Companies in East Asia face numerous environmental issues impacting their coastal and marine operations, such as overfishing, loss of coastlines, pollution, sea-level rise and shifting weather patterns, along with increasing levels of public scrutiny for how these issues are managed. Sustainable development has become a strategic consideration for companies looking to position themselves competitively in a growing blue economy.

With the launch of a new Blue Economy for Business in East Asia report, the role of blue economy in the region was shared and companies in various industries including Oil & Gas, Fisheries & Aquaculture, Environmental Services and more shared their experience. The workshop helped identify cross-industry risks, opportunities and areas for collaboration along with potential actions for industry to engage with government on blue economy development. Participants learned about the new East Asian Seas Sustainable Business Network and its role in developing blue economy in the region.