With the Bank of Uganda’s January 2027 deadline for mandatory financial sector compliance fast approaching, businesses are facing a new sustainability reality. Ernest Ssekisonge, Managing Director of decision intelligence firm Kasi Insight, has outlined a practical roadmap urging Ugandan businesses to move away from rigid, “copy-and-paste” Western sustainability models and embrace a framework tailored to local realities.
Speaking to corporate leaders and policy experts at the 2nd Annual East Africa ESG Summit hosted by Capital One Group on June 12, 2026, Ssekisonge highlighted a critical gap between businesses’ willingness to adopt Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and their ability to implement them effectively.
Survey data conducted jointly by Kasi Insight and Capital One Group EA revealed that while 77 percent of surveyed Ugandan firms consider ESG a non-negotiable business priority, 89 percent are waiting for a simplified and locally adapted reporting structure that reflects Uganda’s economic environment.
“We cannot simply adopt Western ESG frameworks that are borrowed and transplanted directly down here. The execution environments are completely different. As practitioners, businesses, and policymakers, we must fill the gap by designing a structurally and contextually relevant framework that speaks directly to Ugandan realities.”
Ssekisonge argued that regulators and industry players must focus on developing practical tools that businesses can use in their daily operations. Without this shift, ESG compliance risks becoming a costly requirement accessible only to larger corporations rather than a tool for broad-based economic transformation.
Research presented at the summit showed that 82 percent of large corporate enterprises and 92 percent of financial and commercial institutions expressed readiness for a Uganda-specific ESG framework.
At the same time, 86.7 percent of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) indicated a strong need for practical reporting templates designed around smaller business operations.
Ssekisonge emphasized that SMEs remain central to Uganda’s economy, driving commerce, employment creation, tax contributions, and domestic growth. Integrating them into the sustainability ecosystem, he noted, requires positioning research institutions, PR advisers, professional bodies, and technical consultants as partners that provide accessible tools rather than additional compliance burdens.
He outlined a four-pillar strategy aimed at connecting ESG adoption with measurable business outcomes.
“If sustainability is going to take root here, it cannot feel like an academic burden imposed from the outside. It must deliver a clear, measurable return for the business while moving the needle on our national priorities.”
The framework begins with strengthening corporate reputation, using reliable market data to build stakeholder trust, and eliminating misleading environmental claims commonly referred to as greenwashing.
Ssekisonge stressed the importance of practical implementation through simplified templates, accessible toolkits, and straightforward audit systems that allow management teams to monitor ESG performance without disrupting normal business operations.
Beyond compliance, he noted that strong ESG performance can create tangible business advantages, including improved access to affordable credit, stronger regional trade partnerships, and reduced operational costs.
The framework ultimately connects business sustainability goals with Uganda’s wider economic ambitions, aligning private-sector ESG efforts with the government’s 10-Fold Economic Growth Agenda.
Ssekisonge’s proposals come at a critical time as East Africa moves toward stronger sustainability regulations. With countries such as Kenya advancing climate disclosure frameworks and green finance systems, Uganda’s transition reflects a broader regional shift.
As financial institutions increasingly become gatekeepers of capital, businesses across supply chains will need to demonstrate clear and verified ESG performance to secure financing.
Ssekisonge concluded that sustainability should not be viewed as a passive regulatory obligation but as a strategic opportunity for Ugandan enterprises to unlock long-term financial, social, and national value.
