Empowering Hong Kong Companies to Lead in ESG with Confidence
Hong Kong’s position as a global financial centre comes with growing expectations to lead in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. With evolving regulations, investor demands, and regional climate goals, companies in Hong Kong must go beyond compliance — they must demonstrate ESG maturity, transparency, and purpose.
Speeki empowers Hong Kong businesses to build and report on ESG programmes that meet regulatory standards and unlock long-term value.
ESG Disclosure is No Longer Optional
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) has been a pioneer in ESG disclosure in Asia. Key regulatory features include:
Mandatory ESG Reporting for All Listed Companies
Under the HKEX ESG Reporting Guide (Appendix 27 for Main Board / Appendix 20 for GEM), all listed companies must publish an annual ESG report. This includes:
- ESG governance structure and board oversight
- Materiality assessment processes
- KPI disclosures on environmental and social aspects
- Climate-related risk assessments (under “comply or explain”)
TCFD-aligned Climate Disclosure Requirements
HKEX has implemented a phased approach toward adopting the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework:
- Large-cap companies are now required to report TCFD-aligned disclosures.
- This includes climate governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics/targets.
These disclosures are expected to evolve into full compliance with ISSB standards (IFRS S1/S2) in the coming years.
Future-Ready: ISSB and Beyond
Hong Kong’s Financial Reporting Council and SFC (Securities and Futures Commission) have signalled strong support for the ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board) standards. Preparations are underway for local implementation — meaning companies will need to evolve their ESG practices from narrative-style disclosures to data-driven, investor-grade reporting.
Increased regulation by the Hong Kong authorities will require you to disclose climate metrics
Authorities are already mandating the reporting of information, especially by companies listed on the HKEX. ESG reporting, primarily focused on climate disclosures (based on TCFD), is now active, with a significant number of companies following the HKEX Guidance on Climate Disclosures.
Even if you are not required to disclose, you should still be building your key programmes on non-financial ESG topics
You may not need to disclose data right now, but you may have to in the future. If you also operate outside Hong Kong, you may need to report in those countries as well. Of course, your stakeholders may require you to report on these issues regardless.
How Speeki can help your business in Hong Kong
Depending on the type of company you are, you may have mandatory or optional reporting requirements in Hong Kong. However, whether you are required to disclose or not, an ESG and sustainability strategy is no longer optional. Your stakeholders expect it, your customers expect it, and the planet demands it. Every listed or major company operating in Hong Kong should develop a comprehensive strategy around ESG and sustainability as a growth engine for both your business and for Hong Kong.
Develop an ESG and sustainability strategy first and start building initiatives
Before considering mandatory reporting, you need to develop a clear strategy. With this clear strategy and an understanding of risk and materiality, you can build or retrofit existing programmes. If well designed, your programmes will generate the data needed for reporting and disclosures.
Remember, ESG and sustainability are more than measuring emissions.
The Speeki platform includes embedded tools and guidance across all ESG topics
Speeki stands out by offering more than just consulting. We design, build, and maintain our own SaaS software with embedded tools for incident reporting, surveys, disclosures, and more. Facilitate effective communication, promote transparency, and engage stakeholders like never before.
The Speeki platform is more than just software.
Climate change reporting is coming first for most large companies
It is true that climate reporting is the initial area chosen for regulated disclosures. However, like every other country, it certainly won't be the last. Expect to see disclosures around human rights issues, bribery, whistleblowing, waste management, and energy consumption. Most countries are now requiring broader disclosures, and if a country isn't, your customers will be.
Speeki helps you build a proactive system instead of merely reacting to requirements.
Developing a sustainability programme with Speeki allows you to cover all topics in a consistent manner
By choosing Speeki, you're not just adopting a platform; you're partnering with a leader in ESG and sustainability solutions. From building and maintaining ESG and sustainability programmes to driving accountability and generating reports, Speeki supports your journey in ESG and sustainability, as well as other non-financial reporting aspects.
Managing the performance of your non-financial programmes will be your advantage.
ESG insights
Explore our expert articles on implementing ESG and sustainability programmes
Hong Kong companies will need to do these three things
Build your strategy and conduct materiality assessments
Building your ESG and sustainability strategy is complex, as ESG covers at least 20 different areas. Your strategy should clearly define your boundaries and scope, and you should conduct a materiality assessment. You must consider broader ESG topics, not just greenhouse gas emissions.
Understand climate risks and build a scenario analysis
While climate risks are just one of the 20 or more areas you need to focus on, they are important as they are reportable risks. Focus sessions, working groups, and collaboration with your stakeholders will help define your scenarios, including how you impact the climate and how the climate impacts you.
Build programmes across key material topics
Your role isn't to set a set of ESG and sustainability targets and walk away; it is to build a programme to meet each and every target across all of the ESG topics – particularly reducing waste, reducing energy consumption, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, driving supplier transparency, whistleblowing, and governance.
Scott Lane
Scott Lane has worked as a leader in global companies across legal, compliance and governance for most of his career. Having been based in Hong Kong for almost 15 years of his professional career, Scott understands the culture and needs of Hong Kong companies. Scott is a strong strategic thinker and communicator who helps align large companies on a common goal. Scott is based in Asia.
How Speeki can help you with ESG and sustainability in Hong Kong
You will need a clear strategy led by the board and executed through management. With oversight and assurance, your board can feel comfortable that ESG and sustainability are a competitive advantage, not simply a cost. Working with the board and management, we help you understand risks and opportunities and define a strategy to execute.
Many countries are now requiring you to conduct deep-dive due diligence on your value chain. Even if Hong Kong doesn't have this requirement, other countries in which you operate do. Plus, you will undoubtedly be impacted as a supplier to major companies. Lean in and get ahead of the regulations.
Through our subsidiary Speeki Europe, Speeki is an experienced certification body for ISO management system standards. Subject to our independence rules, we can certify you in Hong Kong (and your global operations) against standards like anti-bribery, compliance, governance, social responsibility, whistleblowing, and more.
Speeki can be used by a wide range of entities in Hong Kong, including businesses of all sizes across various industries. Whether a small enterprise starting its sustainability journey or a large corporation enhancing its ESG practices, Speeki has software and solutions that cater to your company’s needs.
Speeki can help you build a whistleblowing solution, an anti-bribery compliance or management system, or a global human rights and modern-day slavery system. With consulting, technology, and assurance solutions, we are ready to step in and add value to your business.
Speeki provides assurance solutions across ESG and sustainability. Subject to our independence rules, we can build a plan for an audit and assurance of your ESG reporting. Validate your reporting with the comfort of independent assurance.
Your ESG and sustainability journey in Hong Kong begins here
