Against the backdrop of global economic integration and sustainable development, the concept of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) has gradually become a core component of corporate internationalization strategies. On the afternoon of June 12, 2024, under the guidance of the SAIC Motor Labor Union, the forum titled "Labor Unions Practicing ESG to Support Enterprises in Going Global" was successfully held as part of the SAIC Motor Labor Movement Research Forum.

This forum was organized by the SAIC Motor Labor Movement Research Group and hosted by the Shanghai headquarters of China Economic Information Service. It attracted professionals from various fields, including academia, enterprises, and research institutions. Distinguished guests such as Ji Lei, Vice President of China Economic Information Service and General Manager of its Shanghai headquarters, and Xiong Chenyao, Executive Vice President of the Shanghai Enterprise Legal Advisors Association and Secretary-General of the Legal Committee of the Shanghai Federation of Industrial Economics, attended the event. The forum brought together industry experts, scholars, and corporate representatives to explore the integration of ESG principles with corporate global expansion. Mr. Qu Weifeng, General Manager of Leverage, was also invited to participate and delivered a keynote speech at the forum.

With the steady advancement of China’s "dual-carbon" goals and the continuous improvement of corporate governance, ESG principles are encountering new opportunities for development in China. As enterprises enter a new stage of development, the pressing challenge lies in how to innovate ESG practices and explore new trends and directions for ESG development and evaluation systems.

This forum focused on the latest developments in ESG, examining its theoretical foundations, standard interpretations, and practical corporate case studies. It delved into the localized implementation pathways for ESG principles in China, shared successful cases and innovative practical experiences, strengthened deep cooperation and interaction among enterprises, unleashed the innovative vitality of ESG practices, and collectively explored ways to build and improve China’s ESG ecosystem. The forum aimed to support the integration and enhancement of ESG development with corporate global expansion.

Full Record of the Forum

This forum commenced at 2:00 PM, beginning with a guided tour of the Shanghai headquarters of China Economic Information Service (CEIS) for the attending guests. This was followed by a series of insightful keynote speeches focused on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance).

Sa Shuang, Chief Credit Risk Analyst at China Economic Information Service, shared insights on "ESG Opportunities and Challenges in the Automotive Industry."

Qu Weifeng, Co-leader of the Sustainable Development Standards Project Group at the Shanghai Federation of Industrial Economics and General Manager of Leverage, presented on "ESG and Supply Chain Management."

Zhu Qinghua, Chair Professor at Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, discussed "The Role of Labor Unions in ESG: Supporting Enterprises in Going Global."

Zhai Jiajia, Senior Expert in Sustainability and Climate Change at Deloitte, spoke on "Compliance and Sustainable Supply Chains for Chinese Enterprises Expanding Overseas."

Tong Shenwei, Risk Management and ESG Management Expert at Trina Solar Co., Ltd., addressed "Managing ESG Risks and Seizing ESG Opportunities."

Zhang Yifei, Head of Social Responsibility Department at Fosun International Limited, shared perspectives on "Creating Sustainable Impact."

Li Yanru, from the ESG Working Group and Board Office of SAIC Motor, presented "SAIC Motor's ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Practices and Exchange."

Cao Yi, General Manager of Shanghai Volkswagen Xiangyuan Power Supply Co., Ltd., discussed "Corporate Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Supporting ESG: SAIC Volkswagen's Smart Energy Practices."

Chen Qianqian, Leader of the SAIC Motor Research Group on "Labor Unions Practicing ESG to Support Enterprises in Going Global," and Party Committee Secretary, Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary, and Labor Union Chairperson of SAIC Anji Logistics, shared "The ESG Development Journey and Research Insights of SAIC Anji Logistics."

Forum Highlights

At the forum, experts unanimously agreed that ESG principles not only reflect corporate social responsibility but are also crucial for enhancing competitiveness and achieving sustainable development. However, integrating ESG principles into daily operations and strategic planning, particularly during international expansion, presents numerous challenges. Experts shared their insights and experiences, discussing how to identify and manage ESG risks, as well as how to seize the opportunities brought by ESG.

ESG and Supply Chain Management

In his speech, Mr. Qu delved into the application and importance of ESG principles in the field of supply chain management. He emphasized that ESG is not only key to enhancing corporate competitiveness and achieving sustainable development but also an inevitable requirement for complying with international standards and policies. During his presentation, he noted that China, as a significant global market and manufacturing hub, faces the challenge of establishing globally influential supply chain standards. He also stressed the importance of environmental, social, and ethical improvements in the automotive industry's supply chain and introduced the NQC-SAQ as an assessment tool to help companies identify and manage sustainability risks within their supply chains. Finally, he proposed an ESG audit framework covering environmental, social, and governance aspects, designed to evaluate suppliers’ sustainability performance through a scoring system, encouraging proactive responsibility and fostering continuous development.

The successful hosting of this forum provided a high-quality learning and exchange platform for member units of SAIC’s labor movement research project on "Labor Unions Practicing ESG to Support Enterprises in Going Global." It also offered new perspectives for corporate ESG development and green transformation. 

From vigorously promoting corporate sustainable development transformation and helping Chinese enterprises integrate more seamlessly, responsibly, and confidently into global supply chains, to advancing business practices for good across multiple dimensions and disseminating knowledge, concepts, and best practices related to compliance, responsible supply chains, ESG, and dual-carbon initiatives, Leverage has consistently been committed to promoting the sustainable development of supply chain stakeholders through its industry influence. As both a practitioner and advocate of sustainable development, Leverage not only demonstrates responsible and sustainable best practices to its partners and stakeholders through its own actions but also encourages brands, retailers, and suppliers across the supply chain to engage in proactive and responsible management, thereby enhancing supply chain resilience, through its products and services. In the future, Leverage will leverage the professional expertise of our team to assist enterprises in our sustainable development transformation. We look forward to collaborating with more partners to jointly advance the development of ESG in China.