Industry leaders gather together to share insights on scaling up circularity through business model reinvention and innovative technologies. The industry urges government to keep pace and bolster joint efforts from large corporations and SMEs to drive disruptive changes in business ecosystems.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 5 July 2023 – The circular economy is an uprising trend across the globe, not only is it a regenerative approach to production and consumption, but it also encourages creativity and cross-sector collaboration that, in the long run, would create new jobs and make business operations more sustainable and competitive. However, this transformation requires systemic changes from enterprises and the active participation of stakeholders across different value chains.

The Centre for Civil Society and Governance (“CCSG”) of The University of Hong Kong (“HKU”) organized the fifth Knowledge Primer (KP5) yesterday, themed “Scaling Circularity Through Transformative Technologies and Business Model Innovation”, to take a closer look into the driving forces needed by businesses, industries, and the Government to develop a scalable circular model in Hong Kong. The KP5 is part of the Centre’s 4-year Partnership for Sustainability Leadership in Business (“PSLB”) project supported by The Hongkong Bank Foundation. Today’s event attracted 200 participants, both online and offline.

Distinguished Speakers Offered Insights on Creating Disruptive Change in the Business Sector

As one of three keynote speakers, Professor Llewelyn Hughes, Professor of Public Policy from Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, delivered the essentials on “Global Value Chains Transformation and its Implications for Businesses in the Transition Towards Circular Economy“. He mentioned, “The restructuring of global value chains is reshaping the international production, trade, and investment landscape. It is important that companies and governments start to re-assess risks and opportunities with a view to creating a circular economy that supports climate resilience and global sustainability.”

Ms. Teresa Yang, Vice Chairman of Esquel Group, gave the second keynote speech, “Accelerating Circularity Through Transformative Technologies and Business Model Innovations“. She remarked, “Our dedication to sustainability is not motivated by regulatory compliance. Rather, it is embedded in our corporate vision and represents our unwavering commitment to responsible business practices. We believe that by investing in new technology, the long-term benefits of circularity will be rewarding not just for us as a company, but also for the customers and wider society.”

Mr. Kim Siu, the Director of Business Innovation and Planning at Watsons Water, shared the company’s circularity initiative in the keynote speech “Integrating Circularity into Long-term Business Strategies”. He said, “We have learnt that to create a scalable circularity initiative, we cannot leave out the buy-in from top management and participation of customers. It won’t be a successful engagement if we do not put ourselves in their shoes and think of a plan that fulfil their needs.”

Open Floor Moderated Session Reflected on the Factors that Might Contribute to Advancing Circular Economy Transformation in Hong Kong

During the Open Floor Moderated Session hosted by Professor Wai-Fung Lam, Director of the Centre for Civil Society and Governance, HKU, the panelists discussed various aspects of progressing circular economy transformation in Hong Kong under the topic of “Building a Vibrant Ecosystem for Circular Economy”. They took a deep dive into the key trends that influence the circularity transition, ranging from the reconfiguration of global value chains to the rise of sustainability-conscious consumers. They explored the opportunities the circular economy could bring to local businesses, sharing interesting business cases that demonstrated the roles of start-ups and technology in building ecosystems.

The moderator, Professor Wai-Fung Lam, concluded the discussion, “We are extremely grateful for the sharing today by all our panelists, your experiences are inspirational for our audiences to go beyond understanding circularity as a concept and see the potential for scaling resource regeneration and new business opportunities through value chain collaboration. This form of evidence-based knowledge transfer is exactly what our project is aiming for. We believe more can be achieved if we let the stakeholders take the steering wheel and together build the ecosystem needed for all-rounded win-win solutions.”

Celebrate the Achievements of the SVC Commitment and SMEs Sustainability Leadership Recognition Scheme 2022 Cohort with a Prize Presentation Ceremony

The Open Floor Moderated Session was followed by the SVC Commitment and SMEs Sustainability Leadership Recognition Schemes (The Scheme) award ceremony to recognize the achievement and contribution of the participating companies in Cohort 2022. A total of nine SVC signatory companies and six SMEs participated.

The Scheme strives to foster closer collaboration between large corporations and SMEs to resolve sustainability challenges together as well as help SMEs improve their capabilities in business sustainability. This year’s theme is “Circularity and Resilience”, focusing on the Food and Beverage (F&B) industry. Two capstone projects led by Sino Estates Management Limited and Starbucks Coffee Asia Pacific Limited respectively, with the focus on (i) upcycling plastic waste into sustainable concrete to seal the resource loop; and (ii) adoption of sustainable materials for furniture and green store development were successfully concluded and awarded with Gold recognition. Additionally, the “A Practical Guidebook to a Circular Economy: Collaborating with Value Chain Partners for a Resilient Business” compiled by CCSG will be launched later in 2023 to provide the F&B industry with learning materials in the hope of accelerating the circularity transformation in Hong Kong.

Start-ups Showcase Featured 10 Aspiring Exhibitors to Demonstrate Creative Ways of Resources Circulation

In conjunction with the event, a Start-ups Showcase was hosted, featuring 10 aspiring local and overseas start-ups, namely: CLS Environmental Technologies Ltd, Gaau1-up, IsoFoodtrace, Ixon, MUUSE, Safe&Sound, Spare-it, Sustainable Office Solutions, V Cycle, and Worksheet. Each exhibitor brought along creative solutions that reimagine the future of product production, waste management, and business models with a regenerative approach. The event was successfully concluded with networking opportunities between start-ups and participants, and an exchange of experiences to foster future partnerships.

Hashtag: #HKU #CCSG #PSLB #ESG

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Partnership for Sustainability Leadership in Business

The “Partnership for Sustainability Leadership in Business” (PSLB) is a four-year (2020~2023) project initiated by the Centre for Civil Society and Governance, HKU, and supported by The Hongkong Bank Foundation. The Project is led by Professor Wai-Fung Lam, together with a group of sustainability experts. It is aimed at fostering sustainability leadership and collaboration in the business sector of Hong Kong through knowledge transfer, capacity building, and network development; in particular, the Project strives to foster strong partnerships between big corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in pursuit of sustainability. The Project aspires to build a collaborative ecosystem which will enhance the capacity and role of SMEs in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area in attaining sustainable development. More details: https://ccsg.hku.hk/pslb

Centre for Civil Society and Governance of The University of Hong Kong

Established in December 2002, the Centre for Civil Society and Governance (the Centre) strives to enhance our knowledge of civil society and its contribution towards good governance, and to facilitate the attainment of a sustainable society through forging community-based, innovative solutions to inform policy deliberation and collective actions. The work of the Centre is organized around three Labs—the Policy for Sustainability Lab (PSL), the Social Entrepreneurship and Civic Action Lab (SECAL), and the Nonprofits and Philanthropy Lab (NPPL); each of them representing a research focus and an area of excellence of the Centre. More details: http://ccsg.hku.hk

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 5 July 2023 – DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider, has onboarded new customer, Linklaters, on its GoGreen Plus service to reduce carbon emissions for its time-definite international (TDI) shipments through the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). A leading global law firm, Linklaters aims to reduce (‘inset’) the carbon emissions associated with their shipments across the Asia Pacific and United Arab Emirates (UAE) regions.

As a firm with a significant global footprint, Linklaters understands the importance of the changing climate and strong environmental management. In June 2021, Linklaters adopted firmwide carbon reduction targets to meet by April 2030 – approved by the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) – including to reduce emissions, and this move further demonstrates the firm’s commitment to reducing Scope 3 emissions by 50%.

Ken Lee, CEO DHL Express Asia Pacific, says: “Sustainability is increasingly becoming an important part of the business for most of our customers. Companies are now more committed than ever to reducing their environmental impact, thus it is important that we provide them with feasible solutions to do so. SAF is our key lever to improve carbon emissions, and we are proud to be the first global express courier to enable our customers to do.”

Launched this year, GoGreen Plus enables customers to reduce their Scope 3 emissions through insetting. This means that customers can effectively bring down carbon emissions that occur in their supply chain by choosing the amount of SAF they want to use for their shipments. SAF is currently the only scalable solution for the next years to come, given that it is the only option for long-range flights. SAF can also reduce lifecycle emissions of typical aviation fuel emissions by up to 70-80%.

Robert Elliot, Partner and member of Science-Based Targets Steering Group at Linklaters, says: “Linklaters is proud to partner with DHL in this innovative and market-leading initiative. As a responsible business, we have a global commitment to reduce our environmental impact and associated greenhouse gas emissions – collaborating with the right partners in our value chain makes an important contribution as we strive to meet our Science-Based Targets by 2030. We wish the DHL team the very best as they raise awareness about GoGreen Plus and hope that more organizations support this initiative to build momentum behind it and collectively help to increase the pace of positive change.”

DHL Group is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and is investing a total of EUR 7 billion in carbon emissions reduction initiatives. With approximately 90% of its carbon footprint derived from the air network, viable and sustainable air transport solutions are important for creating cleaner and greener logistics operations. This includes two of the largest ever deals with bp and Neste, who will supply DHL with more than 800 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel until 2026. This contributes to the interim target of using 30 percent SAF for all air transport by 2030. Equally, DHL Express has also partnered with Eviation, who will deliver up to 12 electric cargo planes from 2027 onwards.

Hashtag: #DHLExpress #GoGreenPlus #SustainableAviationFuel #Linklaters

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DHL – Excellence. Simply delivered.

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 395,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 94 billion euros in 2022. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.

Engaging Mentees in Job Shadowing at Peak Galleria and Community Services with a Social Enterprise

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 5 July 2023 – Hang Lung Properties (SEHK stock code: 00101) (the “Company” or “Hang Lung”) has actively responded to the Strive and Rise Programme launched by the Hong Kong SAR Government as a supporting organization. Recently, Hang Lung arranged job shadowing activities for mentees during a visit to Peak Galleria, accompanied by Hang Lung Strive and Rise mentors, to gain an in-depth understanding of the daily operations of the mall business and Hang Lung’s service philosophy of customer-centricity.

Highlights of the job shadowing session included hands-on experience of AI technology in the form of a cleaning robot; learning about the use of marketing and promotional activities to enhance customer experience; and going on a treasure hunt using the Hang Lung Malls app. The day concluded with a visit to Monopoly Dreams Hong Kong™, a Monopoly-themed attraction, and Go Museum, an immersive light and shadow art exhibition venue, both of which are located at Peak Galleria.

The mentees found the activity beneficial and thanked Hang Lung for the arrangement. Celia Wong, a mentor from Hang Lung Properties’ Development and Design Department, and Jessica Lam, a mentee, said the public seldom pays attention to the different positions of frontline staff in malls, and the job shadowing activity allowed them to understand the responsibilities of these positions. They were impressed by the variety of attentive services that Peak Galleria provides to customers – “The concierge does not only answer enquiries from visitors to the mall, but also provides information about touring the Peak to tourists and hikers, and wheelchairs, pet strollers, and rain gear to meet the needs of different customers. This enables us to gain insight into their ‘customer-centered’ service philosophy.”

Previously, mentees and mentors participated in a team-building activity at Joy Fusion, a social enterprise under the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council. With the opportunity to get to know each other better through games and informal interactions, participants also learned that in addition to providing training and employment opportunities to people in recovery, social enterprises such as Joy Fusion also aim to build self-confidence and promote social inclusion through their work with those in need.

The Strive and Rise Programme aims to support underprivileged junior secondary school students through a tripartite partnership between the government, the business sector and the community, to help them broaden their horizons, reinforce their self-confidence and develop a positive outlook on life. This is in line with the Hang Lung We Do It Well philosophy that drives the company’s community investment initiatives with an emphasis on nurturing local talent, fulfilling social responsibilities such as supporting the underprivileged, and promoting diversity and inclusion. As one of the supporting organizations of the Strive and Rise Programme, Hang Lung has invited 40 employees and their friends and relatives to serve as mentors who will participate in a one-year mentorship programme to share their life experiences with the mentees.

Committed to empowering the diversified development of the young generation and cultivating their leadership, Hang Lung launched the “Hang Lung Future Women Leaders Program” in 2022, a nationwide community investment program that aims to unleash the potential and sharpen the competitive edge of young female university students. Since 2004, Hang Lung has also been the driving force behind the highly regarded biennial mathematics research competition for secondary school students in Hong Kong, the Hang Lung Mathematics Awards.

Hashtag: #HangLungProperties

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About Hang Lung Properties

Hang Lung Properties Limited (SEHK stock code: 00101) creates compelling spaces that enrich lives. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Hang Lung Properties develops and manages a diversified portfolio of world-class properties in Hong Kong and the nine Mainland cities of Shanghai, Shenyang, Jinan, Wuxi, Tianjin, Dalian, Kunming, Wuhan and Hangzhou. With its luxury positioning under the “66” brand, the company’s Mainland portfolio has established its leading position as the “Pulse of the City”. Hang Lung Properties is recognized for leading the way in enhanced sustainability initiatives in real estate as it pursues sustainable growth by connecting customers and communities.

At Hang Lung Properties – We Do It Well.

For more information, please visit www.hanglung.com.