The Ministry of Water and Environment in collaboration with Envirosure Consulting is organizing the 1st National Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Conference & Expo 2026, which will be held on 25th September 2026.
In statement read for him by the Commissioner of of Water Resources Planning and Regulation Development , Dr. Callist Tindimugaya, the Minister of Water and Environment , Maj. Gen (RTD) Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, the event will bring together stakeholders in the ESG fraternity who will include government agencies, civil society, development partners, academic and scientific community, private sector and policy makers to exchange views, experiences, best practices and dialogue on issues related to ESG in all sectors and the country at large.
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles have become one of the defining pillars of sustainable economic transformation worldwide.
The overall theme of the event is :“Driving Transformation through ESG: From Commitment to Action”.
“Globally, ESG is reshaping how institutions attract investment, manage risk, measure impact and deliver sustainable value. Development finance institutions, multilateral agencies and private investors now expect demonstrable ESG performance as a condition of capital, making ESG not merely a compliance obligation but a strategic driver of competitiveness, resilience and institutional credibility, ” Otafiire stated while addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Center in Kampala.
The Minister noted that the global business landscape is shifting and organisations are now evaluated not only on financial performance but on how responsibly they manage environmental impact, support communities and uphold ethical governance.
“Banks are embedding ESG criteria into lending decisions, insurers are pricing climate risk directly into underwriting.; institutional investors are prioritising sustainable investment portfolios and development partners increasingly condition grants and technical assistance on ESG compliance. Consumers and markets increasingly reward organisations that demonstrate responsible practice, ” Otafiire said.
According to the minister , Uganda is firmly embracing this transformation, through the National Development Plan (NDP IV) and Vision 2040, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Agenda 21, Africa Agenda 2063, Water Action Decade, global agenda for environment conservation, National Climate Change Act, Uganda’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Green Growth Development Strategy and a range of sectoral policies/ frameworks.
The event, therefore , will provides an interface between different sector actors and other stakeholders to exchange knowledge and information on Environmental, Social and Governance pillars in general and across various sectors of the economy.
Otafiire explained that the event will provide a platform to promote ESG awareness across Government and the private sector, build institutional capacity in ESG integration and sustainability reporting , and showcase innovations that support climate resilience and sustainable development.
” The conference will further promote climate finance and responsible investment, strengthen collaboration between Government, investors and development partners; position Uganda as a regional hub for ESG dialogue and sustainable investment. and encourage organisations to move from ESG commitments to practical implementation.
