Sustainism Initiatives (STNSM) — Sustainability Trade and Networking for SDGs Mission
Intergovernmental Mandate & Strategic Role
Sustainism Initiatives (STNSM) is instituted under the Agricultural and Food Marketing Association for Asia and the Pacific (AFMA)—an intergovernmental organization founded by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). As a collaborative mechanism advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Asia–Pacific region, STNSM strengthens trade, finance, procurement, and innovation partnerships to accelerate region-wide sustainable transformation.
Strategic Institutional Mandate
AFMA has formally designated Sustainism as its Strategic Partner, entrusting the organization with a central role in advancing regional climate and sustainability cooperation. To reinforce this institutional mandate, AFMA has appointed the Director of Sustainism to serve concurrently as Director, Climate and Sustainability (AFMA)—positioning Sustainism at the heart of AFMA’s intergovernmental programmes, policy execution, and coordination across member states.
In addition, Sustainism operates as AFMA’s SDG Custodian Support Mechanism, providing analytical, technical, and governance support to strengthen SDG implementation, monitoring, and alignment with UN frameworks across AFMA’s mandate areas.
Secretariat Functions at the United Nations (UN ESCAP)
Sustainism serves as the Secretariat for both the Climate & Sustainability Capital Forum (CSCAP) and the Climate Action Forum (CAF), convened at the United Nations, providing integrated leadership across technical coordination, policy harmonization, and knowledge governance. In this capacity, Sustainism also oversees the Secretariat functions for all cooperative instruments, agreements, and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) arising from these two platforms, ensuring that all outcomes remain institutionally coherent, evidence-based, and aligned with internationally recognized standards and multilateral mechanisms.
Private-Sector Transformation Mandate
STNSM is committed to equipping the private sector with the capability to internalize, operationalize, and disclose sustainability performance in accordance with the SDGs—anchoring sustainable transformation as a core principle of corporate governance and long-term competitiveness.
Bridge Between UN Institutional Mechanisms and the Private Sector
Through its strategic partnership with AFMA, Sustainism functions as an institutional bridge, linking private-sector leadership with United Nations–aligned policy frameworks. This strengthens coherence between sustainable business practices and global development objectives, ensuring that the private sector contributes meaningfully to shared regional and multilateral goals.
Regional Platforms for Systemic Transformation
This collaboration is advanced through the Climate & Sustainability Capital Forum (CSCAP) and the Climate Action Forum (CAF), both convened at the United Nations. These platforms elevate regional cooperation in sustainable trade, finance, procurement, and climate action. CAF is currently being elevated as a flagship intergovernmental–private sector mechanism, supporting integrated economic transition and climate-aligned development across the Asia–Pacific region.
The AFMA document affirms that AFMA provides formal support and endorsement to the Sustainism Initiative (stnsm.org).
The Agricultural and Food Marketing Association for Asia and the Pacific (AFMA Asia), an intergovernmental organization in association with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN FAO), underscores the critical role of the private sector in advancing and accelerating the efficient attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). AFMA Asia emphasizes the imperative to strengthen know/edge, foster comprehensive understanding, and institutionalize collaborative frameworks to propel sustainable development efforts.
In pursuit of this mandate, AFMA Asia has strategically facilitated collaboration in the domains of sustainability knowledge and sustainable finance to bolster the Sustainism Initiative–a multisectoral collaborative platform designed to unite stakeholders across industries, governments, and civil society in advancing sustainable development. Sustainism serves as a conduit for knowledge-sharing and aims to heighten global awareness of the urgency and significance of integrated sustainability practices.
The Sustainism Initiative is dedicated to functioning as a pivotal instrument for partner organizations, enabling the effective and timely achievment of the UN SDGs through structured engagement with expert networks specializing in diverse facets of sustainable development, including environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic resilience.
For additional details regarding the Sustainism Initiative and its contributions to advancing sustainable and responsible business practices, kindly direct inquiries to the Director of the Sustainism Initiative.
At the heart of Sustainism’s mission lies SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, reaffirming the principle that no nation, organization, or community can achieve sustainability alone.
Through inclusive partnerships among governments, businesses, academia, and civil society, Sustainism Initiatives (STNSM) translates the global sustainability agenda into tangible and measurable economic action across the Asia-Pacific region.
STNSM focuses on three core missions that are fully aligned with United Nations principles and globally recognized sustainability frameworks, serving as a driving mechanism for transformative action across the Asia–Pacific region.
1. Announcement – SDG Custodian Support Mechanism
STNSM facilitates voluntary sustainability declarations under the SDG Custodian Support Mechanism to help organizations align their sustainability policies, goals, and reporting structures with the methodologies of the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD) and internationally recognized frameworks such as GRI, ISSB, TNFD, and SBTi.
Each declaration represents a formal Statement of Commitment to contribute toward the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a transparent, measurable, and comparable manner.
All commitments follow the UNSD indicator framework to ensure traceability, consistency, and accountability in sustainability governance at national and regional levels.
2. Recognition and Partnership Recognition
STNSM conducts independent evaluations and formal recognitions for private-sector organizations seeking to become sustainable suppliers or buyers under the CSCAP–SSA Framework, implemented in collaboration with AFMA, MASCI, and accredited sustainability experts to ensure alignment with internationally accepted ESG and SDG standards.
Recognized companies are published under the Sustainable Supply Chain Recognition System, gaining enhanced credibility, visibility, and access to sustainable procurement opportunities across the CSCAP and CAF platforms.
For government agencies, public institutions, and civil society organizations, STNSM provides Institutional Partnership Recognition, acknowledging organizations that enter into structured sustainability cooperation under CSCAP and CAF. This form of recognition emphasizes institutional transparency, strategic alignment, and long-term multilateral collaboration, and often serves as the formal basis for developing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and higher-level cooperation agreements.
Together, these two recognition pathways—Business Recognition under CSCAP/CAF and Institutional Partnership Recognition leading to MoUs—create a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder mechanism that strengthens sustainable development action across the Asia–Pacific region.
3. Publication
STNSM compiles and disseminates project-based ESG reports and case studies that demonstrate measurable sustainability outcomes.
These publications are presented through the CSCAP Platform — a regional cooperation mechanism convened in association with AFMA and UN-affiliated partners — to communicate best practices, progress, and innovations in support of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) across the region.
If your organization is committed to advancing sustainability and participating in the emerging green economy, you are warmly invited to engage with Sustainism Initiatives (STNSM) for technical guidance and collaborative opportunities under this partnership framework.
AFMA Official Endorsement for Sustainism Initiative (STNSM)
This document confirms the formal endorsement issued by the Agricultural & Food Marketing Association for Asia and the Pacific (AFMA), recognizing STNSM as a designated SDGs Custodian Support Mechanism within the Asia-Pacific region.
Issued Date: [01 March 2025]
Status: Official Endorsement Letter | Public Record
Director: Mr. Pej Prapakittikun
For inquiries and collaboration opportunities, please contact: secretariat@stnsm.org
Contact at Sustainism Secretariat
Sustainism Initiatives
Ms. Chotika Wonganawat
Assistant Director of the Secretariat
secretariat@stnsm.org
For coordination and project implementation in Thailand, please contact:
Pornpot Chaovirakij : +66 97 034 4225
Nichakorn Veerakul : +66 97 034 3220