This year’s “S+ Summit and Expo” was successfully held on 20-21 May, continuing with the SDGs as its framework, had attracted about 14,000 visitors! We are grateful for all partners’ support, which enabled different stakeholders to discuss and co-create on this cross-sector platform. Not only explored strategies for creating social impact while ensuring business sustainability, but also responded to the ever-changing needs of social development with innovative solutions. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with all sectors for developing a sustainable city!

Farming is never an easy task, but “Good Old Soil” Incubation Program provides vital support to lighten the burden on farmers. Rooted in Mui Wo, the programme is dedicated to nurturing young people interested in farming while also assisting farmers on Lantau Island. In addition to learning agricultural skills, youths engage in farmers’ markets, develop marketing strategies, and support farmers in selling local produce. These markets offer citizens the opportunity to engage directly with farmers, fostering a deeper appreciation for agriculture. This model not only promotes sustainable farming but also strengthens the connection between the community and agriculture.

For more details: 
https://youtu.be/cfpJ36oSaCI?si=H34hVR3yr_BNq74n

The ” NGO Changemakers Incubation Scheme” encourages workers in social welfare industry to think out the box and challenge normal practice via innovative and co-creation approach. By incorporating mindfulness practices, the Changemaker Bootcamp helps workers prioritize self-care before addressing the needs of others. Besides, the tools learnt from the design thinking workshop also help encourage the changemakers to explore the new ideas by developing an engaged and practical solution.  Colleague from Caritas and Mr. Chan from YWCA were invited as guest speakers to share their experiences by illustrating how community tours, artistic endeavors, and cross-unit collaboration harness creativity to strengthen community ties and improve both service quality and the well-being of workers.

The Program has reached its halfway mark. To help NGO Grantees assess the current training progress and give sub-degree youth a chance to reflect on their future paths, we organized a “Reflect & Refresh” Chill-chat Session in March. During this engaging session, NGO Grantees candidly shared the challenges and successes that they’ve encountered, while youth expressed their thoughts about entering the workforce. This relaxed atmosphere fostered all participants meaningful conversations, exploring the image and qualities of an ‘ideal professional’. These insightful discussions not only deepened mutual understanding but also sparked innovative ideas, providing fresh inspiration for the program’s next steps.

The Caring Company Scheme (the Scheme) is refreshed with a new perspective this year! The renewed Scheme reflects stakeholder expectations and is benchmarked against international, national, and local sustainability trends, aligning with Global Standards.

3-Tier Recognition Scheme: a scoring mechanism will be used to assess companies and organisations’ performance sustainability data submitted. 

New Tailored Annual Benchmarking Reports: providing tailored benchmarking reports to help identify strengths and areas for improvement compared to peers of a similar scale, supporting continuous improvement.

The new form will be available for online submission starting from July 2025. The application deadline for the 2024/25 Caring Company Scheme is set for 8 October 2025 at 6pm.

Details for the renewed Scheme: Caring Company Scheme

Latest Update of the Scheme: 
https://caringcompany.org.hk/en_news_details.php?nid=158
Online Application System: 
https://caringcompany.org.hk/en_applications.php

The new participation standards of the Caring Company Scheme (the Scheme) encompass more sustainable development elements, including societal sustainability, economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and partnership. It seeks to localize international sustainable development standards with the goal of continuing to lead stakeholders further along the path of sustainability. To assist companies/organisations in better understanding the details of the new application form and filling guidelines, three capacity-building workshops will be held in June, providing detailed explanations on the form content regarding social, economic and environmental sustainability. We sincerely invite interested parties to participate.

Enquiry:
WhatsApp: 2864 2966 (Text message only)
Email: [email protected]

今期《永續時代》雜誌聚焦「跨界共創 商社同行」，呼應S+高峰會暨博覽多場主題演講與論壇，包括智能科技的爭議與機遇、綠色金融的發展，以及企業社會責任的實踐，期望發揮「協同」(Synergy)、「創效」與「可持續」的「S+」精神。

US$237 billion—that is the revenue Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia, BNM) estimates export-oriented SMEs in ASEAN are at risk of losing, if they delay shifting to greener practices while overseas customers race ahead. SMEs contribute up to 60% of GDP and 85% of jobs in some ASEAN economies. The parallel with Hong Kong is striking: SMEs account for 98 % of businesses and 45 % of private-sector employment here, so the same market signal is coming our way.

PIE Strategy acted as research partner and lead author of the new Greening Value Chain Playbook for ASEAN, by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and BNM.

Launched at April’s ASEAN Finance Ministers & Central Bank Governors Meeting, the study distils lessons from Malaysia’s blended-finance GVC pilot and insights from in-depth interviews with more than 50 government, finance and industry leaders. It flags three recurring roadblocks:

1. Business case – Owners struggle to see near-term ROI when neither regulators nor buyers currently ask for carbon data.

2. Capacity gap – Emission factors look like hieroglyphics; free tools exist but go under-used.

3. Clarity challenge – Overlapping frameworks leave suppliers guessing which one “really counts.”

Hong Kong SMEs voiced similar concerns in recent focus groups for shaping the refreshed Caring Company Scheme.

Six tactical levers—two quick wins

The Playbook groups solutions into six tactical levers (regulation, finance, supply-chain anchoring, communications, data, innovation). Two might offer quick wins for Hong Kong corporates and suppliers:

1 | Anchor-buyer pull
Large corporates can weave simple carbon-disclosure clauses into purchase orders—e.g., “report Scope 1 & 2 in year one, Scope 3 by year three”. Pair the ask with co-funding start-up costs for carbon software or audits. Suppliers gain a clear roadmap; buyers secure the Scope 3 data they increasingly need for ESG filings.

2 | Demystify carbon metrics

Treat emission factors like exchange rates: kilowatt-hours × factor = kilograms CO₂e. Start with electricity, stationary fuel and vehicle fuel; familiarity lowers the intimidation barrier and “good enough” beats perfection for a first measurement cycle.

Companies can reinforce both wins by directing suppliers to the updated Caring Company Scheme, which now offers free resources and capacity-building programmes to empower SMEs on carbon and broader ESG literacy.

The Playbook [https://piestrategy.com/gvc] also unpacks the other levers—progressive green finance, profit-centred messaging, harmonised data platforms and innovation pilots—in practical detail. We hope its insights spark meaningful dialogue in Hong Kong among policymakers, financiers and business leaders on how to create the conditions that motivate and enable SMEs to future-proof their competitiveness while sustaining near-term profitability, thereby strengthening the city’s overall resilience.