(4 June 2021, Hong Kong) Business Environment Council Limited 商界環保協會有限公司 (“BEC”) held its flagship event BEC EnviroSeries Conference “Redefining Business Leadership for Green Growth” today (4 June), which attracted over 500 business leaders, entrepreneurs, industry experts, academics and other interested participants from around the world joining online.
As the world has changed, so must business leadership. Reflecting on the impact of COVID-19, forward-thinking companies are looking to reset business priorities and transform for green recovery and long-term green growth that creates value not just to their shareholders, but also to their stakeholders and society at large. It requires a mindset shift and system transformation as leaders redefine priorities, optimise business influence and reconsider the relationship with nature and people. Today’s Conference set the scene for Hong Kong’s business sector and started a dialogue on how to redefine business leadership amid the emerging risks and challenges under the “new normal”. This discussion will continue throughout BEC’s events this year including the next EnviroSeries Conference in December 2021.
“In Hong Kong and around the world, business has a leading role to play in the transformations toward a common vision for carbon neutrality, working together with governments, regulators, investors and all people. I am confident that through your work on sustainability and under the leadership of BEC, business in Hong Kong will play a leading role in contributing to our Vision for 2050 for a world in which 9+ billion people live well and within planetary boundaries.” Mr Peter Bakker, President & CEO of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (“WBCSD”) shared.
We Mean Business coalition’s Managing Director of Policy Ms Sophie Punte mentioned, “Climate leadership is increasingly defining the future of business. Asian companies can be leaders now through four steps: ambition, action, advocacy and accountability. This is critical as Asia accounts for more than 50% of global emissions, is home to 60% of the world’s population and by 2040 will also generate half of the world’s GDP.”
BEC’s Chairman Mr Richard Lancaster said, “In the post-pandemic era, building resilience is crucial for long-term business success. Late last year, we have seen financial regulators announcing steps for more robust climate risk testing and mandatory disclosures. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Government will soon announce a decarbonisation roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. All of these are clear signals that regulatory and policy shifts will combine with market forces to facilitate a zero-carbon transition. As business leaders, we must look ahead and discern emerging risks and challenges. We need to change our thinking and take bold actions on how we conduct business, enhance influence, connect with people and nature, and measure business success to navigate the uncharted waters of the ‘new normal’.”
At the Conference, speakers and panellists shared insights about various key topics, including new priorities for businesses, circular transition for better resource use and management, connecting nature with business, embracing innovation in a changing landscape and pursuing climate readiness and transparency. Among the speakers, panellists and moderators at the Conference were (in order of appearance):
• Mr Peter Bakker, President & CEO, WBCSD
• Mrs Margaret Brooke, Chief Executive Officer, Professional Property Services Limited
• Mr T. K. Chiang, Managing Director, CLP Power Hong Kong Limited
• Mr Kevin O’Brien, Chief Executive, Jardine Engineering Corporation
• Mr Simon Ng, Director – Policy & Research, Business Environment Council
• Mr Harald Tepper, Senior Director Sustainability, Program Lead Circular Economy, Philips
• Ms Lauren Boucher, Circular Fashion Programme Director, Redress
• Ir Prof Daniel Cheng, Managing Director, Dunwell Technology (Holdings) Ltd.
• Mr Arnold Wang, China Plastics Program Manager, Ellen MacArthur Foundation
• Mr Joshua Wong, Manager, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited
• Ms Helga Vanthournout, Senior Advisor, Circular Economy Expert, Wealth of Flows Consulting Ltd, Hong Kong
• Mr Mark Harper, Group Sustainable Development Manager, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited
• Mr Robin How, Independent Analyst
• Dr Calvin Lee Kwan, Head – Sustainability & Risk Governance, Link Asset Management Limited
• Ms Nancy Wang, Director, Sustainable Finance, ANZ
• Mr Mike Kilburn, Independent Sustainability Advisor
• Mr Jonathan Chiu, President, Schneider Electric Hong Kong
• Dr Saraansh Dave, Director – New Business Development, CLP Innovation
• Mr Erdal Elver, President & Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Ltd., Hong Kong and Macao
• Ir Steven Lai, Chief Executive, Environmental Engineering, ATAL Engineering Group
• Mr Ben Wong, Head of Open Innovation, Eureka Nova
• Ir C.F. Leung, Director – Operations, Business Environment Council
• Ms Sophie Punte, Managing Director of Policy, We Mean Business coalition
• Ms Pratima Divgi, Director, CDP
• Ms Ophelia Lin, Managing Director, Meiriki Japan Company Limited
• Mr Albert Poon, Senior Manager, Environment, Quality, Safety & Health Function, KONE Elevator (Hong Kong) Ltd
• Dr Raymond Yau, General Manager, Technical Services & Sustainable Development, Swire Properties Limited
EnviroSeries Conference is BEC’s flagship event that aims to provide a cross-sector forum for stakeholders to discuss and address key issues related to Hong Kong’s environmental sustainability, and serves as a BEC’s key initiative for thought leadership development on important topical issues.
