Inaugural Champion REIT ESG Week Sparks Powerful Collaborations

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural ESG Forum, Champion REIT (the “Trust”) took a bold step forward this July, organizing its first-ever ESG Week with a bigger scale and more impactful programs at Eaton Club of Three Garden Road. With novel initiatives instilled with creativity and engagement, the three-day initiative stresses the importance of collective efforts to create shared sustainable values.

From July 17 to 19, Eaton Club bustled with over 300 individuals from business and community sectors. This turnout marked a substantial increase, doubling that of the previous year, highlighting a growing interest in collective knowledge-sharing on climate resilience, holistic well-being, diversity, equity and inclusion, and social empowerment.

The event also brought together a strategic alliance of over 20 partners from diverse sectors, including Business Environment Council, Fullness Social Enterprises Society (FSES), International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), RethinkHK, and The Women’s Foundation. It also welcomed professionals and tenants, such as Citi, perFACE, L’Occitane Group, and social organizations, joining collectively to drive shared impacts.

The Trust’s commitments to uphold sustainability values remain robust throughout every part of the event, with locally sourced refreshments and souvenirs by social enterprises Gingko House and Time to Gold, and other eco-friendly organizations. Adding as an extra touch was having silver-haired service staff to offer unique dining experience for the visitors – in turn championing social and senior employment.

Christina Hau, CEO of Champion REIT, said “As a ‘super connector’, the Trust has been actively driving projects that yield both social and commercial benefits to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships across sectors. By embracing an open attitude towards cooperation, advocating for the ‘Business for Good’ concept, along with integrating the concept of shared values into our corporate strategies, we champion all-round resilience of our stakeholders within our ecosystem.”

Inseparable business and people engagement for climate resilience

To lift up the curtain of the week was the ESG Forum, which hosted a dynamic Climate Panel featuring experts from waste management, environmental social enterprises, and beauty brands converged to explore best-in-industry approaches for facilitating circular economy development through both business and social behavioral changes.

The Green Champion Challenge Award Presentation Ceremony celebrated office tenants for their commendable efforts on the Trust’s first tenant engagement competition. Concurrently, the Trust also announced the launch of EcoChampion Pledge, which expands its scope to all office and retail tenants to make small yet necessary changes on their workplace practices for energy and waste reduction.

Placemaking for health: strategies for nurturing WELL spaces

The Trust also co-organized a summit with IWBI professionals from architecture and building sectors to underscore the critical role of sustainable building practices in enhancing occupants’ well-being. To demonstrate how words were put into action, the event also featured a WELL Tour of Three Garden Road, Hong Kong’s first WELL Platinum existing building in 2020 and was recently re-certified, to tour participants around its wellness features and placemaking strategies.

Richard Chang, Vice President of the IWBI China, said: “Champion REIT stays at a leading role in implementing WELL and sustainability practices. As an industry pioneer, it has set an industry benchmark for innovative and sustainable management strategies.”

Voices of change: diversity, equity, inclusion and social empowerment

The stage was set for an electrifying exchange of ideas in a thought-provoking fireside chat between two equality champions: Crisel Consunji, award-winning actress for her role in “Still Human” and early childhood educator and Fiona Nott, CEO of The Women’s Foundation.
They explored how education serves as a cornerstone for long-term development by imparting values, knowledge, and abilities to people and communities to shape a more diverse, equitable and inclusive society.

Pioneering Social Impact Pitch fosters upward social mobility

Further enriching the week was the inventive Social Impact Pitch in collaboration with FSES, where ten social enterprises showcased innovative business models to cater to different needs of society. The winning enterprises earned a coveted opportunity for a “Lunch with Executives”, fostering valuable connections with business leaders while enabling their upward social mobility.

William Tsang, Founder and Chief Facilitator of Nature Bathing, a nature-therapy-focused social enterprise obtaining the most valuable “Outstanding ESG Integration Award”, said, “The Social Impact Pitch has broadened my perspective, allowing me to interpret my stories from a business lens. I was also delighted to connect with numerous professionals who share my passion.”

Daisy Ng, Chief Catalyst Officer of FSES, said, “This collaboration project with the Trust is another showcase of forward-thinking business through utilising the values of social entrepreneurship to support those in social needs.”

The week culminated with a piano and cello duo recital under the Trust’s flagship classical music series, Musica del Cuore, reinforcing the Trust’s commitment to nurturing art and music appreciation alongside its sustainability initiatives.

Towards a shared sustainable vision

The ESG Week highlighted the transformative power of collaboration, underscoring the pivotal role of collective action in driving meaningful and lasting change. Looking ahead, the Trust is steadfast in its role as a super connector by persistently cultivating collaborative endeavors and championing sustainable best practices. The Trust is poised to lead the way in catalyzing a more socially equitable and environmentally conscious transition for all.

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