Only two Hong Kong companies made the top 20 in a new list of Asia’s most sustainable businesses, while a total of 12 made it into the top 100. Lenovo Group Ltd., apparently the most sustainable business in Hong Kong, came in at 5th. Hong Kong’s second and third most sustainable companies are Swire Properties Limited, ranked 16th, and MMG Limited, a metals mining company, which ranked 41st.
The new annual list, called the Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking, was created by broadcaster Channel NewsAsia in partnership with CSR Asia, a corporate sustainability consultancy firm, and Sustainalytics, a responsible investment research firm.
The highest-ranking business in Asia was India’s Tata Consultancy Services Limited, which claims that it will be completely “groundwater neutral” by 2020. (This presumably means that they hope to prevent any pollution of groundwater on their part, but a Google search of the term reveals that… it’s not really a commonly used or clearly defined term at all.)
The second spot is taken by Singapore’s City Developments Limited, followed by Indonesia’s Unilever in third place.
Here are all of the Hong Kong companies that made the list:
- #5: Lenovo Group Ltd.
- #16: Swire Properties Limited
- #41: MMG Limited
- #47: CLP Holdings Ltd.
- #49: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
- #79: Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd
- #82: MTR Corporation Limited
- #83: Far East Horizon Limited
- #88: Li & Fung Limited
- #95: Shangri-La Asia Ltd.
- #98: Power Assets Holdings Limited
- #99: Orient Overseas International Ltd.
We’re not quite sure how a property developer, a mining company, and an airline made a list of Asia’s most sustainable businesses… but we suppose we’re glad someone’s paying attention to corporate sustainability.
The businesses were ranked based on their level of responsibility in regards to environmental, social, and governance issues, which was evaluated based on indicators like their supply chain, philanthropy and public policy.
Image: Sustainability Rankings
