The 17th International Conference on Sustainability Disclosure (Xi’an) convened

On December 19th, the 17th International Conference on Sustainability Disclosure Xi’an Session, jointly hosted by GoldenBee ThinkTank, Shaanxi Federation of Industrial Economics, ESG Research Institute of Northwest University of Political Science, and Xi’an Association for Public Companies, was successfully held.

The event received substantial support from Asset Management Association of Shaanxi, Shaanxi Province Sushan East-West Cooperation Development Promotion Association, Shaanxi Energy Conservation Association, Shaanxi Association of Economic Development, Shaanxi Service Center of Capital Market, and other relevant organizations. Approximately 150 participants attended the event, with GoldenBee (Beijing) Management Consulting Co., Ltd providing professional support for this international conference.

Opening Remarks
 

Bai Hongwei
 

Bai Hongwei, the Second-Level Inspector of State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province (SASAC), delivered his remarks. He quoted an important instruction from President Xi Jinping: “Sustainable development is the greatest common interest and the best starting point for all parties, and it is the golden key to solving today’s global issues.” He also emphasized the need to support enterprises in strengthening their awareness of sustainability disclosure, actively practicing the concept of sustainable development, and jointly building a healthy ecosystem for sustainable development. This, he noted, is a crucial step in deeply implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and achieving high-quality development goals for China's socio-economic environment.

Sun Anhui, the President of Shaanxi Federation of Industrial Economics, delivered remarks on behalf of the co-hosts.
 

Sun Anhui

Sun Anhui noted that since 2024, a series of new regulations have been introduced, and the application of international financial reporting standards for sustainability disclosure has accelerated. Chinese enterprises should enhance their awareness of sustainability disclosure, embrace the new normal of such disclosures, and adapt to new developments. Enterprises in Shaanxi should better fulfill their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) responsibilities, actively implement ESG principles, and make greater contributions to the economic transformation and social ecological progress of Shaanxi province.

Professional Insights

In recent years, there has been a frequent release of domestic and international policies and rules on sustainability disclosure, and a unified global sustainability disclosure framework is gradually taking shape.

In May of this year, the Guidelines on Self-Regulation of Listed Companies - Sustainability Report implemented by the three major stock exchanges in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing marked a new era of mandatory ESG information disclosure for A-share companies. On December 17th, the Ministry of Finance, together with nine other departments, formulated the Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Standards Basic Standards (Trial), starting the construction of a unified sustainability disclosure standards system in China. In light of these trends and the arrival of the “mandatory disclosure” era, it is essential for businesses to grasp the trends, plan early, and take proactive measures.

Against this backdrop, the conference invited five experts from GoldenBee Consulting, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), Northwestern Polytechnical University, and the China Quality Certification Center (CQC) to share their professional insights from different perspectives.

Guan Zhusun, Co-President of GoldenBee Consulting and a specially-appointed expert member of the Shaanxi Corporate Sustainable Development Expert Committee, delivered a keynote speech titled “From A-Share Guidelines to Global Standards: Prospects for Chinese Corporate Sustainability Disclosure.”

Guan Zhusun
 

He pointed out that globally, the rules for corporate sustainability disclosure are becoming increasingly comprehensive. China is closely following international trends, with the Ministry of Finance and other agencies issuing relevant standards and guidelines to deepen the requirements for sustainability disclosure. Based on years of research and practice, he also offered suggestions for improving governance information disclosure, specifying strategic planning, and quantifying data disclosure.

Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien, a board member of ISSB, introduced the latest progress in the global application of ISSB standards in her speech.
 

Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien
 

She stated that companies should not view sustainability disclosure merely as a compliance requirement but as a potential competitive advantage. She encouraged companies to be fully prepared, and suggested that adopting ISSB standards early is a crucial step. She emphasized that the ISSB Beijing Office is working closely with the global office to ensure that China’s voice is heard in standard-setting, making it suitable for the Chinese market.
 

Zhai Yuezhu
 

Zhai Yuezhu, Project Manager of CDP, presented detailed data and systematic processes in her keynote speech on “Environmental Information Disclosure Facilitating Enterprises’ Sustainable Development,” introducing key data points for disclosure on climate change, forests, and water security, and visually demonstrating the driving factors and process methods of CDP in assisting enterprises with environmental information disclosure.

Jia Ming, Vice Dean of the School of Management, Northwestern Polytechnical University, delivered a keynote speech on “Corporate Low-carbon Management and Carbon Information Disclosure.”
 

Jia Ming
 

He mentioned that against the backdrop of global warming, China has proposed the decarbonization goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and established a “1+N” policy system to address climate change. Research has found that enterprises have improved their carbon disclosure but respond differently to the information needs of different stakeholders. Enterprises that perform well in carbon neutrality have significant investment value, and investment strategies for carbon-neutral development have intrinsic economic value and can effectively mitigate market risks.

Gan Jiafeng, Senior Consultant of CQC, shared his insights on “High-quality Sustainability Disclosure from the Perspective of ESG Assurance and Verification.”
 

Gan Jiafeng
 

He noted that as the importance of global sustainable issues continues to increase, ESG has become a crucial focus for high-quality development of enterprises. Information disclosure, as a fundamental aspect of ESG management, is gradually shifting from compliance to value creation. Third-party assurance plays a vital role in enhancing the effectiveness, transparency, and authenticity of enterprises’ disclosed data, serving as an important means to promote standardization and high-quality development of ESG disclosure.

Platform Establishment

During the conference, the ESG Talent Teaching and Practice Base and Xi’an ESG Development Strategy Research Institute, jointly established by the Shaanxi Federation of Industrial Economics, Xi’an Association for Public Companies, Northwest University of Political Science and Law, and GoldenBee ThinkTank, were officially inaugurated, marking a solid step forward in professional development and talent cultivation in the ESG field in China.
 

Summit Discussion

The conference also organized discussions among representatives from industry organizations, universities, professional institutions, as well as provincial state-owned enterprises, listed companies, and foreign-invested enterprises in Shaanxi Province, focusing on topics related to sustainability disclosure that are widely concerned by all sectors of society.
 

Wang Wei, General Manager of GoldenBee Consulting Xi’an Branch, hosted the roundtable forum on “Building a New Ecosystem for Sustainability Disclosure Together.” Participants included Fa Ziling, Vice President and Secretary-General of the Shaanxi Federation of Industrial Economics, Jia Xiaoyan, Executive President of the Xi’an Association for Public Companies, Guan Zhusun, Co-President of GoldenBee Consulting and a specially-appointed expert member of the Shaanxi Corporate Sustainable Development Expert Committee, and Jia Ming, Vice Dean of the School of Management, Northwestern Polytechnical University. They engaged in insightful discussions.
 

Yang Shihui, Deputy General Manager of GoldenBee Consulting Xi’an branch, moderated the roundtable forum titled “Promoting High-Quality Corporate Development through Sustainability Disclosure.” Guo Rui, Director of the News Center and Senior Political Work Specialist at Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum; Zhou Yi, Senior Business Manager of the Party Publicity Department at Shaanxi Automobile Holdings; Wang Zifu, Head of Sustainability and ESG at LONGi Green Energy Technology; and Zhou Lin, Director of the Strategic Management Office and CSR & ESG Leader for Micron China, were invited to share their insights and experiences.

The International Conference on Sustainability Disclosure, upgraded from the International Conference on CSR Reporting, has successfully held 17 consecutive sessions since 2007. With the strong support of colleagues from all walks of life, it has gradually become one of the most influential conferences in the field of sustainability disclosure globally. Over the past 17 years, adhering to the concept of “Responsible Communication Creates Value,” the International Conference on Sustainability Disclosure has been continuously publishing research on Chinese corporate CSR/sustainable development reports, highlighting professionalism and internationalism, and discussing issues and trends in the fields of standards, preparation, management, and communication of CSR/sustainable development reports.