BEIJING, Oct. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 ESG Global Leaders Conference, the largest event of its kind in China, has concluded with great success. Held under the theme "ESG Synergy: Uniting for Global Prosperity," the conference took place in Huangpu District, Shanghai, from October 16th to 18th, and concluded on October 19th, brought together over 270 influential global leaders, experts, and professionals to address the most pressing issues of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices.

As the largest ESG event in China with significant international influence, this conference focused on cutting-edge issues related to environmental, social, governance and sustainability. It featured nine parallel forums, meticulously planned to explore over 50 core topics, including clean energy transition and carbon neutrality, green finance, sustainable consumption, technology for good, decent work, and gender equality. The number of speakers exceeded 270, with more than half being international guests. Both the caliber and quantity of the guests set a new record for the conference.

Compared to previous editions, this conference further concentrated on continuous and tangible outcomes, building professional influence. During the event, the "Path to Sustainable Development - 2024 Shanghai ESG Development Report" was officially released.

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ESG is not a multiple-choice question, but a required answer

A news release by the Shanghai government emphasized that China is a key advocate and practitioner of global sustainable development. In recent years, Shanghai has adhered to important directives from the central government, strengthened ecological and environmental protection, accelerated industrial upgrading and structural adjustments, and worked to enhance its capacity for sustainable development. Looking ahead, Shanghai will prioritize the green transformation of enterprises. It plans to improve foundational support systems, accelerate the development of a new energy system, refine the carbon market trading system, and explore the establishment of carbon emission statistics and accounting systems, product carbon labeling certification, and a comprehensive carbon footprint management system.

Xi Guohua, Chairman of CITIC Group Corporation, stated that ESG is accelerating the transition from a "multiple-choice question" to a "required answer." He called for support in helping more countries establish ESG policy systems, disclosure standards, and evaluation methods that are in line with their national conditions and compatible with international standards. He also advocated for Chinese companies to actively participate in the formulation of international standards, thereby enhancing the influence of China's ESG system.

Charles Chao, Chairman and Executive Chief Officer of Sina Group, said that in recent years, the frequent occurrence of public health, climate change, biodiversity, geopolitical, and other multiple crises has posed unprecedented obstacles to the cause of global sustainable development. Addressing key issues in the global sustainable development process and helping enterprises deal with multifaceted risks, the role of ESG consultation has never been as important as it is now.

Tu Guangshao, Co-chair of the ESG Leaders Association Forum, said, "Because sustainable development and the practice of ESG are global trends, we have many opportunities for development in the process of sustainable development, including in the journey of practicing ESG. On the other hand, we face many challenges. Speaking of the international community, how to use more practice and more promotion to truly continue to give ESG practice and sustainable development more momentum is also a common task for the whole world."

Ban Ki-moon delivers a live speech, with several Nobel laureates making appearances

At this conference, a record-breaking nine international dignitaries were invited, including Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ban Ki-moon, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, Her Excellency Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, 4th President of the Republic of Croatia, Member of International Olympic Committee (IOC), Grzegorz W. KOLODKO, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Poland, Director of Transformation, Integration and Globalization Economic Research at Kozminski University in Warsaw, Danilo Türk, Former President of Slovenia, Former UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, President of the World Leadership Alliance - Club de Madrid, Djoomart Otorbaev, Former Prime Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Lord Ed Vaizey, former UK Government Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, Kim Won-soo, Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, among other distinguished guests, all of whom made appearances.

On the opening ceremony held on October 16th, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stated that China remains firmly committed to achieving its climate goals. Rapid progress has been made in achieving these targets, driven by robust policies, including the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the auctioning of emission quotas. These policies not only reduce the difficulty of reaching climate targets but also generate revenue that can be used to fulfill climate goals.

During the closing ceremony on the morning of October 19th, Mr. Ban Ki-moon attended and delivered a speech. He expressed his deep gratitude for China's announcement to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, stating that China's multifaceted commitments have proven that we will be able to reach such ambitious climate targets, making the climate cleaner. Additionally, he mentioned that China's Belt and Road Initiative is very influential and visionary, and he sincerely hopes that whatever plans and initiatives China puts forward, these goals can be achieved.

Aaron Ciechanover, 2004 Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry, Michael Levitt, 2013 Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry, Member of the National Academy of Sciences, Fellow of the Royal Society, and Professor of Structural Biology at Stanford University in the United States, Oliver Hart, Honorary Professor at East China University of Science and Technology, Director of the Oliver Hart Research Center of Contractsand Governance at ECUST, 2016 Nobel Laureate in Economics, and Professor at Harvard University, Tawakkol Karman, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2011, Jean Tirole, 2014 Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics, Professor of Economics at the Toulouse School of Economics (TSE) were among the Nobel Prize winners who shared fascinating perspectives at the conference.

Green Transformation in the Financial Industry, High-Level Dialogue Among Entrepreneurs

During the conference, over 40 leaders and executives from financial institutions spoke, sharing their ESG strategies in the fields of securities, insurance, and banking, and discussing the development path for the ESG integration in the financial industry.

Zhang Bei, Deputy Director-General of the Research Bureau, the People's Bank of China, and Chen Yong, Vice President of the PBOC Shanghai Head Office, attended the conference and delivered keynote speeches. In the keynote speech session on "Building Sustainable Financial Institutions," Liu Jun, President of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Wang Zhiheng, President of Agricultural Bank of China, Zhang Yi, President of China Construction Bank Corporation, Zhang Baojiang, President of Bank of Communications, Liu Jianjun, President of Postal Savings Bank of China, who are the leaders of five major China's state-owned banks attended and talked about important topics such as financial sustainable development.

Yan Bojin, China Securities Regulatory Commission Chief Risk Officer, Director General of Department of Public Offering Supervision, Yuan Duoran, Chair of the Listing Review Committee of the SSE, and Li Hui, Executive Vice President Shenzhen Stock Exchange, also mentioned in their keynote speeches how to guide listed companies to promote ESG concepts and practices, as well as the importance of improving the disclosure system.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the most concerning topics for entrepreneurs. At this conference, over 100 outstanding entrepreneurs from industries such as information technology, consumer goods, real estate, transportation, etc. attended and shared their companies' ESG philosophies and practices related to clean energy, circular economy, climate actions, and more.

Among them, Liu Tiexiang, President of China Eastern Air Holding Co., Ltd., Zhang Deqin, Chairman of China Kweichow Moutai (Group) Distillery Co., Ltd., Kweichow Moutai Co., LTD., Leng Youbin, Chairman of China Feihe, Jia Shaoqian, Jia Shaoqian, Chairman of Hisense Group, Eric Jing, Chairman and CEO of Ant Group, James Liang, Co-founder and Chairman, Trip.com Group, Wang Shi, Founder of Vanke Group and DeepRock Group, Chairman of Vanke Foundation, Li Zhenhuan, Vice Chairman of Fenjiu Group, HUA Tao, Wuliangye Yibin Co.,Ltd. - General Manager, YU Jun, Executive President of State Grid International Development Co., Ltd., and Hengde Qin, Syngenta Group CFO and Member of the Board of Directors, all delivered keynote speeches.

David Xiqiang Zhang, Executive Vice President of Nestlé S.A., CEO of Zone Greater China, Vincent BOINAY, President of L'Oréal North Asia Zone & CEO of L'Oréal China, Yongchen Lu, Chief Executive Officer, Tim Hortons China, Jinqing CAI, President of Kering Greater China, and Virginie Helias, Chief Sustainability Officer, Procter & Gamble, were among the representatives of transnational corporations who attended and spoke at the conference.

Compared to previous sessions, this conference further focused on continuous and tangible outcomes, building professional influence. The "Path to Sustainable Development - 2024 Shanghai ESG Development Report" was officially released at the meeting. The report, led by Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF) , is the first systematic report on the local ESG development status in China, contributing "Shanghai wisdom" and "Shanghai solutions" to sustainable development nationwide and globally.

The 2024 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Global Leaders Conference is co-hosted by CITIC Group and Sina Group, organized by Sina Finance and CITIC Publishing Group. Kweichow Moutai is the chief strategic partner, China Construction Bank and Great Wall Motor are strategic partners.

About the 2024 ESG Global Leaders Conference

The ESG Global Leaders Conference is an annual event bringing together thought leaders, decision-makers, and experts from around the world to discuss the latest trends and challenges in environmental, social, and governance practices. The conference aims to foster collaboration, promote innovative solutions, and build a more sustainable and inclusive future for all.