On November 7, the side event "Capitalize on Trends, Drive Sustainable Value – ESG and Sustainability Leadership Themed Event" held during the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), concluded successfully. Having been organized for three consecutive years, it has become one of the Top 30 influential side events of CIIE.
This year's event was jointly hosted by the Shanghai Service Industries Development & Research Foundation, Shanghai Pudong New Area Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment and China Sustainability Tribune, with support from the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce, Hongqiao Overseas Trade Center Council and Green Finance Forum of 60.
Insight: China’s SDG Contributions to Global Sustainable Development
Sun Jianping, President of Shanghai Services Federation, emphasized in his address that modern service industries are crucial for high-quality economic growth and urban functional upgrading. He noted that only by deeply integrating ESG principles can enterprises gain a competitive edge in the global industrial chain restructuring and secure the initiative for sustainable development.
Professor Zhu Xufeng, Dean of the School of Public Policy and Management, and Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development Goals, Tsinghua University, shared profound insights into China’s global SDG contributions and new opportunities for corporate development. He highlighted that China’s latest Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) provide clear direction for businesses, which should seize new opportunities through three pathways: production, management, and social responsibility.
Yu Zhihong, Co-Chair of Pudong New Area Sustainable Development (ESG) Alliance and President of China Sustainability Tribune, shared Pudong’s advanced experience in promoting ESG from 2024 to 2025. Through the "Leadership Action Plan to Enhance ESG Capabilities of Pudong’s International Enterprises," Pudong has implemented five major initiatives and built a thriving ESG ecosystem.
Launch: ‘The GoldenKey· Sustainability (ESG) Value Creation’ Series Releases
Five organizations, including •Shanghai Service Industries Research & Development Foundation, Shanghai Pudong New Area Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment, China Sustainability Tribune, Institute for Sustainable Development Goals of Tsinghua University and Sustainable Development Solutions Network China Hub, jointly initiated the "Joint Action Mechanism for SDG Solutions." It will integrate think-tank research, media dissemination, over a thousand outstanding corporate SDG solutions from the GoldenKey platform, and resources from funding and technical partners. This mechanism aims to build four pillars for "ESG and Sustainability Leadership," making resources more concentrated, collaboration more efficient, and impact more profound.
Concurrently, the "GoldenKey · Sustainability (ESG) Value Creation" Evaluation and outstanding cases were officially released. This initiative aims to translate ESG concepts into measurable, comparable indicators, helping companies better identify risks, discover opportunities, and enhance long-term value. The first cohort of enterprises recognized as "Outstanding Sustainability (ESG) Value Creation Enterprises" received honorary certificates.
Perspective: Corporate ESG Strategy and Value Creation
As a key metric for corporate sustainable development performance and social responsibility, ESG has prompted pioneering enterprises to deliver outstanding results from strategic planning to concrete actions. Executives from Alibaba Health, Nippon Paint China, and MEBO Group shared their ESG strategies and practical achievements.
During the panel discussion titled "ESG Value Creation," participants agreed that ESG has gradually moved from "policy compliance" and "conceptual advocacy" into the "value creation" phase. Companies need to consider how to achieve a positive cycle of commercial and social value through ESG practices. Chinese enterprises have demonstrated unique characteristics and potential advantages, such as actively embracing trends, responding swiftly to policies, and exploring ESG value transformation paths tailored to their features. ESG is not only about individual corporate actions but also about building a cross-sector collaborative ecosystem.
Collaboration: ‘GoldenKey Sustainability Cooperation Promotion Platform · Specialized Service Partnerships
The "GoldenKey – SDG Solutions" deepened its collaboration with CIIE, leveraging the expo to provide outstanding solutions with promotion and scenario-matching opportunities, contributing to global sustainable development. Four exemplary solutions were presented, showcasing how ESG releases the value of the "GoldenKey" across different scenarios – from port transformation to urban construction, and from product ecosystems to industrial empowerment.
At the event, Daikin Air Conditioning (Suzhou) Co Ltd.,State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company, and Resource Conservation and Energy Management Association of Suzhou Industrial Park, signed a tripartite framework cooperation agreement. The latter two will leverage their respective strengths to help Daikin build a one-stop carbon inclusive service.
State Grid Taizhou Luqiao Power Supply Company and HaoDa Auto Parts (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd signed the Initiative, the "Green Intelligence Engine” Serving Automotive Industry Chain Enterprises, and State Grid Taizhou Luqiao Power Supply Company officially launched the "Green Intelligence Engine" product service brand, offering services to enterprises in four key areas.
Sharing: Release of the 2025 Stories of Corporate Social Responsibility in China
To more effectively communicate ESG and sustainability philosophy to stakeholders and shape a positive corporate image, China Sustainability Tribune, together with the China Enterprise Federation and other relevant institutions, launched the Stories of Corporate Social Responsibility in China during the 5th CIIE in 2022. Three collections have been published to date.
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