NUS Launches First-Ever Green Bond Reporting Tokenisation Initiative with UOB and Northern Trust

Listen to this story:
|
- First-in-Market ESG Innovation: NUS is the first Singapore university to use blockchain for ESG reporting, enhancing transparency and data integrity.
- Investor Confidence Boost: The initiative’s tokenisation process ensures secure, immutable reporting data for stakeholders.
- Global Alignment: Part of Singapore’s Project Guardian, reinforcing regulatory standards and market efficiency.
The National University of Singapore (NUS), in partnership with Northern Trust and UOB, has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative to tokenise green bond reporting credentials, a first for Singapore’s higher education sector.
Why it matters:
The initiative leverages blockchain technology to provide transparent, immutable, and secure environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting data, addressing the growing demand for reliable sustainability metrics among investors.
“This initiative is a testament to the transformative potential of blockchain technology in green finance. By leveraging our Matrix Zenith™ platform, we are ensuring the integrity and transparency of green bond reporting data, addressing critical needs for investors while paving the way for a more sustainable financial ecosystem.” — Justin Chapman, Global Head of Digital Assets and Financial Markets, Northern Trust

The details:
- The green bond reporting token, minted through Northern Trust’s Matrix Zenith™ platform, will store environmental impact data from NUS’ third green bond issued in 2023.
- UOB, as the bond’s lead arranger, will contribute feedback to optimize how tokenised data supports investor sustainability reporting.
How it works:
The blockchain-based token ensures that all investors receive the same comprehensive data, which remains unchanged even if the bond changes ownership. This enhances data reliability and compliance with ESG reporting standards.
Related Article: NUS SDE is first in Singapore to achieve the IWBI WELL™ Health-Safety Rating, and first worldwide in the educational sector
Broader context:
- This pilot forms part of Project Guardian, an initiative led by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to explore asset tokenisation in financial markets.
- The project aligns with global regulatory efforts to enhance market efficiency and investor transparency.
Collaborative Expertise:
- Tan Kian Woo, NUS Senior VP and CFO: “We aim to provide greater confidence to investors by enhancing the integrity and transparency of our environmental data.”

- Koh Yan Leng, NUS VP (Campus Infrastructure): “This initiative supports our campus decarbonisation goals by offering transparent, timely sustainability performance reporting.”

- Edmund Leong, UOB Head of Group Investment Banking: “Our goal is to ensure tokenised data meets the standards for reliable and transparent sustainability reporting.”

What’s next:
NUS has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Northern Trust to explore further blockchain applications in sustainable finance. The partnership will drive research and develop solutions for ESG finance challenges.
The bottom line:
This initiative is a key step in redefining sustainable finance practices by improving ESG data accuracy, transparency, and investor trust.
Follow ESG News on LinkedIn