More than a conventional sustainability workshop, the Executive Programme on Carbon Finance for CEOs brought together Pakistan’s leading corporate executives here at a local hotel, to examine how climate action can become a driver of business growth, investment and long-term competitiveness. This was the first of the series of workshops being rolled out by NUST in collaboration with Nutshell Communications and CVF-V20.
The programme was jointly organized by the Iqbal Executive Development Centre (IEDC), National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Nutshell Communications, and the Climate Vulnerable Forum & Vulnerable Twenty (CVF-V20), bringing together CEOs, Board members, CFOs and sustainability leaders for a full day of strategic dialogue on emerging opportunities in climate finance and carbon markets.
NUST’s IEDC played a critical role in setting up the whole program in the most effective way, while Nutshell Communications’ extensive liaison with the corporate sector came in handy in gathering the most impressive lineup of CEOs and corporate sustainability leaders. As the knowledge partner, CVF-V20 played a central role in shaping the programme’s content, drawing on its global experience in climate finance, carbon markets and sustainable investment.
The speakers were the most valued experts of carbon credit and carbon finance from Pakistan, including Zulfiqar Younas, Senior Advisor Climate Finance, CVF-V20, Ahsan Karmran, Khurram Lalani and Maha Qasim, all leading carbon and ESG experts in Pakistan.
They emphasized that climate change is no longer solely an environmental concern but a strategic business issue influencing investment decisions, access to finance, export competitiveness and corporate governance. They highlighted that companies which respond proactively to the low-carbon transition will be better positioned to attract capital, strengthen resilience and unlock new sources of revenue.
Participants explored the significant opportunities arising from Pakistan’s evolving policy landscape, including the Pakistan Carbon Market Policy, the Pakistan Green Taxonomy, and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s (SECP) Sustainability Reporting Framework. Together, these reforms are creating an enabling environment for businesses to access green finance, develop carbon credit projects and align with international sustainability standards.
A key highlight of the programme was the special address by Mussarat Jabeen, Executive Director, SECP, who outlined the Commission’s vision for strengthening sustainability reporting and corporate governance. Her remarks reinforced the importance of climate-related disclosures and board-level leadership in preparing Pakistan’s corporate sector for emerging regulatory and market expectations. The programme also featured an international case study on Shell’s Carbon Finance Strategy, demonstrating how one of the world’s leading energy companies has integrated carbon finance into its business model to support decarbonization, mobilize investment and create long-term enterprise value.