GMT EIGHT - Commercial - ESG

Xu Zhengyu: The Hong Kong government actively guides international capital to invest in sustainable development projects.

Hong Kong, as a leading international financial center and sustainable financial hub in Asia, has deep and wide capital markets. The Hong Kong government has also made green and sustainable finance one of its key priorities, actively guiding international capital to invest in sustainable development projects in various fields, providing support for the transformation to green finance.

The China Listed Companies Association and China Securities Index Co., Ltd. jointly release the "China Listed Companies ESG Development Report (2025)."

The report shows that China's ESG ecosystem is becoming increasingly mature, and the regulatory framework continues to improve.

Beijing’s solar reset shows early traction as prices stabilize

After a bruising 18-month price war that pushed leading manufacturers into losses, China’s solar sector is showing tentative stabilization. Analysts report 2-4 per cent week-on-week gains across upstream products and 5-7 per cent increases over the past month, with top-tier polysilicon makers potentially returning to profit as policy pressure for capacity discipline begins to bite.

Powering the Future: Suzlon Secures Massive Wind Order from Tata Power

Suzlon Group has secured a major 838 MW wind order from Tata Power Renewable Energy, its largest in FY26. The deal, which will deploy 266 turbines across three Indian states, is part of a "Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy" project. It marks Suzlon's second-largest contract ever and supports TPREL's goal of achieving 100% clean power by 2045.

Hong Kong Green Finance Association Ma Jun: Hong Kong maintains a leading position in the development of green finance in many aspects.

Hong Kong Green Finance Association's Ma Jun stated that Hong Kong maintains a leading position in green finance development in various aspects, and has the ability and responsibility to become a regional platform for policy dialogues, product innovations, etc.

Hong Kong Treasury Bureau: The total ESG fund assets under management in the first half of the year is approximately HK$116.14 billion.

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Treasury Department stated that the total amount of green and sustainable debt issued in Hong Kong in 2024 exceeded $84 billion (or 655.2 billion Hong Kong dollars).

Car Home (02518) achieved excellent results in the ESG field again, continuously improving its S&P Global ESG CSA rating for three consecutive years.

Recently, Autohome (02518, ATHM.US) has made significant progress in the field of sustainable development.

NatWest’s deeper push into the U.K.’s net-zero transition

NatWest Group has unveiled a larger, faster programme of climate-related lending, promising more capital for renewable projects and clearer “green” criteria for borrowers. By tightening its methodology and shifting low-carbon financing from a niche franchise into a core commercial line, the bank aims to reinforce its reputation as Britain’s premier transition lender just as the U.K. seeks to unlock private capital for decarbonisation.

Knight Frank releases the "Annual Sustainable Development Report 2024"

The 2024 Sustainable Development Report reflects the progress made by the group in reducing carbon footprint, improving energy efficiency, and building prosperous communities. Particularly proud is the company achieving its 2030 Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reduction targets six years ahead of schedule, reaching an important milestone and demonstrating the company's commitment to creating a better and more sustainable future.

The Transport and Logistics Bureau of Hong Kong releases the "ESG Development Roadmap for the Logistics Industry" to help small and medium enterprises enhance their competitiveness.

A spokesperson from the Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau stated that for Hong Kong logistics small and medium enterprises deeply integrated into the global supply chain, practicing ESG is no longer a choice, but a necessary measure to ensure the survival of enterprises and maintain international competitiveness.

Hong Kong Treasury Department: Hong Kong ESG management asset size exceeds HK$1 trillion in the first quarter.

The Hong Kong Treasury Department revealed that as of March 31, 2025, there are a total of 218 ESG funds approved by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, with assets under management totaling approximately 139.2 billion US dollars (equivalent to about 1085.7 billion Hong Kong dollars).

Qifu Technology, Inc. ADR Class A (QFIN.US) has once again been named as the "most respected company." The market has recognized the combination of "AI+ finance."

Keytech Technology retains the title of "Most Respected Company"

In 2023, Hong Kong's total greenhouse gas emissions were 34.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, a decrease of one quarter from the peak.

In 2023, Hong Kong's total greenhouse gas emissions were approximately 34.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, a decrease of about 20% from the 2005 level. Compared to the emissions peak in 2014, the total emissions have decreased by about one quarter.

Hong Kong Stock Exchange: Eight aspects to help Asia achieve net zero goals

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange advocates for issuers to comply with internationally recognized climate disclosure and reporting standards.

HKEX's Charles Li: Companies' interest and involvement in the international carbon market platform Core Climate are gradually increasing.

Zhou Guanying, known as the international carbon market Core Climate platform of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, provides high-quality carbon credit products, and the interest and participation of enterprises in this platform are gradually increasing.

ING Bank: It is estimated that the global issuance of green bonds will increase to $700 billion by 2025.

Global green bond issuance reached a record high of $688 billion in 2024, with ING Bank predicting it will increase to $700 billion by 2025, indicating strong market commitment to sustainable development.

Report: More than half of the companies have not yet disclosed scope three emissions data.

The report shows that most companies lack scientifically-based carbon reduction targets. Even though 85% of the surveyed companies have promised to disclose carbon emissions in their ESG reports, 57% have failed to set targets based on science or follow international disclosure standards.

Hong Kong Exchange to implement new climate disclosure rules starting January Equinix: A big step towards ESG development

Han Tzu-en said that currently, many of Equinix's Hong Kong customers are using the Equinix Green Power Report to assess their achievements in promoting sustainable development, while also meeting their disclosure responsibilities and complying with the global International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 benchmarks.

Index Research Institute: The overall disclosure rate of ESG reports for listed property service companies has reached 95.65%.

The Middle Finger Research Institute released a research report on the ESG evaluation of listed property service companies in China in 2024.

PricewaterhouseCoopers: ESG disclosure of Hong Kong-listed companies has entered a fully mature stage.

Biodiversity management and disclosure of information are gradually becoming key areas for the sustainable development of enterprises.

Liang Fengyi: Hopes that ESG information in the Hong Kong financial market can be more transparent.

She said that currently, a total of five vendors have expressed their readiness to sign this voluntary code of conduct.

Luo Bingxian Yongdao: APEC important commodity supply faces increasing climate risks

The APEC economies are among the top three producers of all six commodities studied in the report globally, with key minerals and important metals being an essential part of global production and supply in industries such as electronics, technology, manufacturing, energy systems, and consumer goods.

Friends of the Earth Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Financial Development Bureau jointly organized a side event forum at COP29 to promote the transformation of finance and achieve a net zero emissions economy.

At the upcoming COP29 China side event forum, representatives from the government, financial institutions, industry, research institutions, academia, civil society organizations, and innovative technology sectors will be invited to participate in discussions, share and promote new concepts, new models, and new examples of sustainable financial development.

Schroder: Carbon reduction strategies need to consider a broader perspective. Stock investors need to consider carbon footprint.

As the world accelerates towards net zero emissions, Schroder's Global Equity director Simon Webber and Diversified Asset Investment strategist Ben Popatlal discuss how investors can flexibly adjust their investment strategies to achieve carbon reduction goals in their portfolios.

Droplet Company releases ESG report: R&D investment to reach 2.99 billion by 2023.

Adhere to both technological innovation and social responsibility.

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission welcomes voluntary compliance guidelines for ESG rating and data product suppliers.

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission welcomes a working group led by industry leaders to release a set of voluntary standards for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings and data providers offering products and services in Hong Kong today.

Hang Seng Index Company releases the 2024 Sustainability Rating of Listed Companies.

Hang Seng Index Company released the sustainable development ratings of Hong Kong and Mainland China listed companies for 2024 on its "ESG Services" webpage on August 26th.

Hong Kong Productivity Council: Construction, transportation, express delivery, and manufacturing are the industries with the best ESG performance.

The Productivity Council of Hong Kong launched the ESGOne in January this year to promote corporate awareness and capabilities in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) issues. Within six months, over 500 companies have become members.

Moody's partners with MSCI to introduce MSCI industry ESG ratings and information.

MSCI and Moody's Corporation announced a strategic partnership agreement, in which Moody's will integrate MSCI's industry-leading ESG ratings and information, primarily used to measure companies' management levels in financial-related ESG risks and opportunities.

Xu Zhengyu: Will launch a new "Green and Sustainable Financial Technology Concept Validation Testing Funding Program"

In order to encourage the industry to develop more financial technology projects and promote their commercialization, Hong Kong is launching a new "Green and Sustainable Financial Technology Concept Verification Testing Grant Program," which will be executed by Cyberport.

HANG SENG BANK (00011): Launching an 800 billion sustainable development Power Up financing fund.

HSBC Bank (00011) announced the launch of a series of measures covering three main categories including fund financing, green certification, and knowledge advocacy, strategically assisting companies in green transformation.

Hong Kong's sustainable bond market leads Asia with a 236% year-on-year growth in 2023.

The report shows that the sustainable bond market in Hong Kong has experienced its largest growth ever.

The Hong Kong Logistics Association launches its first ESG rating system

On June 12th, the Hong Kong Logistics Association (HKLA) announced the launch of the first ESG Supply Chain Management (SCM) rating and certification course in the logistics industry.

The Hong Kong Listed Companies Association launched the "ESG Certification Professional Examination"

On June 6th, the Hong Kong Listed Companies Association launched the first "ESG Certification Professional Exam" (ESGCP) in Hong Kong, which is oriented towards listing rules.

BOC Hong Kong (02388) launched the first carbon footprint tracking feature in Hong Kong on its mobile banking app.

Bank of China Hong Kong (02388) announced the launch of the first carbon footprint tracking feature in Hong Kong on its mobile banking platform "Carbon.Life", further promoting the bank's digital green transformation to support customers in transitioning to a green and low-carbon lifestyle.

MPF rating: Net inflows of ESG funds as a percentage of total net inflows of MPF funds have increased to 5%.

Since the Gold Fund released the "Principles" in November 2021, the quarterly net inflow of ESG component funds from the strong pension fund has increased from 1% of the total net inflow of the strong pension fund to 5%.

ESG selected good books | "Cradle to Cradle" upgraded again! Explore the revolutionary ideas of "The Upcycle" (Part 2)

In this book, the two authors utilize their respective professional backgrounds in chemistry and architecture to innovatively propose the Cradle to Cradle design framework from the perspectives of materials and structures. They emphasize the concept of products going from cradle to cradle, promoting a sustainable cycle, so that human activities can operate in a benign manner similar to natural ecosystems.

ESG Selected Good Books | "Cradle to Cradle" Upgraded Again! Exploring the Revolutionary Ideas of "The Upcycle" (Part II)

In this book, the two authors leverage their respective professional backgrounds in chemistry and architecture to propose the Cradle to Cradle design framework from the perspectives of materials and structures. This framework emphasizes the concept of products moving from cradle to cradle in a sustainable cycle, allowing human activities to operate in a benign manner similar to natural ecosystems.

The Ministry of Finance has issued a consultation on basic guidelines, steadily promoting the construction of a sustainable disclosure guidelines system.

On May 27, the Ministry of Finance issued the "Enterprise Sustainability Disclosure Guidelines - Basic Guidelines (Draft for Comments)" and drafting instructions, based on international guidelines to develop national unified sustainability disclosure guidelines that reflect beneficial experiences of international standards, comply with the Chinese national conditions and demonstrate Chinese characteristics.

MSCI Research: There is still a significant gap between the energy structure and net zero transition goals in the Asia-Pacific region.

Wang Xiaoshu stated that there is still a significant gap between the development of the energy structure in the Asia-Pacific region and the path to net zero.

ESG selected good books | "Cradle to Cradle" upgraded again! Explore the revolutionary ideas in "The Upcycle" (Part 1)

The two authors of this book leverage their professional backgrounds in chemistry and architecture to propose a groundbreaking Cradle to Cradle design framework, emphasizing the concept of products moving in a perpetual cycle from cradle to cradle. This allows human activities to operate in a sustainable manner similar to natural ecosystems.

ESG Best Books Selected | Financial Experts' Guidance: How to Address Climate Change and Achieve Abnormal Returns through ESG Investment (Part 2)

This book provides a detailed introduction on how to identify future business opportunities and manage risks through Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) analysis, ultimately achieving above-average returns.

ESG Selection of Good Books | Financial Experts' Guidance: How to Address Climate Change and Obtain Exceptional Returns through ESG Investments (Part One)

This book provides a detailed introduction on how to use Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) analysis to identify future business opportunities and manage risk, in order to achieve above-average returns.

ESG selected good books | In-depth analysis: Exploring the truth behind global sustainable food policy (Part 2)

This book explores sustainable food procurement policies and practices in the EU and other regions, studies the extent to which sustainability goals have been achieved, and evaluates new developments happening at the EU and national levels.

Hong Kong Treasury Department: As of the end of the first quarter, the size of Hong Kong's ESG fund management has exceeded 1.35 trillion Hong Kong dollars, an increase of 14.4% year on year.

As of March 31 this year, there were a total of 224 ESG funds approved by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, with assets under management totaling 173.6 billion US dollars (equivalent to over 1.35 trillion Hong Kong dollars).

ESG Selected Good Books | Decoding Sustainable Finance: The Combination of ESG Risks and Fuzzy Logic (Part 2)

This book systematically explores the theoretical basis and practical cases of applying fuzzy logic to ESG risk management and sustainable business model innovation.

From GMTEight Finance's "Hong Kong Capital Market ESG White Paper," we can see the new chapter and challenges in ESG for the Hong Kong capital market.

The "2023-2024 Hong Kong Capital Market ESG White Paper" provides valuable information and insights for current enterprises, investors, and future decision-makers, aiming to collectively embrace a more just, sustainable, and transparent future business environment!

ESG Book Selection | Unveiling Sustainable Finance: The Combination of ESG Risks and Fuzzy Logic (Part I)

This book systematically explores the theoretical foundations and practical cases of applying fuzzy logic to ESG risk management and sustainable business model innovation.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority released a Sustainable Development Report for 2023, fully supporting the industry in providing financing for low-carbon transformation.

Recently, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (hereinafter referred to as "HKMA") released the "2023 Sustainable Development Report" to showcase the specific measures and work launched by the HKMA over the past year.

In the first quarter, the HSBC Greater Bay Area ESG regional index grew by 6%, with new quality productivity leading the low-carbon transformation.

HSBC (00005) and ZhongJieneng Haoxin released the "HSBC Greater Bay Area ESG Index" first quarter update report for 2024.

Seeking Coverage

Being Writer

Exploring Cooperation