Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) [0388:HK] announced the release of the Net-Zero Guide for Business along with a new service to display ESG metrics for HKEX-listed companies, according to the group’s news release on December 2. The two initiatives aim to promote green and sustainable finance development in Hong Kong. The Net-Zero Guide for Business outlines essential steps for companies to understand their greenhouse gas emissions and chart a net-zero pathway. Specifically, the Net-Zero Guide will help companies identify resources to calculate and establish their carbon emission baseline, set both near-term and long-term emission reduction targets, explore different mitigation strategies for emission reduction outside of their value chains, and understand net-zero strategies used by various industry leaders.

The new service to display ESG metrics for HKEX-listed companies will be available on the equities section on HKEX’s proprietary STAGE Product Repository.  Created through partnerships with leading ESG data providers, this new service aims to improve access and transparency on sustainable financial products for both institutional and retail investors. Users of the new service can get a consolidated view of ESG ratings from various providers, which enables users to compare companies across different sectors and sources to better inform their investment decisions. At the initial stage, the section will cover over 600 companies listed on HKEX that have received ESG ratings from at least one leading rating agency, namely Hang Seng Indexes, MSCI, and S&P Global. As the world’s leading IPO market, HKEX has over 2200 companies listed on its Hong Kong Main Board, with a total market capitalization of HKD42.9tr as of December 2021.

Sources:

https://www.hkex.com.hk/News/News-Release/2021/211202news?sc_lang=en

https://www.hkgreenfinance.org/hkex-publishes-net-zero-guide-announces-new-esg-data-display/

https://www.hkex.com.hk/Mutual-Market/Stock-Connect/Statistics/Hong-Kong-and-Mainland-Market-Highlights?sc_lang=en#select3=0&select2=11&select1=2