Last reviewed: November 2026. This brief summarises the sustainability, ESG disclosure and corporate governance landscape in Jordan for boards, sustainability teams and investor-relations professionals. It is an orientation guide, not legal advice.
Rules, thresholds and deadlines change frequently, and several frameworks described here were being revised at the time of writing. Always confirm the current position with the official source (regulator, exchange or ministry) before relying on any requirement.
Overview
Jordan is a small, open economy with a long-established capital market and a high dependence on imported energy, which has driven rapid growth in solar and wind power. Water scarcity and climate adaptation are central national issues. In sustainability disclosure, Jordan has moved from voluntary exchange guidance (2018) to climate-related guidance aligned with the ISSB and, in 2026, a regulator-issued ESG Code for the largest listed companies.
Regulators and stock exchange
- Jordan Securities Commission (JSC) – regulates the capital market, issues governance instructions and the ESG Code.
- Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) – converted in 2017 into a public shareholding company wholly owned by the government; it publishes sustainability and climate disclosure guidance.
- Securities Depository Center (SDC) – registration, custody and settlement.
- Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) – regulates banks and leads the national green finance strategy.
ESG / sustainability disclosure requirements
- ASE Guidance on Sustainability Reporting (2018), later updated, recommends ESG indicators for listed companies.
- ASE climate-related disclosure guidance and regulatory framework (2024) point listed companies towards the ISSB standards (IFRS S1 and S2).
- JSC ESG Code of Practice (September 2026): according to official news reports, companies in the ASE20 index must comply from the 2027 financial year, with gradual extension to other listed companies.
Read the Code text on the JSC website for the precise scope, reporting format and first deadline.
Corporate governance code
The Corporate Governance Instructions for Shareholding Listed Companies (2017) were issued under the Securities Law No. 18 of 2017 and approved by JSC Board decision No. 146/2017, in force from 22 May 2017. They replaced the 2009 voluntary code and are mandatory. They cover board composition and independent directors, board committees, the general assembly, shareholder rights, disclosure and transparency, and require an annual governance report. Banks are additionally subject to CBJ corporate governance instructions.
Climate commitments
- Updated NDC (October 2021): a 31% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with business-as-usual – 5% unconditional and 26% conditional on international support.
- NDC 3.0: Jordan published an NDC 3.0 vision in 2025; consult the UNFCCC registry for the latest submission.
- Net zero: no national net-zero target year was identified for this brief.
Sustainable finance
The CBJ launched a Green Finance Strategy for 2023–2028, focusing on climate-related risk management in banks and mobilising green finance. Green bond guidance has been issued with the involvement of the JSC and other authorities, and development finance institutions have supported green lending and labelled bond issuance by Jordanian banks. Renewable energy and water projects are the main use-of-proceeds categories.
Investor relations practice
ASE-listed companies publish disclosures in Arabic and English, and the largest issuers (banks, mining and telecoms) hold results briefings and engage with regional and international investors. The ASE20 ESG Code will make ESG data a standard part of investor communication for index constituents. IR teams should coordinate the governance report, ESG report and annual report, and prepare for questions on water, energy costs and climate resilience.
For ASE20 companies, a sensible preparation path for the 2027 financial year is: confirm the Code's required disclosures and format, run a materiality assessment, set up GHG and water data collection under recognised methods, assign board-level oversight of ESG, and run a dry-run report on 2026 data. Because the ASE's climate guidance points towards IFRS S2, aligning climate disclosures with that standard from the start avoids rework later.
What to watch
- JSC implementing guidance for the ESG Code and the first reports for financial year 2027.
- Extension of ESG requirements beyond ASE20 companies.
- CBJ climate-risk supervision and green finance strategy milestones.
- Jordan's NDC 3.0 targets and implementation.
Official sources
- Jordan Securities Commission
- Amman Stock Exchange
- ASE – Corporate Governance Instructions 2017 (PDF)
- Central Bank of Jordan
- UNFCCC – NDC registry
Last reviewed: November 2026. Corprise Knowledge Hub briefs are updated periodically; if you notice a change in the rules, check the official source first.
