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ESG Information Centre

The Institute has joined 13 other accounting bodies, all members of A4S ABN, in publicly committing to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within their own organizations, as well as provide an enabling environment for their membership to do the same. As part of our commitment, we have established this information centre to provides convenient access to the latest development, thought leadership as well as learning resources on ESG that are relevant to the accounting profession, in order to facilitate our members to stay ahead of the market.

Check out the latest news and developments regarding ESG.

Date	Title
6 September 2022	Enrolments for ESG courses surge in Hong Kong amid exponential demand for staff with requisite skills
31 August 2022	HKSAR Government releases Green Bond Report 2022
4 August 2022	Chinese green bonds required to use 100% of funds for green purposes
2 August 2022	SFC sets out the way forward for green and sustainable finance
1 August 2022	IFRS Foundation completes consolidation with Value Reporting Foundation
1 August 2022	More companies obtaining independent assurance on sustainability data, according to global study by IFAC, AICPA & CIMA
29 July 2022	調查：中小企永續發展意識仍不足
25 July 2022	深交所發布ESG評價方法和ESG指數
5 July 2022	HKEX launches Hong Kong International Carbon Market Council, Unveils Carbon Market Plans
5 July 2022	Green debt soars in Hong Kong as other thematic labels fast emerge
23 June 2022	ISSB and GRI provide update on ongoing collaboration
21 June 2022	Cross-Agency Steering Group announces launch of information and data repositories and other progress in advancing Hong Kong’s green and sustainable finance development
8 June 2022	IFRS Foundation Trustees appoint four further members to the International Sustainability Standards Board

Read some selected ESG articles and thought leadership issued by the Institute and other local and global organizations that provide insights across

various aspects and issues in relation to ESG.

Articles from A Plus

2022 issue
August	Walking the ESG talk: the time is now Pat Woo CPA (practising), the Partner and Head of ESG, Hong Kong at KPMG China and member of the Institute’s Sustainability Committee, on how corporates can eliminate greenwashing
July	Sustainability reporting assurance An overview of the Institute’s position for effective sustainability reporting assurance How CPAs can drive change and lead the way on sustainability Herbert Yung FCPA, the Institute’s Director, Member Engagement and Sustainability Lead, on how accountants can champion a company’s sustainability journey
May	A new standard of sustainability Emmanuel Faber, new Chair of the International Sustainability Standards Board, on what new standards will mean for sustainability reporting Second opinions How will the International Sustainability Standards Board’s two proposed standards meet the needs of investors?
April	What does ESG assurance in Hong Kong look like? A look at the prevalence of ESG assurance among Hong Kong-listed companies, according to a study conducted by the institute.
March	Meet the speaker Herbert Yung, FCPA, the Institute’s Director, Member Engagement and Sustainability Lead, on what to expect from the e-Series on environmental, social and governance reporting
February	Closing the loop How accountants can help companies transition to a circular economy
January	Post-COP26 sustainability disclosure trend Simon Ng, Chief Executive Officer of Business Environment Council on how companies can embrace the sustainability disclosure trend to build climate resilience

2021 issue
December	Setting the right tone Awardees of this year’s Best Corporate Governance and ESG Awards on creating long term value and maintaining resilience through sustainability
November	The impact of climate risk on corporate reporting Chris Joy, FCPA, the Institute’s Executive Director, on the profession’s role in providing transparency and insights on the financial impacts of climate change
September	The journey to net-zero What are companies doing to limit their carbon emissions for a net-zero future?
August	How to empower CFOs to drive climate action Sanjay Rughani, Chair of the IFAC Professional Accountants in Business Advisory Group writes on how CFOs can steer companies towards decarbonization
July	Second opinions How can common standards combat greenwashing?
June	Beyond the bottom line Experts from the Best Corporate Governance Awards' Organizing Committee and Review Panel discuss why ESG is now at the heart of every successful organization
April	Investing for a sustainable future How will the rise of green finance in Hong Kong elevate the city on the global stage?
January	Starting over How can businesses use the pandemic as a means for change and even long-term growth?

Other articles and reports

Date	Title
September 2022	What start-ups think about ESG and why it matters by World Economic Forum Investing for a just transition: Proposals for a just transition disclosure framework in China by SynTao Green Finance The A4s Sustainability Reporting Insights Series by Accounting for Sustainability Better ESG data drives more impactful decision-making by companies by Financial Reporting Council ESG Analyst Survey 2022: Turning the tanker by Fidelity International
July 2022	Research report on the sustainability trends of Hong Kong listed companies by PwC Practical toolkits for SMEs and SMPs by ACCA Global The impact of climate related risks on statutory financial statements and auditors’ reports by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand Why sustainability matters to finance leaders in growing companies from Forbes
June 2022	Investing in ESG funds is the growing trend, but keep an eye out for ‘greenwashing’ from South China Morning Post A new era for corporate reporting in Europe and beyond by ICAEW Comparing sustainability reporting proposals from the ISSB, EFRAG and SEC Unlocking the potential of investor stewardship in China: Towards a more sustainable economy by PRI Association
May 2022	Global priorities for professional accountants in business and the public sector by IFAC Climate & voting: 2021 review and global trends by ISS Green Bond China Investor Survey 2022 by SynTao Green Finance Understanding Materiality: Lessons From Industries With High ESG Risk by Sustainalytics
April 2022	Asia’s net-zero transition: Opportunity and risk amid climate action by McKinsey Post-Issuance Reporting in China's Green Bond Market 2022 by Climate Bonds Initiative, SynTao Green Finance & UK PACT Green Bond China Investor Survey 2022 by Climate Bonds Initiative & SynTao Green Finance GSF Data Source Repository by Hong Kong Monetary Authority All the ESG Investing Terms, Explained from The Wall Street Journal Stakeholders are asking questions: How to tell them a credible ESG story by PwC
March 2022	Sustainable ESG for Hong Kong’s Post-Covid SMEs by HKTDC Carbon Market Opportunities for Hong Kong- Preliminary Feasibility Assessment by Carbon Market Workstream of the Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group HSBC’s first global ESG sentiment survey by Wai Shin Chan, Global Head of ESG Research
February 2022	Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability by IPCC Working Group 2 New Horizons: Navigating ESG in 2022 – Global Edition by ISS ESG Getting Started with ESG: What Every Company Needs to Know by Sustainalytics Developing Hong Kong as a Leading Investment Fund Hub for Green and Sustainable Infrastructure Financing by HKGFA
January 2022	ESG White Paper: Asia’s Workforce Awakens to ESG by Mojodomo The Net-Zero Transition: What It Would Cost, What It Could Bring by McKinsey China’s Growing Sustainable Debt Market by Climate Bonds Initiative SMEs’ net-zero challenge by ACCA AFF 2022 HKTDC PwC Joint Pulse Survey ESG Investing: Challenges and Opportunities for Hong Kong by PwC

Our Sustainability Committee and Education and Training Department continue to identify areas of training in ESG, and have launched various programme across the spectrum of ESG to equip members with both essential knowledge and advanced insights on the subject. Explore the training through the dedicated webpage:

ESG guidance, standards and frameworks

The following is a non-exhaustive list of guidance, standards and frameworks that are commonly adopted by global and local organizations in relation to ESG reporting.

ESG certifications

The following is a non-exhaustive list of ESG certification programmes organized by various organizations:

Certificate in Sustainable Finance – HKGFA / HKUST
Certificate in ESG Investing – CFA Institute
Certified ESG Analyst – European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies
Sustainability and Climate Risk Certificate – Global Association of Risk Professionals
Certificate in Green and Sustainable Finance – The Chartered Banker Institute
GRI Professional Certification Program – Global Reporting Initiative

Best Corporate Governance and ESG Awards

The Awards recognize that investors and other stakeholders are more and more interested in how listed companies and major public sector organizations are addressing issues such as climate change and other environment and social concerns that may affect their businesses and services.

The Best Corporate Governance Awards 2021 – Judges’ Report contains commentaries from the judges and reviewers on the CG and SSR performance of the winning companies and organizations, information on international and local developments in these areas, as well as background information on the Awards.

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