OCBC launches free SME ESG assessment tool that supports companies in improving supply chain practices

Ms Elaine Heng, OCBC Head of Global Commercial Banking

At a glance

• Tailored for SMEs to assess their ESG readiness, the tool also supports large companies to ascertain and analyse their SME suppliers’ ESG performance.
• With this analysis, the large companies can then work with their SME suppliers to improve business sustainability practices.
• This strengthens the large companies’ abilities to meet evolving regulatory and stakeholder expectations, while raising ESG awareness among SMEs.

Singapore, 18 June 2026 - OCBC has launched a free online SME ESG assessment tool, OCBC PULSE. This is available to all SMEs across its core markets of Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia to independently assess their sustainability readiness, and also enables large companies to better understand the ESG performance of their SME suppliers. The tool offers actionable recommendations to the SMEs to help them identify gaps and improve in key sustainability areas. Based on OCBC PULSE’s analysis of the SME suppliers’ submissions, the large companies can work with their suppliers to strengthen their sustainability practices.

As large companies heighten their sustainability ambitions, they are raising expectations for SME suppliers to adopt sustainable practices and track ESG performance. OCBC PULSE provides SMEs with a simple, no-cost way to kickstart their ESG journey, stay competitive in evolving supply chains and tap on OCBC’s financing solutions. SMEs that wish to track their progress can also repeat the assessment over time. OCBC will pilot the tool with its own suppliers through its procurement operations, in line with its commitment to support the green transition of SMEs.

Developed in partnership with the UN Global Compact Network Singapore, a globally recognised authority on sustainability standards, OCBC PULSE aims to raise ESG awareness among SMEs and strengthen businesses’ abilities to meet evolving regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations. It was built with reference to Technical Reference 149, a structured framework launched by Enterprise Singapore through Singapore Standards Council, to help businesses assess, track and improve sustainability maturity.

OCBC PULSE as a tool for supply chain ESG analysis

Large companies can request to onboard their suppliers onto OCBC PULSE. A personalised landing page will be set up for them, which can be shared with their SME suppliers to invite them to complete the assessment.

OCBC PULSE is a web-based, self-service platform that requires SME suppliers to complete questions across environmental, social and governance areas. Where needed, they also have to submit relevant document validation to substantiate their responses. After completing the assessment, the SMEs instantly receive a comprehensive report that indicates their ESG readiness levels, classified into Starter, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced, as well as insights into areas for improvement. The large companies can view a dashboard on their personalised landing page, which provides a detailed analysis of ESG maturity levels and gaps across their suppliers. The dashboard is updated automatically as more suppliers complete the assessment, giving large companies an up-to-date view of their participating suppliers at any time.

Curated workshops will be organised for the large companies and participating SME suppliers, to address areas of improvement and impart ESG knowledge and industry best practices. Depending on the gaps identified, ecosystem partners and relevant subject matter experts will also be brought in to share practical solutions, new technologies and available support schemes.

The roll-out of OCBC PULSE will support the Bank’s ambition, announced in April 2026, to support 12,000 SMEs across Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia with sustainable financing by 2028.

Ms Elaine Heng, Head of Global Commercial Banking, OCBC, said: “OCBC PULSE is a meaningful step forward in making sustainability more accessible for SMEs. Available at no cost and being easy to use, it lowers the cost and complexity for SMEs to start taking action to track and improve their ESG performance, and enhances their access to financing with us. This is particularly important as many SMEs are part of larger corporate value chains, where expectations around supply chain ESG transparency are rising. OCBC PULSE helps SMEs seize sustainable growth opportunities and stay competitive by meeting these evolving requirements. It also enables large companies to track their suppliers’ ESG readiness, identify gaps and drive collective progress. This reflects our broader commitment to go beyond financing by providing SMEs practical tools, insights and advisory support to make sustainability more actionable.”