China Environment | 20th Anniversary of ESG Concept Proposed by the United Nations, China Water Environment Group Releases First ESG Sustainable Development Report on Water Environment

On June 12th, the first ESG Sustainable Development Report and the third Youth Expert Committee of China Water Environment Group were released at the Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO Beijing) of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

On site press conference

At the meeting, the ESG report on sustainable development of China Water Environment Group, titled "Technology Leading Human Water Interdependence", was officially released. Leaders from ITPO Beijing, representatives in the field of water environment, and young experts from research institutes gathered together to discuss new paths for ESG sustainable development in water environment governance, focusing on issues related to water environment governance. They proposed countermeasures and suggestions from the national and industry levels.

Over the past 10 years, the group has contributed over 6.5 billion tons of water resources globally, created over 1.56 million square meters of land for cities, added over 900000 square meters of green parks, and significantly reduced pollutants, reducing chemical oxygen demand by 960000 tons, total nitrogen by 160000 tons, and total phosphorus by more than 20000 tons through innovative practices of distributed sinking and regeneration water systems. Zhang Lujing, Vice President of China Water Environment Group, released the ESG report on sustainable development of China Water Environment Group and elaborated on the group's ESG path.".

She introduced that the Water Environment Group has innovated the "6R" concept based on the "3R" principle of circular economy, combining the concept of "thriving for water and striving for water" with the group's "three improvements" strategy, which includes six aspects: public Reconciliation, partner Reciprocity, employee Reliability, government Responsibility, shareholder Resources, and ecological Resilience.

Zhang Lujing, Vice President of the Group, released the ESG Report on Sustainable Development of China Water Environment Group, titled Technology Leading People and Water Interdependence

"The group actively participates in internationalization issues, and the ESG concept is highly consistent with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)." She stated that the report covers the sustainable development goals and specific practical achievements of the group in three dimensions: ecological path, social impact, and corporate governance. It conveys the corporate mission of "guarding the source of life and helping green development", promoting development through innovation, establishing a participant ecosystem, and continuously supporting the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

ESG Report on Sustainable Development of China Water Environment Group

Chen Jialei, partner of Deloitte China's audit and assurance business, elaborated on the importance of ESG and sustainable development goals, as well as global ESG development trends in his speech. He stated that over the past decade, the group has deeply cultivated the technology of distributed sinking regenerated water ecosystem, confirming that "sewage is a resource misplaced" and continuously providing regenerated resources for society and the ecological environment. The Deloitte team has participated in the preparation of the first sustainable development report of the Water Environment Group, witnessing the group's sustainable development achievements.

Speech by Chen Jialei, Partner of Deloitte China's Audit and Assurance Business

"Multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are directly related and of great significance to the water treatment industry, and technological innovation is the core driving force for enterprises to fulfill social responsibility and improve data governance." Xu Ming, Vice Dean of the School of Environment at Tsinghua University and Chair Professor of Carbon Neutrality, stated in his keynote speech on "ESG in the AI Era" that the School of Environment at Tsinghua University is collaborating with the group to develop an intelligent operation and maintenance assistant for water plants, "Tiangong China Water Environment", to promote the intelligent development of distributed sinking sewage treatment and recycled water treatment, and jointly help build a beautiful digital governance system in China and build a green and intelligent digital ecological civilization.

Speech by Xu Ming, Vice Dean of the School of Environment at Tsinghua University and Chair Professor of Carbon Neutrality

"Safe and clean water is the source of life, and sewage treatment is crucial to global sustainable development." Liu Gang, a researcher at the Ecological Environment Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, highly affirmed the contribution of Water Environment Group in the field of sewage treatment and aquatic biosafety. At the meeting, he used research data on urban and rural sewage treatment to introduce that facing the problem of decentralized sewage collection and treatment in central cities and rural areas, the distributed sinking regenerated water system can provide effective solutions for nearby reuse and water energy, material and information integration, providing a Chinese model for international water environment governance.

Liu Gang, a researcher of the Ecological Environment Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, made a speech

"This is a performance report that is truly guided and endorsed by the United Nations, and we hope it can become an industry benchmark report. Through the United Nations platform, we will convey China's wisdom, solutions, and initiatives to the world." Professor Wu Yabin, Director of ITPO Beijing, stated that ITPO Beijing was deeply involved in the entire process of drafting the first ESG Sustainable Development Report of Water Environment Group. Currently, the distributed sinking and regeneration water ecosystem solution of Water Environment Group has taken the lead in the world. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations proposing the concept of ESG. As a path for enterprise development and achieving sustainable development goals, ESG provides a "direction map" for enterprise development. We hope that the group will continue to provide important support for achieving the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Speech by Professor Wu Yabin, Director of ITPO Beijing

The group has always adhered to the strategy of technological innovation and continuously recruited a reserve of young experts. At the meeting, the chairman of the group, Hou Feng, presented an appointment letter to Professor Guo Jianhua from the University of Queensland, Australia, who was newly appointed as a member of the Youth Committee.

Group Chairman Hou Feng awarded Professor Guo Jianhua an appointment letter

Group photo of attending guests

"Ten years ago, the Group emerged in the context of China's increasingly scarce water and soil resources, ecological pressure, and the growing contradiction between people's aspirations for a better life. It has always adhered to the concept of green and sustainable development, and made positive contributions to improving water environment and resource utilization. Dr. Hou Feng, Chairman of China Water Environment Group, said in his concluding speech that sustainable development ESG is a social responsibility that enterprises must fulfill. The Group will continue to adhere to the concept of" government led, legal governance, technological support, public participation, and long-term governance and clean governance ", and will uphold the Group's long-term commitment to social responsibility.".

Dr. Hou Feng, Chairman of China Water Environment Group, gave a concluding speech

Hou Feng said, "The release of the ESG report by the group is not only a summary of the company's work in environmental protection, social responsibility, and corporate governance over the past decade, but also a commitment and outlook for future development. Standing at a critical juncture in the second half of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, China Water Environment Group will continue to aim to build a world-class national brand for water environment governance, inject new vitality into building a beautiful China and a community with a shared future for mankind, and contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to global sustainable development."