Beijing, China - The UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative was pleased to co-host the 2024 China Sustainable Investment Forum (SIF) with SynTao Green Finance and the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI). The Annual Conference took place on 3 December 2024, followed by the Sustainable Stock Exchange Roundtable on 4 December. China SIF brought together over 300 in-person participants, including many experts from regulatory bodies, markets, academia and domestic and international organisations, and attracted approximately 550,000 online views. 

China SIF Annual Conference (3 December 2024)

The annual conference focused on the 20-year development of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investment and the opportunities and challenges of responsible investment in China. Ms. Nan Li Collins, Chair of the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative and Senior Director of the Investment and Enterprise Division at UNCTAD, delivered an opening speech titled "20 Years of ESG: Reflecting on the Past, Shaping the Future."

Ms Collins highlighted that “Two decades ago, ESG was a fledgling concept—a vision of how capital markets could contribute to sustainable development. At the time, many viewed it as an aspirational idea, separate from the traditional objectives of financial performance. However, today, ESG is no longer a fringe movement. It is a cornerstone of responsible investing, a key driver of risk management, and a catalyst for value creation.” 

She noted that globally, sustainability-linked assets under management have surpassed $50 trillion, demonstrating the market's recognition that ESG is not just good for the planet—it’s good for business.

During the conference UN SSE Training Officer Fiona Quinlan-Wells also participated in a panel discussion on ESG standards and reporting, alongside representatives of HSBC Asset Management, Lenovo China, the China Association for Public Companies and JA Solar. 

In her intervention Ms Quinlan emphasised that “Stock exchanges play a crucial role in supporting their markets by advancing the adoption and implementation of consistent global approaches. By promoting uniformity and transparency, exchanges can help drive better ESG practices and facilitate informed decision-making across all stakeholders.”

Sustainable Stock Exchange Roundtable (4 December 2024)

Following the annual conference, the Sustainable Stock Exchange Roundtable was convened on 4 December. The roundtable was co-hosted by China SIF, UN SSE, the IFC-supported Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN) and CDP China.

The roundtable touched on a wide range of topics pertinent to the work of stock exchanges and the wider stakeholder ecosystem of listed companies, regulators, policymakers and standard seers. Key topics of discussion included:

• Adoption of ISSB Standards (IFRS S1 and S2), particularly on climate-related disclosures, and how exchanges integrated these standards globally.
• Measuring the Financial Impact of Sustainability Issues, with insights into investor expectations and regulatory trends.
• Data Collection from SMEs, addressing the complexities of Scope 3 data disclosure with extended supply chains. 

Speakers at the Stock Exchange Roundtable included:

Opening remarks:

• Nan Li Collins, Chair, Governing Board, UN SSE and Director, Investment and Enterprise, UNCTAD
• Dr. Guo Peiyuan, Chairman of China SIF and SynTao Green Finance
• Leng Bing, ISSB Member
• Micheal Harvey, Counsellor, Financial & Professional Services, British Embassy Beijing

Keynote speeches:

• Kris Nathanail, Director, Standards Development, Standards Development Division, IOSCO (video)
• Ralitza Germanova, ESG Officer, Lead, Sustainability Disclosure and Transparency Program at IFC - International Finance Corporation (video)
• Zhu Ling, Country Lead of Capital Markets, CDP China
• Si Jialing, Regulatory Affairs Manager for Asia, ISSB

Panel discussion:

• Fiona Quinlan-Wells, Training Officer, SSE Academy (Moderator)
• Jessica Zhang, Manager, International Cooperation Department
• Elaine Ng, Associate Director, International Affairs and Sustainable Finance, Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)
• Jon Edwards, Chief Representative, London Stock Exchange Plc Beijing Office
• Iman Rachman, CEO, Indonesia Stock Exchange

Closing Remarks

• Yuan Wei, Project Lead for China ESG Advisory Services, Asia Coordinator of SBFN, IFC

The UN SSE remains committed to working with global exchanges and capital market regulators to promote transparency, sustainability, and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through its participation in China SIF 2024, the SSE continues to lead dialogues on sustainable finance, and looks forward to continued fruitful engagement to drive sustainable investment activities internationally.