The Hong Kong Productivity Council on Wednesday said small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to be more aware of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards used to evaluate a company's sustainability.

The council's chief technology officer, Dr Lawrence Cheung, said some SMEs neglect the social and governance aspects of ESG.

"Even for the environmental side, a lot of them may not know what kind of standards are available around internationally," he said.

"So a lot of them may just feel that they can just put some simple environmental measures and that would achieve a certain level of ESG."

Cheung said the council will hold personnel training courses as most SMEs lack the expertise to introduce ESG measures.

"Particularly a lot of exporters which are SMEs, more and more their buyers are demanding some sort of ESG elements in their operations," he said.

A new AI tool will also be introduced to help SMEs assess their ESG measures and compare their efforts with others in the industry.

"If they have some ESG elements particularly on the governance side, it actually gives them a lot more confidence in the eyes of investors, customers as well as the buyers," Cheung said.

Source: RTHK

ESG（環境、社會及管治）依然是目前企業相當看重的一環，但對於資源有限的中小企來說，要做好仍有一定難度。香港生產力促進局（生產力局）最新亦指出，發現仍有不少中小企缺乏專業知識、不熟悉ESG概念，甚至不理解國際標準要求。

生產力局於2024年1月推出「ESG一站通」（ESG One），為中小企提供免費ESG線上自我評估、績效卡報告、ESG專家分析、專業諮詢、技術支援及資源共享，助企業應對可持續發展挑戰，實現綠色轉型及提升品牌價值。機構就從中發現，現時香港中小企在推動ESG方面，仍有不少痛點需要面對，包括：

1）缺乏專業知識、科技與資源，不熟悉ESG概念，加上ESG規範持續更新，難以理解國際標準如GRI、ISO 14064、SBTi、ISSB等要求；同時缺乏科技專才或方案，規劃以機械、自動化設備及人工智能等改善企業ESG表現。

2）數據收集與報告困難：規劃ESG需要大量數據支持，如碳排放、回收量、供應鏈、網絡安全等數據，中小企缺乏系統性記錄與分析能力。但缺乏第三方審核經驗，難以製作具公信力的報告。

3）資金與成本壓力：ESG轉型涉及基本投資，例如節能設備、顧問服務或報告審核等，對資源有限的中小企構成壓力。雖然有政府資助計劃，但未能善用或不熟悉申請流程。

4）市場認知與曝光不足：即使中小企已積極實踐ESG，卻缺乏有效平台向市場展示成果，難以轉化為品牌價值或商業機會。

所以，生產力局便向企業提出「ESG發展6式」，由「知識」、「技術」、「資助」、及「人才」層面，協助企業「規劃」、「實踐」及「優化」ESG表現：

• ESG評估與藍圖規劃：透過ESG One的線上自我評估及專家評核報告，企業可識別優勢與改善空間，制定針對性的ESG策略。
• 網絡信任與管治：提供網絡安全諮詢與解決方案，幫助企業強化風險管理及提升治理能力。
• 專業ESG諮詢：依據國際標準（如 GRI、ISO 14064、SBTi 等），由專家提供碳/能源管理及可持續發展規劃指導。
• 綠色科技探索：結合「資源循環技術研究中心」，支持企業研發創新且具成本效益的環保技術，協助產品商品化。
• 資助計劃：鼓勵中小企申請及善用政府資助，如「回收基金」及 「發展品牌、升級轉型及拓展內銷市場的專項基金」 等，提供免費的「一對一諮詢」服務，助力業務升級轉型、應用智慧科技方案提高競 爭力，優化企業可持續發展，提升新質生產力。
• 人才培訓與商務機遇：聯繫商會及專家資源，提供最新的可持續發展趨勢與知識，並舉辦推廣活動促進跨界合作。

同時，生產力局也宣布成立全新「資源循環技術研究中心」，專注轉廢為材、節能減碳、研發綠色材料等領域，配合ESG One平台支援企業可持續發展，為中小企提供解決方案，推動香港企業發展ESG。

資料來源: 經濟日報

生產力促進局約一年半前成立「ESG一站通」平台，支援中小企實踐數碼轉型和ESG策略，並為業界提供免費ESG線上評估、專業諮詢及技術支援等，至今已有1200間公司會員。

生產力促進局首席技術總監張梓昌指，經過一段時間的運作，發現中小企缺乏專業知識、不熟悉ESG概念，部分亦不理解國際標準要求。他又指，有企業缺乏內部專才或團隊規劃策略，未能夠善用科技提升ESG表現，亦有中小企在數據收集和資金方面有困難。 

在「ESG一站通績效卡」的18個行業評估中，只有約半數公司有定期收集廢物數據，而有尋求第三方做碳排放審核的公司更少於20%；但逾95%企業在保護顧客和產品責任方面，都有良好表現。 

成立資源循環技術研究中心

開發循環技術 生產力局今年亦成立資源循環技術研究中心，設有「綠色材料開發實驗室」及「循環創新實驗室」，專注材料創新及循環技術開發，推動環境保護和循環經濟，為業界提供技術支援，協助實踐ESG目標。 中心會為企業，提供綠色餐具測試服務，分析餐具主要成分，確保即棄餐具符合法例要求；亦有氫燃料電池汽車熱管理系統，提新型儲能材料。中心亦研發了提取電動車電池中高純度金屬的技術，令本港擁有再造新電池的能力。

資料來源: 商台新聞

The "ESG One MeetUp Drinks" event, co-hosted by HKPC ESG One and Bank of China (Hong Kong), has successfully concluded at ZEEKR's Taikoo Shing Flagship Showroom. 

內地正快速建立全面的可持續發展報告披露體系。在證監會指導下，滬深北三大交易所於2024年4月12日聯合發佈《上市公司可持續發展報告指引》（《指引》）。根據《指引》，特定上市公司需於2026年首次披露2025年度《可持續發展報告》。該《指引》標誌著內地資本市場正式邁入ESG強制披露時代，此舉不僅對大型上市公司提出更高合規要求，更將推動其上下游供應鏈全面升級。香港中小企作為供應鏈中的關鍵角色，可乘勢迎接全新機遇。憑藉香港在ESG資訊披露和監管方面的先發優勢，加上與內地語境具有高度的相似性，香港中小企可借鑑上市公司可持續發展報告及相關指引完善自身ESG措施，在上下游供應鏈合作中搶佔先機，實現可持續發展及市場拓展的雙贏局面，搶先「登陸」內地市場。

The "Innovative Green Future: Unlocking Sustainable IoT Solutions" seminar co-hosted by HKPC ESG One and ThinkESG brought together technology and ESG experts to explore how Internet of Things (IOT) technology can help various industries enhance productivity. The event covered a wide range of topics, including the latest trends in smart waste management, smart recycling, and renewable energy management.

"InnoPreneur Meetup in Viet Nam" presented by HKPC’s “ESG One” and DBS SME Banking has successfully concluded! Throughout the journey, participants were brought to the factories and offices of several successful local enterprises. With the visits and business exchanges, we gained valuable insights on how these companies effectively utilize green technology to drive high-quality productivity.

The "ESG One Mid-Term MeetUp” Enhancing the Power of Enterprises for A Sustainable Green Hong Kong organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) was held today at the HKPC Building, bringing together over 100 government officials, business leaders, industry associations, and representatives from SMEs, who attended enthusiastically. During the event, “ESG One” announced its brand-new membership benefits and recognised over 20 SMEs that performed exceptionally well in their ESG self-assessments. Afterwards, experts from the tourism, hotel, technology, and ESG industries shared their valuable insights in the "Experts’ Chitchat" session, discussing from multiple perspectives on how ESG and technological innovation can play a crucial role in driving the tourism and hospitality industries forward. 

The "Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen, Promotion and Sharing on AI, Cultural and Creative Industries Conference" co-organised by Qianhai Administration Bureau and Hong Kong Productivity Council has completed with remarkable success. It provides an important platform for the communication and cooperation between Qianhai and Hong Kong while showcasing the prospects of AI artificial intelligence and Cultural Creative industries. 

The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Zhongguancun Qingchuang (Beijing) International Technology Co., Ltd. (Zhongguancun) today, pledging to leverage their respective advantages to carry out in-depth exchanges and cooperation to jointly promote Beijing-Hong Kong cooperation in innovation and technology (I&T) and enterprise development. The MOU signing ceremony took place at The 26th Beijing Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium - International Forum on Beijing-Hong Kong Scientific and Technological Innovation (the Symposium).