On December 6, 2024, the 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Sustainable Development Forum and the Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) Awards Ceremony were held in Shenzhen. Luo Xiang, Chairman of the Management Committee of the United Nations Global Leadership and ESG Development Center (UNGLEP), attended the event and delivered a keynote speech.
At a time when global environmental, social and governance (ESG) responsibilities are increasingly valued, China's market sustainable information disclosure policies continue to advance. On May 1, the three major exchanges' sustainable development reporting guidelines were officially implemented; the Ministry of Finance publicly solicited opinions on the "Corporate Sustainable Disclosure Standards - Basic Standards", which will also be officially issued in the near future. In this context, this forum aims to commend outstanding companies, projects and individuals in the ESG field, inspire more companies to engage in ESG practices, and build an exchange platform among companies in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to promote the sharing and mutual learning of ESG concepts and practices, follow the ESG guidelines of the three major exchanges, guide companies to develop in compliance, and enhance market competitiveness.
In his keynote speech, Luo Xiang pointed out that the implementation of ESG strategies by Chinese companies in global development is not only strategically important, but also faces realistic urgency and value creation. He proposed "six major strategies" to promote the steady development of Chinese companies in the world, including compliance strategy, optimization portfolio strategy, goal-oriented strategy, key factor strategy, strategic integration strategy and incentive development strategy, which provides a clear practical path for Chinese companies to implement the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind in the process of global development.
The forum brought together many important guests, including Luo Xiang, Tang Weimin, Senior Manager of Climate Energy at WWF and Head of SBTi China, Chen Haiou, Secretary General of Shenzhen Green Finance Association, Lai Gaoyu, Chairman of Shenzhen Green Exchange, and Ma Xianfeng, Vice President of Beijing Green Finance Association and Chairman of China Chengxin Green Finance International. In the roundtable discussion, many industry experts conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as "Trends and Challenges of Enterprise ESG Supply Chain Management" and "Cross-border Green Finance Helps Enterprise ESG Performance".
HERA founder, Benshi Consulting Chairman and Founder Huang Youjie and China Chengxin Green Finance International CEO Yang Junhao delivered welcome speeches, emphasizing the importance of ESG to corporate development and social progress, as well as HERA's vision to promote industry best practices and keep pace with global ESG development.
The award ceremony also recognized more than 80 companies that made outstanding contributions in different ESG dimensions. After seven years of development, HERA has become an ESG award forum with global credibility and influence, and is the world's first ESG award to receive a special nomination from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Investment Policy Review.
Luo Xiang's speech at this forum provided valuable ideas and strategies for the development of Chinese companies in the ESG field, and encouraged further promotion of the sustainable development process in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and even globally.
