In a commentary, SMU Chairman and Chairman for the Singapore Summit Conference Ho Kwon Ping highlighted that leadership is probably the most overused and hackneyed concept in management studies. Mr Ho noted a concept which has in recent years become more widespread, and which in Singapore has been pioneered by the Institute for Societal Leadership (ISL) at the Singapore Management University, is the notion of societal leadership. It defines societal leadership as the practice of creating sustainable value and impact for the betterment of entire societies within one's sphere of influence.

A recent study of about 200 participants in ISL’s South-east Asian Global Undergraduate Leaders’ Programme on their views of who and what traits embodied societal leadership revealed that attributes such as high emotional quotient in the social capacities category were more highly valued than problem-solving skills and cognitive capabilities. In addition, ISL studied the findings of 40 societal leaders interviewed through its Digital Narratives of Asia platform. The findings showed that three common themes in the life stories of societal leaders can give further insight into leadership development: leadership as a learning process, leadership development through rallying for a social cause and leadership development arising from coping with difficult situations.

The Singapore Summit, a foremost event for Chairmen, Chief Executive Officers and prominent thinkers from Asia and globally held since 2012, launched the inaugural Singapore Summit Young Societal Leaders (YSL) Programme on 13-16 September 2017. This exclusive by-invitation-only programme convenes a prominent group of 18 young leaders and change makers under the age of 40, who are selected to participate based on their exemplary commitment towards the work of making societies better for all, in Asia and around the world.