Carbon Care Asia

Corporate Carbon Leadership Inspiring Stories – HK Reception

Background

A year ago, people all over the world were looking towards our political leaders to come forth with a global deal to tackle the acute climate change crisis. Yet Copenhagen Climate Summit failed to deliver the Big Promise. Expectations are running low for this December’s climate summit in Cancun.

In the first week of November 2010, Hong Kong is the host for the C40 meeting on “Low Carbon Cities” (5-6 Nov). C40 is the world’s Large Cities Climate Leadership Group formed by political leaders to lead impactful actions in reducing greenhouse gases emissions and developing low carbon economy in response to the climate change crisis. The Eco Expo Asia also took place in Hong Kong on 3-6 Nov. This is a golden week when the local business community can express its aspirations and preparedness to taking significant tangible carbon reduction actions to mitigate global warming. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate the carbon caring mission commonly shared by local business leaders and their counterparts around the world.

Make a difference Carbon Care Gathering

In view of the need to pull our weight together to add to the momentum for a breakthrough in our global action to bring about a low carbon economy and climate caring culture, Carbon Care Asia partnered with various corporations and business organizations to host a Corporate Carbon Care Actions Gathering in the evening of 2 November, 2010 at the InterContinental Hong Kong Hotel, our venue sponsor.

The theme of this gathering is “Corporate Carbon Leadership Inspiring Actions” During this informal gathering of friendship, inspirations and fun, senior management of various corporations and organizations exchanged interesting carbon care stories and inspirational ideas with political and social leaders in Hong Kong and overseas. CCA was much honoured to have invited Ms Maria Castillo Fernandez, Head of Office of the European Commission in HK & Macao, as VIP guest to this Reception, who gave her congratulatory remarks and encouragement to the Hong Kong business sector and organisations for more active engagement in carbon care actions.

Mr Laurence Brahm, a globally renowned sustainability and climate care leader, was invited to share his inspirational story via video presentation. A number of innovative carbon care actions taken by reputable companies in Hong Kong were showcased, while other business and organisation leaders present joined in the free exchanges.

Phoenix TV News Report (by courtesy of Phoenix TV)

Photo captions:

1. A group photo to commemorate a great occasion of friendship and inspiration – all panel speakers and CCA team with VIP guest Ms Maria Castillo Fernandez (centre front), Head of EC Office in HK.
2. VIP guest Ms Maria Castillo Fernandez, Head of Office of the European Commission in HK & Macao, gave her congratulatory remarks to the Reception.
3. Through video presentation, Mr Laurence Brahm, Founder of the Himalayan Consensus, shares his experience in advocating for sustainable environmental protection in the Himalayas.
4. Two ladies matching in red and black — CCA Executive Director Dr Trini Leung with Ms Stella Wong, Director of Events of the InterContinental Hong Kong Hotel.
5. Speakers of the first panel with Dr Trini Leung as the facilitator — Mr Jeremy Hobbins of Li & Fung Group, Ms Loretta Lee of Loretta Lee Ltd and Mr Vincent So of Jebsen Building Products Ltd (left to right).
6. Mr Jeremy Hobbins, Director of Li & Fung Group, reveals the Group’s ambitious programme to do carbon footprinting for its extensive and massive supply chains. His story shows the unstoppable wave of the demand for carbon reporting from responsible businesses.
7. Ms Loretta Lee, Chairman of Loretta Lee Ltd, confirms from her own manufacturing business operations that climate friendly conservation and energy efficiency measures can bring real savings to SMEs.
8. Mr Vincent So, Managing Director of Jebsen Building Products Ltd, is convinced that a winning business formula for the new generation only comes from an integrated approach to sustainability and corporate social responsibility — policy, practice and products.
9. VIP guests Mr Achim Schkade (centre), Deputy German Consulate General, and Ms Maria Castillo Fernandez (third left), Head of EC Office in Hong Kong, with CCA team.
10. Speakers of the second panel — Mr Tom Mehrmann of the Ocean Park Corporation, Mrs Mimi Cunningham of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and Mr Ka Keung Yeung of Phoenix TV Corporation (left to right).
11. Mrs Mimi Cunningham, Director of Human Resources & Sustainability of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, tells how staff engagement programmes can drive home a most powerful resource in building and sustaining a low-carbon organisational culture change.
12. Mr Tom Mehrmann, Chief Executive of the Ocean Park Corporation, aims to turn “edutainment” into a unique platform to engage with and win the hearts and minds of youths to environmental and conservation actions.
13. Mr Ka Keung Yeung, Executive Vice President of Phoenix TV Corporation, points out the important role of a compassionate and responsible media enterprise in spreading the climate care message to millions of audiences.
14. Dr Trini Leung toasts with the three Panel 2 speakers to their success in driving the snowballing of low carbon pursuits within an organisation and amongst the general public.
15. CCA Director Ms Rosanna Wong greeting an audience eager to hear and share inspiring carbon care stories.
16. Ms Faith Fung (centre), Marketing Communication Manager of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in HK with Ms Debby Chan (left) and Mr Derek Yiu (right) of Fuji Xerox (Hong Kong) Ltd.
17. Mrs Mimi Cunningham (centre), Director of Human Resources & Sustainability of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, with VIP guest Ms Maria Castillo Fernandez (right), Head of EC Office in HK, and CCA Advisor Ir Albert Lai (left).
18. CCA Director Ms Ivy Ning and Advisor Ir Dr Michael Leung have a chat with Mr Alfred Yeung (2nd left) , Project Director of HKC Holdings and Mr Ravi Kamisetti (2nd right), architect of the OMA firm.
19. The CCA executive team and advisors with Mr Ka Keung Yeung, Executive Vice President of Phoenix TV Corporation.
20. Mr Vincent So (left), Managing Director of Jebsen Building Products Ltd, with CCA Advisors Ir Albert Lai (centre) and Ir Dr Michael Leung (right).

Presentation Highlights

Special Video Presentation

Mr Laurence Brahm
Member of the United Nations Theme Group on Poverty and Inequality Founder of the Himalayan Consensus 2010 Winner of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)Award for the biodiversity protection work he has undertaken in the Himalayas.
In his video presentation, Mr Brahm underlines the importance of saving the Himalayan glaciers from disappearing, and explains why preserving the nomadic traditions in the region contributes to conservation and biodiversity protection. He calls on everybody to join in the movement of climate care and sustainable development advocacy.

Corporate Speakers

Mrs Mimi Cunningham
Director of Human Resources & Sustainability, Hong Kong Jockey Club
“The most solid and sustainable foundation to green organizations can be found in the values in its staff and communities, which shapes the corporate culture. Changing to new carbon cultures requires long-term and strong investment.”

Ms Loretta Lee
Chairman, Loretta Lee Ltd
“Climate friendly practices not only benefit the environment, but can also benefit a manufacturing business through conservation and efficiency measures. The challenges lie in customers’ and employees’ buy in.”

Mr Vincent So
Managing Director, Jebsen Building Products Limited
“To meet the aspirations of the new generations, companies need to integrate responsible and sustainable practices as a winning business formula or DNA.”

Mr Tom Mehrmann
Chief Executive, Ocean Park Corporation
“To engage with and win the hearts and minds of youths, carbon caring initiatives need to be creative, fun and stimulating. Education-based entertainment, “Edutainment” can be a unique platform to draw popular support to environmental and conservation actions.”

Mr Jeremy Hobbins
Director, Li & Fung Group
“Demand for carbon reporting is fast growing, and global firms are driving the footprinting of the global supply chains. This is a most significant business response to climate change actions.”

Mr Ka Keung Yeung
Executive Vice President, Phoenix TV Corporation
“Mass communications has the most powerful medium to influence awareness and actions to combat climate change. Compassionate and responsible mass media corporation need to take up this role.”