the Asia and Pacific region, with particular attention on discussing the shift from donor-driven to private sector-driven approaches in green investments.

While there is no universal agreement for what constitutes the concept of green business, it is defined here as profit-oriented activities that support environmentally sustainable growth. Within this context, this opening plenary session reflects on the role of green business development in the Asia and Pacific region.

This presentation focuses on Asian Development Bank's governance operations and how the local academic institutions can contribute to crafting innovative knowledge solutions that deliver effective and sustainable results.

Measuring (and reporting on) performance evidences concern for efficiency and effectiveness: it demonstrates to shareholders and stakeholders that an organization means business; it promotes transparency and accountability; and it helps compete for funds. Above all, it facilitates systematic thinking about three basic questions: Are we doing the right thing? Are we doing it right? How do we know? In the Philippines, efforts to improve public sector management have been deployed from the late 1980s, aiming to ensure that development results are achieved for the Filipino people.

Viet Nam is classified as a water stress country. ADB has been a key partner of the Government of Viet Nam in providing capacity building technical assistance in support of the National Nonrevenue Water Reduction Program.

While Asia continues to show remarkable development and poverty reduction and expands its role significantly in the global economy, water security becomes a growing concern. Increasing water security will require mobilization of new levels of cooperation among all economic sectors and sections of society.