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"ESG and Green Finance Opportunities Forum 2023" on October 4 Themed Combating Climate-risks and Achieving a Sustainable Future

  • Written by Daily Sun

In its third time, the Forum is best timed to prepare local businesses on more stringent climate-related disclosure requirements and to stay ahead of time with their ESG plans in the areas of transition finance, social impact investments and decarbonization technologies. Hang Seng Bank remains steadfast in its commitment as the title sponsor, while Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po is set to deliver the keynote address. The opening session will continue further with remarks from CHKLC's Chairman, Catherine Leung, and Hang Seng Bank's Executive Director and Chief Executive, Diana Cesar. The Forum will bring together over 20 experts from international financial institutes, listed companies, regulatory bodies and technology start-ups to share their thoughts and experiences around the theme of "Combating Climate-risks and Achieving a Sustainable Future: Transition Finance and Innovative Technology".

Transition Finance and Innovation Technology to support low-carbon transition

Managing climate risks is one of the most important challenges to businesses in recent years due to mitigation costs and tightening disclosures requirements. By January 2024, climate-related disclosures are proposed to be mandatory in listed firms' ESG reports. Many traditional businesses with higher GHG emissions are getting eager to transition to low carbon, low emission operation through business transformation. Transition Finance is pivotal in the shift towards a low-carbon economy. In alignment with this, Hang Seng Bank has been offering various financial products to support corporate customers' sustainability efforts. These include sustainability-linked loans, green trade financing, and green receivables financing solutions, all designed to integrate sustainability into corporate packages.

Social Impact Investments to connect with communities

As good corporate citizens, engaging with social needs and connecting with the community are also considered as alignments to ESG requirements. There has been growing advocacy among corporates to address social concerns on top of environmental needs, some even taking the lead in social impact investments. Decarbonization technologies have also been developed in response to climate risks and can be of great help to corporates in achieving low-carbon operations.

4 discussion panels to address hot ESG topics

All these compelling issues will thus be the focus of discussions in the coming ESG and Green Finance Opportunities Forum 2023 to be addressed in the following 4 panel discussions.

(1) Panel 1: Transition Finance – Trends, Opportunities and Challenges

Transition finance is to offer financial support which helps high-carbon companies to start implementing long-term changes to become greener. The characteristics and practices of transition finance, as well as how corporates in Hong Kong and GBA can best utilize it in their climate change endeavours will be discussed.

(2) Panel 2: Social Impact Investments for Sustainable Growth

Going beyond decarbonization, financing should also be channeled to projects with positive social impact. This session will introduce social impact investments as means to advance sustainable development goals and evaluate current endeavours in Hong Kong and GBA.

(3) Panel 3: Regulatory Updates on ESG Reporting and Climate Risks Disclosures

Representatives from regulators HKEX and SFC are invited to share updates on the latest climate-related rules and regulations to prepare local businesses for better compliance and reporting.

(4) Panel 4: Decarbonization Strategy and Technology Application

Experts will share innovative technologies and forward-looking strategies to help listed companies to attain low carbon low emission operations and meet their carbon neutrality targets.

Financial and ESG experts as panel speakers

Financial heavyweights, regulators, ESG veterans have been invited to speak at the 4 panels and share their valuable experiences. The list includes but is not limited to: Mr Paul MALAM, Head of Policy and Secretariat Services, Listing of HKEX; Ms Jennifer LEE, Director, Corporate Finance Division, SFC; Professor Simon HO, President of the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong; Mr Frank HEUNG, Head of Structured Finance, Commercial Real Estate & Corporate Advisory of Hang Seng Bank; Mr Anthony CHEUNG, Supervisory Board Member, World Benchmarking Alliance; Mr Ricco ZHANG, Senior Director, Asia Pacific of International Capital Market Association; Ms Katherine KOH, Global Climate Lead for IFC Infrastructure; Mr Peter YAN, CEO, Cyberport, as well as senior ESG executives from listed companies.

(Conference speaker list and programme can be referred to
https://www.chklc-esgforum.com/website/index.html)

For further information about the "ESG and Green Finance Opportunities Forum 2023", please contact (852) 2970 0886 or email to info@chklc.org.

Hashtag: #CHKLC

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About the Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies (CHKLC)

Incorporated in September 2002, CHKLC is a non-profit organisation serving listed companies and other industry bodies in Hong Kong. The Chamber strives to promote sound corporate governance; function as an effective communication channel between listed companies and regulatory authorities; strengthen the linkage and foster cooperation among listed companies from Hong Kong and China and uphold Hong Kong's position as an international financial and capital formation centre. Since 2007, the Chamber organises the annual "Hong Kong Corporate Governance and ESG Excellence Awards" jointly with the Hong Kong Baptist University to advocate best practices of corporate governance, ESG and recognize excellence.

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