Mongolia’s 2025 business landscape is defined by ESG adoption, accelerated digital transformation, and renewed focus on workforce upskilling—key themes influencing both policy and corporate priorities.
Mongolia is stepping up its efforts to finance clean energy and renewables. For instance, in early 2025, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed an agreement to help Mongolia build up to 200 MW of wind and 300 MW of solar power by 2028, along with storage and grid infrastructure. In addition, Mongolia announced that it is close to signing green-hydrogen and major renewable-energy deals with Saudi Arabia worth several billion dollars. Further strengthening its green credentials, Mongolia also entered a carbon-credit framework agreement with Singapore in October 2025, enabling structured transfers of emission credits under Article 6 and unlocking new climate-finance flows.
These advancements are consistent with the conclusions drawn from the Sustainability Dialogue 2025, which was hosted in Ulaanbaatar by the Office of the President of Mongolia and the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC). To promote regional collaboration on climate action, green finance, and nature-based solutions, the conference brought together more than 400 leaders from the public, private, and academic sectors. The Dialogue emphasized Mongolia's pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and to expand its "Billion Trees" initiative, which links reforestation to land-restoration and carbon sequestration aims. To effectively access climate-finance mechanisms, it also underlined the necessity of increased institutional capacity and private sector involvement.
What does this mean for Mongolia’s private sector? Companies in Mongolia, especially those with heavier carbon footprints, will be encouraged to and eventually required by regulations to measure, disclose, and verify their environmental footprints, adopt low-carbon business models, and secure financing linked to ESG metrics as climate-finance deals proliferate and the infrastructure expands.
To support this shift, stronger controls over sustainability-related disclosures, conformity to international frameworks, and preparedness for third-party verification or assurance of non-financial information will become increasingly important. In practice, this means companies will need clear data-collection processes, internal accountability, and documentation standards that allow environmental claims to be traced and defended. Rather than viewing ESG reporting as an add-on, it needs to be integrated into core financial and operational systems to ensure accuracy and credibility.
Mongolia’s digital economy is gathering pace. According to the e‑Mongolia platform, the government is striving to digitize 90 % of public services by 2024 and has already made strong strides: connectivity has expanded, and the country is rising in the UN e-government index.
A World Bank press release notes Mongolia’s “strongest opportunities” in digital services growth lie in software development, telecommunications and digital marketing. This direction was also echoed at the ICT Forum during TechWEEK 2025, where government representatives and tech leaders highlighted a strategic aim to develop and export Mongolian-built digital products and software, rather than rely solely on imported solutions.
This digital transition presents both opportunities and challenges for professionals, and the private sector. On the plus side, there is an opportunity to implement smart models that increase productivity, lower errors, and generate digitally enabled new businesses., such as cloud accounting, AI-based analytics, and e-invoicing. Regarding the challenge, companies will have to make sure that data integrity is preserved, cyber-risk controls are in place, underlying systems are secure, and business risks associated with digital transformation are appropriately evaluated and reported.
Talent and adaptability will be the next frontier of competition as Mongolia's economy transitions to digitalization and green growth. Global research indicates that among the fastest-growing job skills for 2025 are data science, artificial intelligence, and sustainability, highlighting the growing need for tech-savvy and environmentally conscious workers, according to Coursera’s analysis of global skill trends. According to a World Bank study, employers in Mongolia are finding it more difficult to locate employees with both technical and behavioral skills, particularly in ICT, problem-solving, and teamwork. At the same time, flexible and remote work options are expanding, including agencies that connect part-time and project talent with businesses. For example, Momade Agency through their Momade Academy trains and deploys remote-working mothers as virtual assistants and digital professionals, providing on-demand support to SMEs and startups. Recent shifts towards remote work have further normalized these models, giving employers scalable, project-based capacity.
The need for cross-functional cooperation and ESG literacy in finance, technology, and sustainability roles is highlighted by this growing disparity. Resilience for the industry now hinges on training their employees who can integrate data analytics, sustainability reporting, digital tool proficiency, and financial expertise. Businesses will be best prepared to prosper in Mongolia's quickly changing business environment if they make early investments in multidisciplinary skill development and ongoing learning.
2025 should be viewed as Mongolia's ramp-up year, a period for deepening dialogue, planning, and setting the groundwork for long-term change. By 2026, key discussions will translate into frameworks and initiatives that enable scalability and tangible impact.
· Regulatory Landscape: Be prepared to start complying with non-financial disclosure requirements, climate-linked financing arrangements, and stricter ESG reporting requirements.
· Business models: ESG as a service (both as an offering and as a client need), carbon-credit markets, and the circular economy will all become more popular.
· Regional infrastructure and integration: Grid infrastructure, cross-border connectivity, and the potential for hydrogen exports all suggest that Mongolia's role in the Asia-Pacific green/energy corridors may expand.
This entails keeping up with changing standards (such as ESG frameworks, climate-risk reporting, and digital audit tools), making sure businesses are ready for changes in regulations, and offering advice on transformation rather than merely compliance.
For young professionals, this is an opportunity to take a position at the intersection of Mongolia’s digital, green, and evolving economic future.Gaining expertise in digital auditing, data analytics, cross-sector risk management, and sustainability reporting will make you invaluable in a market that is insatiably seeking flexible and innovative talent.
For businesses, early adoption is crucial. As regulations tighten and ESG expectations rise, who takes the lead will depend on investments made now in strong governance systems, digital infrastructure, and qualified personnel. In addition to complying, those who align with their financial and non-financial performance will also be better able to compete.
For audit and advisory firms, this is a key chance to move beyond traditional assurance. Providing sustainability verification, digital audit integration, and transformation consulting can build client trust and keep firms relevant in a changing market. The future of the profession is assisting clients as they deal with complexity through insight, transparency, and flexibility.
