EDGE Sustainability at a glance
Agency
Enterprise Singapore
Parent programme
Support type
Co-funding
Local ownership
At least 30% direct or indirect Singaporean / Singapore PR ownership
Core activities
Sustainability strategy, ESG assessment, resource optimisation and implementation
Funding rate
Up to 70% for SMEs and 50% for non-SMEs
Typical project duration
Up to 12 months for the current core Sustainability activities
Application cycle
Rolling
Project timing
Apply before commencement or payment/deposit
Application route
Business Grants Portal
Enterprise Singapore currently states that Sustainability Strategy Development, Sustainability Services and Resource Management & Optimisation projects should be completed within 12 months of approval and count towards the company's overall annual EDGE cap.
Which EDGE Sustainability activity fits your project?
The correct activity depends on what sustainability outcome the company is trying to achieve.
| Business objective | EDGE Sustainability activity |
|---|---|
| Develop an ESG or sustainability roadmap | Sustainability Strategy Development |
| Prepare a sustainability report as part of a broader first sustainability strategy | Sustainability Strategy Development |
| Measure ESG performance and obtain a score/report | Sustainability Services |
| Understand energy, carbon, waste, water or materials consumption | Resource Management & Optimisation - Advisory |
| Implement hardware/software to reduce resource consumption | Resource Management & Optimisation - Implementation |
| Assess and then implement a resource-efficiency solution | Resource Management & Optimisation - Advisory + Implementation |
A company developing a commercial sustainable product or technology for customers should instead assess EDGE Sustainable Product / Service Development.
Sustainability Strategy Development
This activity helps companies establish a structured sustainability strategy and, where relevant, develop and obtain assurance over their first sustainability report.
Enterprise Singapore currently offers three configurations.
Option A - Sustainability strategy development
The project covers:
- ESG materiality assessment;
- sustainability data collection;
- gap assessment;
- sustainability risk and opportunity assessment;
- strategy and roadmap development.
Option B - Strategy + Sustainability Reporting
This includes the full strategy work plus preparation of a sustainability report aligned with an international reporting framework.
Option C - Strategy + Reporting + Assurance
This includes the strategy and report, together with independent assurance.
Important eligibility conditions for Sustainability Strategy Development
This route has additional conditions beyond general EDGE eligibility.
Enterprise Singapore currently states that:
- the company must not previously have developed or published a sustainability report;
- the company must not already be subject to mandatory ISSB-based climate-reporting requirements under the relevant ACRA/SGX framework.
Companies subject to the relevant mandatory climate-reporting regime may need to consider the separate Sustainability Reporting Grant instead.
This condition applies specifically to the Sustainability Strategy Development route and should not be assumed to apply to every EDGE Sustainability activity.
Sustainability Services
Sustainability Services is a more focused activity for companies wanting to measure and assess ESG data and obtain a structured view of their current sustainability performance.
Enterprise Singapore describes the activity as enabling businesses to assess environmental, social and governance data and obtain a score of their performance.
What it supports
The current activity supports software costs associated with an ESG ratings or assessment service.
The expected deliverable is a scorecard and/or report generated by the relevant ESG ratings service provider.
Best suited for
Companies that need to establish a baseline or external assessment of current ESG performance rather than develop a complete sustainability strategy.
Resource Management & Optimisation
Resource Management & Optimisation supports companies reducing operational resource consumption and improving efficiency across areas such as:
- energy;
- carbon;
- waste;
- water;
- materials.
The activity can support both analysis and implementation.
Option A - Advisory
The project can involve:
- measurement of current resource consumption;
- identification of high-consumption hotspots;
- development of targets and a resource-management roadmap;
- identification of relevant technologies or operational changes.
Option B - Implementation
The company can implement or customise hardware or software intended to improve resource efficiency.
Option C - Advisory + Implementation
A company can combine the assessment and implementation components within one project.
This structure makes Resource Management & Optimisation particularly relevant where the company knows it needs to improve sustainability performance but has not yet defined the technical solution.
Who can apply?
Across the core EDGE Sustainability activities, the company generally needs to:
- be registered and operating in Singapore;
- have at least 30% direct or indirect ownership by Singaporeans and/or Singapore Permanent Residents;
- apply before work starts or payment or deposit is made.
Additional project conditions then depend on the activity selected.
How much funding is available?
The current Sustainability activities covered here provide support of up to:
- 70% for SMEs;
- 50% for non-SMEs.
Support counts towards the company's S$100,000 annual EDGE cap, shared across EDGE activities and refreshed annually on 1 April.
The relevant percentage applies to expenditure accepted as qualifying under the approved activity - not automatically to the company's entire sustainability budget.
What expenditure can qualify?
Eligible expenditure varies materially by activity.
Sustainability Strategy Development
Current supported categories include:
- professional services;
- software;
- hardware.
Sustainability Services
The current activity supports:
- software costs.
Resource Management & Optimisation
Current supported categories include:
- professional services;
- software;
- hardware.
GST is not supported under these activities.
The exact scope of expenditure should therefore be assessed against the selected activity rather than treating "sustainability expenditure" as one general eligible category.
Key conditions
Select the right Sustainability route
A strategy project, ESG scoring exercise and operational resource-efficiency project have different requirements.
The business objective should determine the activity.
Apply before commitment
The company should not commence the work or make payment or a deposit before submitting the application.
Current projects generally need to be completed within 12 months
Enterprise Singapore currently states a 12-month completion period for the three activities covered on this page.
Management-consultant requirements may apply
Where management consultancy forms part of the relevant activity, SS 680 certification requirements may apply.
Sustainability reporting has separate eligibility considerations
Companies already subject to mandatory climate-reporting requirements should not assume that EDGE Sustainability Strategy Development is the relevant reporting route.
When should you apply?
EDGE Sustainability applications are currently rolling.
The right timing depends on the project.
For a strategy project, this is generally when management has decided to establish a formal sustainability roadmap but before engaging the consultant.
For resource optimisation, the grant should be assessed while the company is still evaluating the operational issue, technical options and implementation budget.
For ESG assessment services, the activity should be assessed before the relevant subscription or vendor engagement is committed.
Enterprise Singapore currently states that costs incurred from the application date can be covered if the application is subsequently approved for these activities. Approval should not be assumed simply because expenditure occurs after submission.
How does the application process work?
1. Identify the sustainability objective
Determine whether the project is primarily about:
- strategy;
- reporting;
- ESG assessment;
- resource optimisation;
- implementation.
2. Select the relevant EDGE activity
The activity determines the eligible scope, deliverables and costs.
3. Define the project
Establish:
- current sustainability problem or baseline;
- target outcome;
- vendor or consultant scope;
- project costs;
- measurable outputs.
4. Prepare the supporting documentation
Depending on the activity, this may include:
- vendor proposal and quotation;
- SS 680 certification where relevant;
- revenue-growth projections;
- cost-saving projections;
- employment projections;
- carbon-emissions information where relevant.
5. Submit through the Business Grants Portal
The company submits using its own Corppass account.
Enterprise Singapore states that third-party companies cannot formally apply for or manage the grant on behalf of the applicant company.
6. Enterprise Singapore assessment
Current pages indicate a typical application outcome timeframe of around 10 weeks for these Sustainability activities.
7. Letter of Offer and implementation
The Letter of Offer establishes the grant amount, qualifying period, conditions and deliverables.
Post-Award Management
The deliverables differ by activity.
For example:
- Sustainability Strategy Development requires the agreed strategy/report/assurance outputs;
- Sustainability Services requires the relevant ESG scorecard or report;
- Resource Management & Optimisation requires evidence of the advisory work and/or implementation and resulting resource-performance impact.
At claim stage, companies need to ensure:
- only approved expenditure is claimed;
- eligible expenses have been fully paid;
- deliverables are complete;
- claim evidence is available;
- the company continues to meet the relevant eligibility requirements.
Is EDGE Sustainability relevant to your project?
EDGE Sustainability is strongest where the company has a defined sustainability business objective rather than a generic intention to "be greener."
A strong fit may be:
- a company formalising its first sustainability roadmap;
- a business needing structured ESG measurement;
- a manufacturer analysing and reducing energy or material consumption;
- a company implementing a defined resource-efficiency technology;
- an SME establishing the data, governance and operating practices needed to manage sustainability systematically.
A weaker fit
The route is less likely to be the best starting point where:
- there is no defined sustainability problem or outcome;
- the work is primarily regulatory compliance already required of the company;
- the company has already committed the relevant vendor;
- the project is actually the development of a sustainable product for sale.
In that last case, Sustainable Product / Service Development should be assessed separately.
How Reeve | R&D supports EDGE Sustainability
Activity selection
Determine whether the project fits Strategy Development, Sustainability Services or Resource Management & Optimisation.
Eligibility and timing assessment
Confirm company eligibility and whether the proposed project remains uncommitted.
Project structuring
Define the sustainability baseline, objectives, vendor scope, costs and measurable outcomes.
Funding modelling
Assess potentially qualifying expenditure and the expected support within the wider EDGE position.
Application preparation
Coordinate the business case, vendor documents, projections and sustainability information.
Enterprise Singapore interaction
Support clarification requests during assessment.
Post-Award Management
Manage deliverables, expenditure, evidence, project changes and claims.
Frequently asked questions
How much does EDGE Sustainability fund?
Current Sustainability activities provide support of up to 70% for SMEs and 50% for non-SMEs.
Can EDGE fund sustainability reporting?
Potentially through Sustainability Strategy Development where the relevant conditions are met.
Companies subject to mandatory ISSB-related climate-reporting requirements may instead need to consider the separate Sustainability Reporting Grant.
Can EDGE fund energy-saving equipment?
Potentially, where it forms part of a qualifying Resource Management & Optimisation implementation project.
Separate schemes such as the Energy Efficiency Grant may also be relevant depending on the equipment and company profile.
Does EDGE Sustainability cover carbon only?
No. Resource Management & Optimisation can cover areas including energy, carbon, waste, water and materials.
Can I use EDGE to develop a sustainable product?
There is a separate Sustainable Product / Service Development activity for commercial sustainable products, services and solutions.
Can I start the project before approval?
The application needs to be submitted before project commencement or payment/deposit. Current Sustainability activities state that costs incurred from the application date may be covered if approval is subsequently obtained.