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HSBC calls for collective action on climate change
The Chief Executive Officer of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited Sandy Flockhart called for collective action to tackle climate change when he addressed the Second International Conference on Climate Change 2009 (ICCC) that HSBC is supporting as the lead partner.
HSBC also hosted the 'Low-carbon Leadership Luncheon' participated by some 40 senior business leaders and government officials on 9 October 2009.
The ICCC, held in Hong Kong from 7 to 9 October 2009, gathered more than 250 leading representatives from businesses, regional governments and NGOs globally to explore the vital roles played by Hong Kong, the Pearl River Delta region, and the region's emerging markets in the global response to climate change.
"We tend to look at climate change as not just a business risk to be managed but a business opportunity to be developed. Ultimately, we believe that for the world to successfully tackle climate change, a massive shift in patterns of investment in energy generation and cost and usage is required.
Tackling climate change and placing corporate sustainability at the heart of HSBC's business not only gave good returns on our investments in green business and enhanced our Brand, but also helped employee engagement, recruitment and retention."
Sandy Flockhart
CEO, HSBC in Asia Pacific
Aims:
- address regional implications for mitigating and adapting to climate change; business risks and realities, low carbon strategies / opportunities in Asia and globally; as well as low-carbon leadership in China and the Pearl River Delta region.
Highlights:
- combating climate change offers immediate market opportunities in sustaining economic growth and recovery.
- businesses should prepare for developments in climate change international policy expected from the Copenhagen climate summit in December 2009.
Sandy Flockhart said that HSBC looks at climate change as not just a business risk to be managed, but a business opportunity to be developed in his keynote address for the opening plenary session themed 'The New Business Climate'.
Teresa Au calls for a clear policy framework from governments to allow business to feel confident about financing and developing green, innovative climate change solutions in the plenary session 'Implications of Copenhagen for Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta'.
HSBC hosted the 'Low-carbon Leadership Luncheon' participated by some 40 senior business leaders and government officials on 9 October.
Sandy Flockhart (2nd from right), CEO, HSBC in Asia-Pacific, with other keynote speakers of the opening plenary session - Edward Yau (2nd from left), Secretary for the Environment, Prof Yanhua Liu (middle), Vice Minister of Science and Technology, and Yue Zhang (right), Chairman and CEO of Board Air Conditioning.
Teresa Au (2nd from left), HSBC's Head of Corporate Sustainability Asia Pacific Region, with the panelists of the session 'Implications of Copenhagen for Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta' - (right to left) Tony Tyler, Chief Executive, Cathay Pacific Airways, Andrew Brandler, CEO, CLP Holdings and Arthur Bowring, Managing Director, Hong Kong Shipowners Association.
The ICCC gathered more than 250 leading representatives from businesses, regional governments and NGOs globally to explore the vital roles played by Hong Kong, the Pearl River Delta region, and the region's emerging markets in the global response to climate change.
Business Development projects
One of the most important outcomes of the Copenhagen summit is to accelerate the construction of a low-carbon economy by stimulating private sector investment and innovation in low-carbon technologies, renewable energy, and so on.
We need governments to come out of the Copenhagen climate change conference with a clear policy framework - a framework that will allow business to feel confident about financing and developing green, innovative climate-change solutions.
Teresa Au
HSBC Head of Corporate Sustainability
Asia Pacific Region
