Company News

On  December 13th, the 17th International Conference on  Sustainability Disclosure (Yangtze River Delta Region), organized by the  GoldenBee ThinkTank, was held  in Shanghai. The event was supported by Caijing Magazine, China Sustainability Tribune, and TUV NORD, with approximately 130 guests in attendance.

The participants had in-depth discussions on topics such as global trends  in sustainability disclosure, the outlook for Chinese enterprises’  sustainability disclosure, and the transparency of ESG information  disclosure.

During the conference, the Drive+ — China Network was officially launched, and the “GoldenBee 2024 Sustainability Reports Honor Roll of Listed Companies in Yangtze River Delta Region” were released concurrently.

Insights
Trends in High-Quality Sustainability Disclosure

As sustainability issues deepen, regulatory requirements become  stricter, and societal expectations increase, there is a growing global  consensus to enhance the materiality of topics, increase the transparency of information disclosure, and promote high-quality  sustainability disclosure. The introduction of new regulations and  requirements, such as the standards of International Sustainability  Standards Board (ISSB) and the Guidelines for Listed Companies’ Sustainability Reporting, provides strong support for high-quality sustainability disclosure by Chinese enterprises.
 

He Yang

He Yang, Assistant to the President of GoldenBee Consulting, presented the GoldenBee Research on the Sustainability Report of Listed Companies in the Yangtze River Delta Region (2024) at  the event. Based on the “GoldenBee Chinese Enterprises  Sustainability Report Evaluation System 2024,” the report thoroughly  assessed and analyzed the disclosure status of 921 listed companies in  the Yangtze River Delta Region. It identified the characteristics of  their sustainability disclosure and provided recommendations for  improvement, offering guidance to listed companies in the region  to better implement sustainable development management and produce good  practices.

Guo Siping, Head of Greater China for MSCI ESG and Climate Research  Department, delivered a presentation titled “From Transparency to  Action: Sustainable Investment and Disclosure Trends of Global and  Chinese Market.” She highlighted the latest developments of Chinese  regulations on sustainable development and climate change, as well as  the progress made by Chinese companies in climate information  disclosure, emission reduction target setting, and climate transition opportunities.

Guo Siping

She noted that sustainability and climate factors are increasingly becoming key considerations in investment decisions. In recent years, the assets  under management of ETFs tracking MSCI ESG and climate indices have continued to grow, and investors and companies are gaining a deeper understanding of the notion that “ESG risks are financial risks.” Additionally, the ESG ratings of MSCI China Index constituents have  shown a significant upward trend.

Furthermore, research on the correlation between MSCI ESG ratings and long-term financial performance indicates that companies with higher MSCI ESG ratings generally exhibit stronger profitability, lower tail risk, and  reduced systemic risk.

Fredré  Ferreira, Leader on Governance, Value chain and NESRS at the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG), gave a speech named  “Sustainability in EU: A Changed and Changing Landscape”, sharing the status of sustainability disclosure in the EU amidst changing landscapes and interpreted the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and CSRD and their important roles.
 

Fredré Ferreira

She  specifically mentioned that the CSRD is a directive aimed at corporate  social responsibility, intended to promote sustainability disclsoure as  financial information instead of non-financial information. She recommended that Chinese companies follow these regulations on sustainability disclosure as much as possible to ensure compliance and  competitiveness in the EU market.

Ye  Zhengzhi, Vice President of TÜV NORD Greater China, shared his insights on the topic “To improve ESG Reporting Transparency and Credibility by  Report Certification.”
 

Ye Zhengzhi

He  introduced the AA1000 assurance process, standards, types, and levels, emphasizing the crucial role of report assurance in improving the  quality of ESG reports. Driven by regulatory and rating requirements,and  industry trends, third-party assurance of the reports has become a  growing trend for listed companies, SOEs, and central SOEs to ensure the  quality of their reports. Report assurance ensures the authenticity,  accuracy, and completeness of the data and information in the reports, demonstrating their credibility and transparency to stakeholders. Additionally, it helps companies better identify and address the challenges and opportunities of sustainable development.

During  the conference, the Sustainable Supply Chain Platform for Automotive Suppliers — Drive+ China Network was officially launched, faciliated by GoldenBee in China.
 

Release
“GoldenBee 2024 Sustainability Reports Honor Roll of Listed Companies in Yangtze River Delta Region”
 

The  conference released the “GoldenBee 2024 Sustainability Reports Honor Roll of Listed Companies in Yangtze River Delta Region.” Out of 921 evaluated reports, reports from 36 companies were recognized as  excellent reports.
 

The  release of the "Sustainability Reports Honor Roll of Listed  Companies in Yangtze River Delta Region" showcases the good practice of  sustainability disclosure of listed companies in Yangtze River  Delta Region, providing examples for other listed companies in  sustainability disclosure, which will significantly promote the continuous improvement of sustainability reports in both quantity and quality in this region.