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Regulation · · 2 min read

How the Qatar Stock Exchange Closed on Global Governance Standards

The Qatar Stock Exchange joins the 3rd ESG Qatar Conference as main sponsor, at the moment ESG standards become mandatory for every publicly listed company. Its own route there ran from voluntary guidance in 2016 to ISSB-aligned mandatory disclosure from January 2026.

WRITTEN BY

ESG Qatar Editorial

Hawkama International

A three-tread staircase drawn on the conference’s navy field, rising from voluntary guidance in 2016 to mandatory disclosure in 2026 and full compliance by 2028, with the Qatar Stock Exchange mark set on a paper plate at the top left

Key takeaways

  • The Qatar Stock Exchange joins the 3rd ESG Qatar Conference as main sponsor.
  • It joined the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative in 2016 and issued voluntary ESG reporting guidance in 2016-2017.
  • From January 2026 sustainability reporting is mandatory for every listed company, under IFRS S1 and IFRS S2.
  • The rollout is phased, with full compliance and best practice expected by 2028.
  • The exchange runs the QSE MSCI Sustainability Index and an electronic platform for ESG peer benchmarking.
  • It applies sustainability internally too: women are 20% of its department managers, and the roles of chief executive and chairman are separated.

The Qatar Stock Exchange joins the third conference on environmental, social and governance standards as its main sponsor, at a moment when ESG standards have become mandatory for every publicly listed company in Qatar.

The exchange has taken concrete steps toward those standards, moving from voluntary guidance to mandatory disclosure requirements aligned with the best global standards, and with those of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in particular, in order to strengthen the market’s appeal to international investors. What follows is a summary of that journey.

From voluntary guidance to mandatory disclosure

  • Foundational phase, from 2016The exchange joined the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative and issued its first voluntary ESG reporting guide in 2016-2017, to encourage listed companies to disclose their performance and to promote transparency.
  • Mandatory phase, from 2026From January 2026 sustainability reporting is mandatory for every listed company, in accordance with the ISSB standards, specifically IFRS S1 (general requirements) and IFRS S2 (climate-related disclosures).
  • A phased approachImplementation is staged, with full compliance and best practice expected by 2028, which gives companies time to build their capacities and systems.

Strengthening the market’s infrastructure

  • A sustainability indexThe exchange launched the QSE MSCI Sustainability Index with MSCI, identifying the twenty best securities by ESG criteria, which gives companies a reason to improve their rating in order to attract investment.
  • An electronic platformA platform on which companies assess their own ESG performance against their peers, for transparency and comparability.
  • Alignment with global frameworksThe guidance the exchange issues is designed to align with internationally recognised frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).

Practice at company and institutional level

Leading companies such as QNB and Barwa Real Estate have begun disclosing their performance against the exchange’s ESG indicators, which is a real shift in market practice rather than an announced intention.

The exchange does not limit itself to urging companies to comply. It applies sustainability principles internally as well: rationalising energy and water consumption, promoting gender diversity, with women making up 20% of its department managers, and separating the roles of chief executive and chairman of the board.

The Qatar Stock Exchange has therefore closed on ESG standards by turning sustainability disclosure from a voluntary practice into a binding regulatory obligation, by investing in market infrastructure such as indices and assessment platforms, and by aligning its requirements with the highest international standards, ISSB among them, in support of Qatar National Vision 2030.

TOPICS

  • Qatar Stock Exchange ESG disclosure
  • Mandatory sustainability reporting for listed companies
  • IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 in Qatar
  • QSE MSCI Sustainability Index
  • UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative

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