126The following content is sourced from the Phoenix News Network's Public Welfare Channel.
On December 15th, the 2022 Action Alliance Public Welfare Gala, hosted by Phoenix News and organized by Phoenix News Public Welfare, was held online. The event invited industry elites from the public welfare, academic, creative, media, cultural, and business sectors, including He Daofeng, former executive president of China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, Lu Lin, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Feng Lun, chairman of Vortex Group, Dr. Tao Yong, ophthalmologist, Zhang Yue, famous host, Chen Yueguang, dean of the Chinese Culture Academy, and Deng Yaping, table tennis world champion.
Additionally, special guests included actors Li Xiaoran, Jiang Qinqin, Zhou Haimei, and Yue Lina, singer Chang Xinzhe, A Duo, the initiator of new ethnic music and a non-heritage inheritor of Miao鼓舞 (Miao鼓舞 Wu Shu Drum), Bai Jugang, a singer-songwriter, Olympic champions Wu Dajing, Bao Chunlai, and Chen Ruolin, and Hu Bing, China’s top supermodel and well-known actor, who all spoke up for public welfare online. Xu Liang from Guangdong Radio and Television Station served as the host.
At the afternoon "Challenges and Opportunities in Corporate ESG Transition" roundtable forum, guests such as Liu Xuexin, Dean of the School of Business Administration at Capital University of Economics and Trade and Executive Dean of the China ESG Research Institute, Shen Dongshu, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Chinese edition of Stanford Social Innovation Review and Chairman of the B Corporation China Board, Yan Luhui, founder and CEO of Carbonstop, and Zhao Lu, founder of EcoBuyer, discussed the challenges and opportunities faced by Chinese enterprises in their ESG transitions. Under the mainstream consensus of ESG sustainability, they shared their insights and thoughts on the opportunities, challenges, and transition experiences faced by Chinese companies.
Carbonstop, a leading carbon emission management software and consulting solutions provider in China, was founded in 2011. Its founder and CEO, Yan Luhui, stated that over the years, they have observed that policy compliance requirements are becoming increasingly stringent, and ESG information disclosure has become a "new threshold" for listed companies. Enterprises voluntarily disclosing environmental and social dimensions of non-financial information is becoming a trend.
In the capital market, companies that proactively set carbon neutrality goals or excel in ESG information disclosure can gain more recognition from investors. Therefore, many companies hope to achieve greater returns in the capital market through excellent ESG information disclosure, transforming the goal from a cost item into a revenue item.
Additionally, as the world's largest hub for manufacturing enterprises, under the backdrop of carbon neutrality, an increasing number of leading enterprises will require their suppliers to disclose ESG information or carbon emission data. When enterprises demonstrate high levels of social and environmental responsibility, they win more customer favor, which means more orders.
Moreover, enterprises actively engaging in carbon neutrality practices can also benefit. For example, some companies have performed exceptionally well in energy conservation and emissions reduction, and ultimately, in the carbon trading market, they have transformed from payers to earners.
Therefore, under the mainstream consensus of ESG sustainability, many Chinese enterprises are gradually shifting from passive to proactive, voluntarily engaging in ESG information disclosure and carbon neutrality efforts.
"Many enterprises have gone from being indifferent to ESG information disclosure, carbon emissions, carbon management, and carbon neutrality, to gradually integrating these topics into their core business themes."
Regarding how enterprises can better embrace ESG and jointly promote the construction of a Chinese-characteristic ESG ecosystem, Yan Luhui mentioned that in the post-pandemic era, many enterprises are more actively participating in ESG assessments and disclosures, with new breakthroughs and innovations in authenticity and transparency.
Yan Luhui gave an example, stating that Carbonstop has recently been discussing cooperation with some companies, and one company proposed to create the most authentic and transparent ESG report.
"Companies are willing to disclose their true situations, even areas where they currently perform less well, including their performance in environmental, social, and governance aspects. I think this is very good; everyone is very brave and confident in promoting such initiatives."
Finally, Yan Luhui mentioned that on the basis of carbon neutrality methodologies, it is important to combine them with industries and sectors, ensuring solid foundational work in data disclosure. In terms of action, it is essential to find reasonable emission reduction points. Reasonable emission reduction points refer to actions that are economically feasible, operable, and can be truly sustainably practiced. In terms of engagement, companies should not only engage in carbon neutrality work themselves but also lead stakeholders, such as upstream and downstream partners, to participate together, including suppliers and consumers.
