The CPD Seminar, “ESG & Carbon Reporting: Smart Compliance for Listed Companies”, was organized by CCA on Sept 9, 2013 in response to the recent guide on Social, Environmental and Governance (ESG) promulgated by the Hong Kong Exchange (HKEx) for listed companies. The seminar, generously supported by ACCA Hong Kong, was successfully held at the Swiss Privilege Centre. We are grateful to Swiss Privilege for its venue sponsorship and free wine tasting after the seminar.
This seminar attracted nearly 100 participants from the senior management and sustainability managers from various sectors and industries, apart from the accounting professionals. The Hon Kenneth Leung, Legislative Councillor (Accountancy Sector), attended the seminar as our officiating guest. In his opening remarks, Mr Leung emphasized the importance of good ESG reporting to Hong Kong’s listed companies and shared his personal experience of adopting a new, low-carbon life style.
CCA Chief Executive Officer, Ir Albert Lai, gave a review on the latest climate change challenge and key trends of carbon and ESG reporting as promoted by global reporting bodies. For smart compliance purpose, he recommended the materiality essentials to be included in companies’ ESG reporting if they wish to reap full benefits from the good practice principles of stakeholder engagement, management involvement and materiality impact.
CCA Executive Director Dr Trini Leung, who is an environmental and social accountability expert herself, gave a presentation on the first steps for companies to approach ESG & carbon reporting, as well as the pitfalls to avoid. Various examples from overseas conglomerates were used as examples of best practice in sustainability, or corporate risks that need to be properly addressed and explained to the community.
Mr David Sheil, one of CCA’s expert advisors and a co-founder of the Association for Sustainable & Responsible Investment (ASrIA), led the audience to see the perspective of institutional investors, who assess companies not only on their financial situation but also on their ESG compliances these days. To enhance credibility, third party assurance was recommended to ESG reporting companies.
ESG reporting is currently a recommended best practice with guidelines issued by the HKEx for all listed companies in Hong Kong. However, the level of obligation is set to rise to “comply or explain” by 2015, and issuers would be encouraged to adopt a higher level of reporting based on that set by international organizations such as Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). To help our clients comply with the upcoming obligations while capturing new value and new business opportunities, CCA has developed a special package of consultancy services in ESG and carbon reporting. This new model, which we call SMART COMPLIANCE, employs efficient business tools to integrate the three essential components of materiality leap, stakeholder inclusiveness and sustainability innovation. The aim is to maximize benefits for our corporate clients while going through the reporting process.
*For more information on our ESG & Carbon Reporting Consultancy Services, please refer to the pamphlet on
http://www.carboncareasia.com/eng/our_services/esg_carbon_reporting.php.
Photo captions:
1. Nearly a hundred accounting professionals, senior management and sustainability managers from various sectors and industries attended the ESG & Carbon Reporting CPD Seminar on Sept 9, 2013.
2. The CCA team pictured with Hon Kenneth Leung (middle), officiating guest of the Seminar: (from left) CCA Director Ms Rosanna Wong, expert advisor Mr David Sheil, Board Chairman Mr Chong Chan Yau and CEO Ir Albert Lai.
3. Mr Teddy Ip, Assistant Vice President of Swiss Privilege, welcomed all seminar attendees on behalf of our venue sponsor.
4. Hon Kenneth Leung, Legislative Councillor (Accountancy), shared with the audience his personal experience in adopting a low-carbon life style in his opening remarks.
5. Ir Albert Lai, CEO of CCA, reviewed how the latest climate change challenge has inspired more and more global initiatives in corporate carbon and ESG reporting.
6. CCA Executive Director Dr Trini Leung advised company representatives on what to include and what to avoid in their ESG reports.
7. Mr David Sheil, one of CCA’s expert advisors, explained the perspectives of institutional investors in his presentation on “materiality assessment & third-party assurance” in ESG reporting.
8 & 9. Questions from the audience during the Q&A session.
10. During the Q&A session, Mr Teddy Ip shared his experience that bankers and investors do care about how companies react to ESG issues these days.
11. In his closing remarks, CCA Chairman Mr Chong Chan Yau urged for more proactive actions on ESG & carbon reporting from companies in Hong Kong.