ESG Express

BOCHK has always been a strong supporter of green and charity activities. The Bank has been a sponsor of the “Hong Kong Tree Planting Day” organised by the Concerted Efforts Resource Centre and the Green Fun for a number of years. The “Hong Kong Tree Planting Day 2025”, which took place in Tai Tong of Yuen Long, had invited heavyweight guests to officiate, including Mr. John Lee, Chief Executive of Administrative of the HKSAR; Mr. Yin Zonghua; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Garrison Navy Rear Admiral Tan Zhiwei, Deputy Commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong; Mr. Xie Zhixiang, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Mr. Xu Haifeng, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Risk Officer of the BOCHK. Ms. Winnie Ho, Secretary of Housing; Ms. Choi Yuk Lin, Secretary of Education, Miss Alice Mak, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs; Mr. Stephen Tai Tak Fung, President of Concerted Efforts Resource Centre and Mr. Kenneth Chu Ting Kin, Chairman of Green Fun. Committee members of the Concerted Efforts Resource Centre as well as representatives from various organisations joined hands with nearly 2,000 participants to plant 5,000 native tree saplings.

Hong Kong Tree Planting Day has been held since early 1998 and has become a landmark event for environmental protection in Hong Kong. In addition to sponsoring the event, BOCHK also arranged for more than 400 employee volunteers and their family members to plant the saplings, helping to protect the trees and the ecology of Hong Kong’s rural landscape, and contributing to the building of a green and beautiful home.

“The 3^rd Community Chest Sports for Millions” was successfully held at the Disciplined Services Sports and Recreation Club on 8 March 2025. The kick-off ceremony was officiated by Mr. Billy Kong, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Community Chest; Mr. Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK, together with Mr. Benson Kwok, Director of Immigration Department; Mr. Chan Tsz-tat, Commissioner of Customs and Excise and other officials of the HKSAR Government. Mr. Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Security, was the guest of honour at the award presentation ceremony.

The event attracted more than 30 teams from corporates, disciplinary forces and member agencies of the Community Chest bringing together over 300 sports enthusiasts to pitch in for a worthy cause. In addition to sponsoring the event for the third consecutive year, BOCHK also sent its staff representatives to take part in various competitions and deployed 70 volunteers to support in race operation to ensure the smooth running of the event.

Over HK$1.9 million raised, without any deduction for administration costs, will be allocated to the Chest’s member agencies that provide services to young people, helping them develop positive attitudes and a sense of responsibility.

“The Community Chest New Territories Walk for Millions 2025 – Go Park Sai Sha” was successfully held on 16 February. Wholly Supported by BOCHK and organised by the Community Chest of Hong Kong, the event attracted more than 70 walking teams from business organisations and groups, as well as over 6,000 individual participants, including nearly 650 BOCHK staff and their families.

This year's Walk for Millions was held in a brand new way, with participants walking along a 1.5km cycling and running track in Sai Sha Go Park. In addition to the charity walk, the event was also featured a carnival and VIP teams were invited to experience new sports.

All funds raised from this event, without deduction of administrative costs, are donated to support the 24 member agencies which provide family and child welfare services.

BOCHK is committed to fulfilling corporate social responsibility and has been supporting the Community Chest for years in organising the “Hong Kong & Kowloon Walk for Millions”. This year’s event was successfully held on 19 Jan with Mr John Lee, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the officiating guest of the kick-off ceremony. Mr Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of BOCHK; Dr Simon Kwok, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Community Chest and a number of guests hosted the kick-off ceremony together.

The Walk for Millions passed through Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Black’s Link and Aberdeen Reservoir Road, and finished at the Aberdeen Country Park Visitor Centre. Over 8,000 participants, including nearly 800 BOCHK colleagues and their family members, supported the walk for a good cause. All funds raised from the event, without deduction of administration expenses, will be used to support the 24 member agencies of the Community Chest that provide family and child welfare services.

Participants enjoyed the event and the atmosphere at the finish point was particularly lively. Filled with excitement, most walkers proudly took photos with the certificates of appreciation distributed by the organiser to share the joy of successful completion of the meaningful 10-kilometer walk.

BOCHK has sponsored the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA) to organise the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HK Section) Half Marathon which was successfully held on 5 January 2025. This year’s event had been upgraded to a Gold Label Road Race by the World Athletics Federation (WA), with a total of 10 platinum or gold label runners participating, and awarded “M” Mark recognition.

The race has specially added the "BOCHK HZMB Half Marathon – 2km Honorary Cup" with representatives from various sectors of society participating and creating an extraordinary lineup. AsiaWorld-Expo hosted a Kids Athletics Event, allowing young runners to showcase their athletic talents. Moreover, charitable component is also included this year. Funds raised will support youth development work, nurturing our next generation and motivating them to help build a better Hong Kong.

BOCHK has long been committed to fulfilling our corporate social responsibility by continually supporting a wide range of events that promote sports development.

The BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize 2024 (BOC STIP) successfully organised the award ceremony on 16 December 2024. A number of political representatives and heavyweights from the science and innovation sector attended and officiated at the ceremony, including Mr. Paul Mo-po Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government; Mr. Jianming Fang, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Ms. Cheng Wu, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific & Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr. Guiwei Xing, Deputy Chief Executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited, and Professor Dennis Yuk Ming Lo, President of the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation. Over 150 representatives from the Government and the industry, academia, research and investment sectors were invited to witness the achievements of the awardees in scientific and technological innovation.

Sponsored by BOCHK, the BOC STIP was launched in 2022 and entered its third year in 2024. For the first time, the scope of nomination has been expanded to include organisations of Hong Kong institutions located in the Greater Bay Area. The five awardees of 2024 are Professor Yang Chai of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University for “Artificial Intelligence and Robotics”; Professor Siew Chien Ng of the Chinese University of Hong Kong for “Life and Health”; Professor Hua Zhang of the City University of Hong Kong for “New Materials and New Energy”; Professor Shih-Chi Chen of the Chinese University of Hong Kong for “Advanced Manufacturing”, and Professor Cong Wang of the City University of Hong Kong for “Fintech”. The laureates of the awards in the respective fields were awarded HK$2 million sponsored by BOCHK, making a total of HK$10 million. The awards recognise their contributions to scientific research and the impact of their achievements in promoting the development of technology and innovation in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area as a whole.

FTSE Russell, one of the world's leading index companies, has recently released the 2024 ESG ratings for BOC Hong Kong (Holdings). BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) has not only improved its score to remain above the banking sector average of 2.9, but has also been selected as a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index Series for the first time.

Launched in 2001, the FTSE4Good Index Series utilises ESG rating results to select companies that meet strict global criteria for inclusion. Eligible companies are required to implement effective measures addressing a wide range of corporate responsibility issues, including environmental management, climate change mitigation, anti-corruption practices and labour rights, among others.

This achievement represents another recognition of BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) by ESG rating agencies, following its earlier inclusion in the S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook (China Edition) 2024. It demonstrates the capital market’s high regard for BOC Hong Kong (Holdings)’s outstanding ESG performance.

“Meet with the Giant Pandas” Charity Day, fully supported by BOCHK and organised by the Community Chest, was successfully held on 30 November 2024 at Ocean Park Hong Kong. The event saw the participation of nearly 500 donors and beneficiaries who are the first to meet the two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong by the Central Government.

To make the charity day more meaningful, over 20 BOCHK volunteers accompanied 120 beneficiaries from Hong Kong Single Parents Association and Hong Kong Family Welfare Society to join the charity day. BOCHK volunteers and beneficiaries started the day with a lunch together, then the beneficiaries were led to meet with the giant pandas and visit other attractions related to nature conservation. After the visit, the volunteers presented the panda stuffed toys to beneficiary families as souvenirs, sparing no effort in their commitment to charitable services.

BOCHK has always been committed to alleviating poverty and supporting the development of young people. At the same time, we attach great importance to environmental and ecological conservation to fulfill corporate social responsibilities and contribute to building a sustainable future.

The World Games Series 2024 Hong Kong, supported by BOCHK, held its grand opening ceremony on 11 October at Sai Sha GO PARK in Sai Kung, marking the start of the two-day competitions. The opening ceremony's distinguished guests included Mr. Michael Wong, Deputy Financial Secretary of HKSAR; Mr. Joachim Gossow, CEO of International World Games Association (IWGA); Mr. Eric Fok, Chairman of Vivere Sky Group; Mr. Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK; Mr. Edgar J. T. YANG, PDSM, Honourary Secretary General of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China.

As the inaugural event of the World Games Series, the World Games Series 2024 Hong Kong featured three dynamic sports: Cheerleading, Roller Sports, and Wushu with Taolu. Athletes from over 30 countries and regions competed in the two-day event, bringing world-class talent to the audience and at the same time securing qualification for the 2025 World Games in Chengdu.

As one of the celebration activities for the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the event not only promoted sporting culture, but also integrated sports with arts, music, and fun through a three-day carnival. Being the title sponsor of the event, BOCHK demonstrated its commitment to serving the community by arranging over 150 volunteers to support the event and the carnival to ensure it runs smoothly. Primary and secondary school students, as well as grassroots families, were invited to enjoy top-tier competitions and participate in the carnival, engaging in activities like fencing and bouldering trials, Wushu performances, cheerleading shows, music performances, and unique cultural games from Hong Kong.

The World Games Series 2024 Hong Kong was concluded successfully. Hong Kong team won a total of 7 medals, including three gold, one silver, and three bronze medals. Going forward, BOCHK will continue to promote local sports and cultural development by supporting various types of sports and cultural activities, with the aim to strengthen social cohesion, and enhance cultural exchange between Hong Kong and the international community.

As a long-term partner of the Community Chest, BOCHK fully supported the Community Chest in organising the “National Day Fireworks Charity Dinner” on the 70^th floor of the Bank of China Tower on the National Day. The dinner is the finale fundraising event to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Community Chest. In addition to providing event venues, BOCHK also donated funds to the Community Chest. Mr. Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK attended the event on behalf of BOCHK and received a certificate of appreciation from Mr. Billy Kong, Executive Committee Deputy Chairman of the Community Chest. A total of 60 guests joined the charity banquet and appreciated the firework displays together to celebrate the National Day. The guests donated generously and nearly HK$600,000 was successfully raised for charity. Without any deduction of expenses, the funds will be donated to 167 social welfare member organisations funded by the Community Chest.

The “2024 HKGFA Annual Forum” hosted by the Hong Kong Green Finance Association was successfully held on 9 October. The first Green Finance Forum was held as early as 2018 and BOCHK has been the sponsor for the seventh consecutive year. The theme of this year's forum is “Financing Asia's Net Zero Transition”, with in-depth discussions centred on four major topics. By exploring real cases of tackling climate change, it helped deepen the market understanding of transition finance and accelerate decarbonization in Asia.

More than 1,700 government officials, regulators, financial institutions, corporations and community organisations participated in the event on site or through video conferencing, including Mr. Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Government of the Hong Kong SA; Dr. Ma Jun, Chairman and President of Hong Kong Green Finance Association; Mr. Emmanuel Faber, Chair of International Sustainability Standards Board; and Mr. Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of BOCHK. During the discussion session “Transition Plans in Practice: Credible Pathways”, Mr. Fei Lau, Head of Sustainability Strategy, Economics and Strategic Planning Department of BOCHK, shared insights with the participants.

The “ESG Forum 2024”, fully supported by BOCHK and organised by Hong Kong Economic Journal, was successfully held on 8 November. BOCHK has been the key sponsor of the “ESG Forum” since 2020. The theme of this year’s forum is “Shouldering Social Responsibility and Driving Corporate Development”, with Mr. Tse Chin-wan, the Secretary for the Environment and Ecology as the officiating guest. Dr Qu Kang, Managing Director of Sustainability Strategy from BOCHK participated in the keynote speech “Green Opportunities to new potential for Financial Development in Hong Kong”. He explained how Hong Kong can play the role of “green super-connector”, linking investment opportunities arising from the process of national carbon neutrality with the green investment needs of international capitals. Nearly 200 political and business leaders were present at the forum for a discussion on how to promote sustainable development of corporates.

Sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong), and jointly organised by Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) and Art Exhibitions China, “The Origins of Chinese Civilisation” Special Exhibition was unveiled on 24 September 2024. The opening ceremony was officiated by Raistlin Lau, Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government; Tan Ping, Director of Art Exhibitions China; Henry Tang, Chairman of the Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA); Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited; Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of the WKCDA; and Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director, HKPM. Notable attendees included Wang Wei, Chief Advisor of the "The Origins of Chinese Civilisation Project" and Director of Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, and acclaimed singer and actor Julian Cheung Chi-lam, who narrates the exhibition’s audio guide.

“The Origins of Chinese Civilisation” highlights archaeological discoveries of the past two decades in China, featuring nearly 110 rare archaeological finds and significant treasures that span 5,000 years from the Neolithic Age to the Xia Dynasty. These treasures are on loan from 14 museums and archaeological institutions in China, from places such as Beijing, Gansu, Liaoning, Anhui, Zhejiang, Shandong, Hubei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, and Hong Kong. The exhibits represent nine archaeological cultures and nine major archaeological sites across the country, most of them are displayed in Hong Kong for the first time. Among the collection of exhibits, 16 of them are grade-one national treasures. Three of the most representative treasures are a jade dragon, a jade cong-tube and a bronze jia-vessel. The jade dragon has its origins from the mid- to-late Hongshan culture and is believed to be one of the earliest objects in the form of a dragon in China. The jade cong-tube is a status symbol and represents the Liangzhu culture’s jade ritual system, it also reflects the extensive influence of the Liangzhu jade culture on the surrounding cultures and the later generations. Lastly, the bronze jia-vessel is a bronze ritual object from the Erlitou culture. It illustrates the unique and advanced bronze casting techniques and the gradual formation of the Chinese ritual system that focuses on the use of bronze vessels.

BOCHK is the sole sponsor of the HKPM’s “The Origins and Development of Chinese Civilisation” special exhibition series. The inaugural exhibition “Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan” had been held in late 2023. Being the second exhibition in the series, Bank of China (Hong Kong) Presents: “The Origins of Chinese Civilisation” is held in Gallery 8 of the HKPM from 25 September 2024 to 7 February 2025.

With the sponsor of BOCHK and support from the Deep Ocean Affairs Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) organised the inaugural visit of Chinese research vessel “Shenhai Yihao” and the manned submersible “Jiaolong” to Hong Kong on 24 September. Officials from the Mainland China and Hong Kong, Legislative Council members, representatives from various sectors, together with students from local primary and secondary school gathered at the Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui to join the welcoming ceremony. They also participated in a vessel tour and attended the reporting sessions by researchers on their scientific findings.

The “Shenhai Yihao” and the “Jiaolong” have just completed the first state-supported international deep-sea research expedition named “Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats (DEPTH)” metascience program in the western Pacific Ocean. Led by the HKUST, this is the only Mainland Government-led program focusing on the deep-sea and one of the United Nations-approved “UN Ocean Decade Program”. It is also the first international joint cruise with the participation of a research team from different countries in the design, sampling and research work, aiming to explore the typical deep-sea ecology, species diversity and mineral resources in the aforesaid waters.

To enhance public awareness and understanding of the achievements of the nation’s deep-sea scientific research, and to foster interest of youngsters in scientific endeavours, a number of pre-visit activities have been held since August. These included a voyage departure ceremony staged in Qingdao and virtually witnessed by participants in Hong Kong in early August, and the "Deep Sea Classroom" cross-regional exchange seminar held in early September. During the visit of research vessel “Shenhai Yihao” in Hong Kong, the international research team and experts from the Deep Ocean Affairs Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources hosted public lectures at the Hong Kong Science Museum, as well as academic seminars and roundtable forums at the Bank of China Tower. These activities allowed local researchers and young people to better understand the importance of marine conservation, and to learn about national development of deep-sea big science projects for contributing to sustainable development of the marine ecology.

BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) has been listed in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook (China Edition) 2024 as one out of the 120 best performing Chinese corporates. The S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook (China Edition) aims to distinguish and recognise those Chinese companies within their industries which have each demonstrated strengths in sustainable development.

The companies are selected on the basis of company scores of the Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) in 2023. S&P Global selects the top-ranking corporate sustainability leaders from more than 1,700 evaluated companies across 60 industries that have participated in the CSA, over 120 outstanding companies were included in the Sustainability Yearbook 2024 (China Edition).

Inclusion in the S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook (China Edition) 2024 is a valuable recognition of the outstanding performance of BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) in sustainable practices and disclosure. The Group will continue to create value for all stakeholders as we move together with all sectors of the community towards a greener and more prosperous future.

In June 2024, BOCHK becomes the first commercial bank in Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality in its owned properties. It’s two iconic buildings, Bank of China Tower and Bank of China Building, have attained carbon neutrality certified by the China Quality Certification Center (CQCC) under China Inspection and Certification Group (CICC), and the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA). Both organisations conducted the verification in accordance to the international carbon verification standard ISO 14064 and carbon neutrality standard PAS2060. Prior to this, both properties have been awarded the “Platinum Rating” under BEAM Plus Existing Buildings V2.0 (Comprehensive Scheme A) in 2022 and 2023, the highest level of recognition under the program.

BOCHK is committed to promoting sustainable and high-quality development. The strategy of “first reduce, then replace, and offset at last” is adopted to enhance energy management and efficiency in operations. Going forward, BOCHK will strive to drive its low-carbon operations to achieve carbon neutrality of its own operations for green and sustainable development of the whole society.

Title sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong) and organised by the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates, the second “Bank of China (Hong Kong) Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HK Section) Half Marathon 2024/25” is scheduled to be held on 5 January 2025. The event has been recognised by the World Athletics Federation as a Gold Label Road Race and is set to attract top runners from all over the world to Hong Kong.

A kickoff ceremony was held earlier at the Bank of China Tower to announce the details and registration arrangements of the race. Officiating guests at the ceremony included The Hon. Kenneth Fok, JP, Member of the Legislative Council (Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and Publication); Mr. William Ko, BBS, MH, President of Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates; Mr. Kwan Kee, MH, Chairman of Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates; Mr. Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong); and Dr. Simon Yeung, MH, JP, Chairman, Organising Committee of the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HK Section) Half Marathon.

This year’s tournament is divided into Challenge Race and non-Challenge Race, with a total enrollment quota of 8,000. Both local and overseas runners are welcome to register. To encourage more running enthusiasts to participate, cut-off time of the race will be extended to 3 hours.

Bank of China (Hong Kong) is committed to undertaking its corporate social responsibilities by supporting sports development in Hong Kong. We help identify and nurture sports talent through the sponsorship of different sports events, such as tennis, football, fencing and inter-school tournaments. This year we have once again joined hands with our subsidiary BOC Life to support the ‘Bank of China (Hong Kong) Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HK Section) Half Marathon’, a major local sports event, to raise public awareness of physical and mental health, and to fill the community with more positive energy. The event will further consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international sports events capital.

Courtesy of M+, Hong Kong

M+ Special Exhibition 'I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture' — with Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited as the Lead Sponsor—is now open.

Officiating guests of the opening ceremony included Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Secretary for Justice, HKSAR Government; Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, President, Legislative Council, HKSAR; Li Chung (Sandi) Pei, I. M. Pei’s son, partner and founder of PEI Architects; Henry Tang, Chairman of the Board of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA); Bernard Chan, Chairman of the M+ Board; Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of WKCDA; Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+; Patricia Pei, I. M. Pei’s sister, member, M+ American Friends Foundation Board; Doryun Chong, Deputy Director, Curatorial, and Chief Curator, M+; Shirley Surya, Curator, Design and Architecture, M+ and exhibition co-curator; and Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of BOCHK, etc. This half-year exhibition presents the life and legacy of I. M. Pei.

As the Lead Sponsor, BOCHK is very proud to support this exhibition. It explores Mr Pei's work in its social, cultural, and personal context, showcasing his rich legacy for people in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, and beyond. The exhibition helps foster a deeper appreciation for architecture and the arts, and inspires the next generation of creative talents to follow in Mr. Pei's extraordinary footsteps. It also serves as a celebration of Hong Kong's heritage as a cultural super-connector between East and West, sharing a vivid China story with the world.

Seven years in the making, this retrospective features more than 400 objects, many of them are never exhibited before. These include original drawings, architectural models, photographs, films, and other archival documentation from institutional and private holdings. The exhibition is open to the public now through 5 January 2025.

In support of people with disabilities to develop their diverse abilities and to enhance public understanding, BOCHK sponsored Po Leung Kuk to organise the "Multiple Intelligences Academy" since 2020 to provide training activities covering eight elements of multiple intelligences, including language intelligence, mathematical logic intelligence, and spatial intelligence to people with disabilities based on their abilities and interests, engaged over 1,500 participants. The program recently held the "Diverse Potentials Create Colors of Life" grand performance cum graduation ceremony. This event provides opportunities for people with varying abilities and interests to experience and showcase their strengths. Additionally, it recognised the achievements of all participants over the past three years, and encouraged them to continue leveraging their potentials and strengths to lead a diverse and colorful life.

The grand performance cum graduation ceremony concluded the achievements of various units under Po Leung Kuk's rehabilitation services in developing the diverse potentials of people with disabilities in the past three years. During the event, distinguished guests presented graduation certificates to students participated in the "Multiple Intelligences Academy". Po Leung Kuk staff members also joined participants in captivating performances on stage, and led the officiating guests to visit the art exhibition and workshop booths to share the results of diverse potentials development.

In support of the Government’s effort to promote STEAM education, BOCHK funded the Hong Kong Federation of Educations to organise the "STEM Education Project for the Youth". The opening ceremony of the Mechanical Flower Exhibition (Junior Secondary Division) was held successfully recently. The Mechanical Flower course was designed by the team of School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Through teaching junior secondary school students the knowledge of different mechanical components and programming techniques to create their own unique mechanical flower, the Program demonstrated the integration of technology and art, and optimise the technological and creative abilities of the youth.

Some students said that the Program enabled them to gain "hands-on" experience and enhanced their knowledge of mechanical components, which upgraded their STEAM learning ability. Teachers of the course also mentioned that each petal of the mechanical flower was uniquely crafted by the students, and the movement of the mechanical flower are as graceful as a dance, which conveyed the compatibility of technology and art, and also made them realise the charm of STEAM learning.

To unleash the potential of science and innovation among youngsters, BOCHK fully supported the “JPC Innovation and Technology Competition 2023-24” organised by the Junior Police Call (JPC) of the Hong Kong Police Force. The program encouraged primary and secondary school students to integrate their STEAM knowledge and skills, and utilise their problem- solving and logical reasoning abilities to construct innovative and feasible “Smart City” solutions.

The themes of “Cyber Security” and “Information Literacy” have been added to the competition this year, and a new “Best Safe City Award (Cyber Security)” has been introduced to encourage young people to promote information literacy, and at the same time to enhance their awareness of information security risks, online deceptions and objectionable information, with a view to preventing them from falling into online traps.

The “JPC Innovation and Technology Competition” has been held since 2021 with the aim to enhance primary and secondary school students’ ability to utilise STEAM knowledge and skills, and to conduct thematic researches on enhancing city management and safety, as well as improving quality of living. The program unleash young people’s potential in innovation and technology and nurture them to become social leaders.

Funded by BOCHK and commissioned by the Education Bureau, the Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association organised the “26th Hong Kong Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition”. An award ceremony was held successfully at the Science Park recently. Officiating guests included Ms. Michelle Li, Permanent Secretary for Education; Mr. Maozhou Liu, Level 1 Inspector of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in HKSAR, and Ms. Phoebe Tse, General Manager of Commercial Banking Department of BOCHK.

The competition was launched in 1997 and it has now become the largest and most representative STEAM competition in Hong Kong, covering kindergartens, primary schools, junior and senior secondary schools. The competition covers a wide range of areas and is committed to nurturing outstanding local talent in science, technology and innovation. This year, the number of participation reached a historic high, with 250 schools and nearly 4,000 projects. After multiple rounds of judging, a total of 254 award-winning projects was selected. With the sponsorship of cash prizes by BOCHK for the first time for the first, second and third-place winners, the competition was even more appealing.

Outstanding projects in each competition category will be recommended to form a “HKSAR Team” and will participate in various national and international science competitions, including the “China Adolescents Science and Technology Innovation Contest”, “Song Ching Ling Award for Children's Invention”, “Intel International Science and Engineering Fair” and “International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva”. It strives to bring glory and success to Hong Kong.

Funded by BOCHK, Food Angel has officially launched the “Food Angel Meals on Wheels x Self-serve Station” to provide further support to the grassroots who are in need of food assistance.

Since the launch of the “Meals on Wheels Programme”, eligible grassroots families and singleton elderly referred by district organsations managed to obtain food assistance and daily support, which have largely improved their quality of life. The Programme proactively reached out to remote areas or districts with inadequate resources in greater flexibility, more than 610,000 beneficiaries are recorded so far.

In 2024, a new element of “self-serve” has been added to the Programme. To meet the needs of different districts, the “Meals on Wheels Programme” has been transformed into “Food Redemption Zone”, which displays non-perishable food collected and donated from the public. The service users could then select the food according to their own preferences. The Self-serve Station is a breakthrough from the traditional mode of food assistance, where beneficiaries receive food parcels in a passive way. By presenting the tokens downloaded from the Food Angel Mobile App or showing the redemption coupons to the staff/volunteers, service users can redeem food selected by them at the service point, and feel the warmth and care from society in a more respectable manner.

To promote the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong and STEM education for local youth, BOCHK sponsored the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers to organise the “STEM Education Project for the Youth” Robot Car Competition (Upper Primary Division) cum Award Presentation Ceremony. Robot car training and competition are conducted to encourage upper primary school students to explore new ideas and activate their spirit of exploration.

Students who participated in the Robot Car Competition utilised the skills they learned from the “STEM Competitive Training Courses” to operate their own programmed robot cars, and gained points by occupying territories and defeating their opponents. The students not only applied what they have learnt from the training courses, but also fully demonstrated their unique team tactics and programming skills.

Since the launch of the “STEM Education Project for the Youth” program in October 2020, knowledge contests have been organised for primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong using smartphone applications, with close to 53,000 student participants. In recent years, the program has successfully completed the trainings for the basic, advanced and higher level groups, as well as the competitions and the mentorship programs. The “Primary School STEM Competitive Training Courses” and the “Secondary School STEM Technology Training Courses”, which were launched in August 2023, provided courses for 10 primary schools and 10 secondary schools respectively. A total of about 400 students have participated and completed the training.

In order to cultivate the innovation and technology talent in the 21^st century, BOCHK sponsored the “Third Robot Explorer Cup” organised by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (“HKUST”). The competition allows young contestants to exchange experiences in the competition, and enhance their interest in science and technology.

The theme of this year’s “Robot Explorer Cup” is “Finding Energy”, with students acting as scientists and explorers embarking on a journey to find ways of new clean energy. There are no guidelines for the competition tasks and it gathers primary and secondary school students to make robots together and perform special tasks in creative and innovative ways. All students participate in the same competition regardless of age, gender and language. This program breaks through the standard pattern of traditional education and provides collaborative learning experience to students with different backgrounds and learning abilities, and arouse their interest in science, mathematics and engineering.

Launched in December 2021, the “Robot Explorer Cup” aimed to provide different robotics training courses and competitions for primary and secondary school students. A total of over 4,000 beneficiaries are recorded from the program so far. With the success of the “Third Robot Explorer Cup”, a new round of HKUST Youth Program is about to begin. After reaching the first learning milestone, students successfully admitted will attend advanced robot production technology training courses to further deepen their knowledge and skills.

“The Hong Kong Tree Planting Day 2024”, fully supported by BOCHK and organised by Green Fun, was successfully held in Tsiu Hang, Sai Kung, Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Tree Planting Day event has been organised since 1998 and has become an iconic event for environmental protection in Hong Kong. A total of 6,000 native saplings were planted and more than 1,300 people participated to realise the mission of Tree Planting Day to “beautify Hong Kong and cultivate people with trees”.

Officiating guests including Mr. Chan KwokKi, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR; Mr. Liu Guangyuan, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central Government in the HKSAR; Mr. Fang Jianming, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR; Mr. Zheng Guoyue, Deputy Commander of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison Major General; Mr. Xie Zhixiang, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Mr. Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of BOCHK; Mr. Tang Ping Keung, Secretary for Security; Ms. Bernadette Linh Hon Ho Secretary for Development; Mr. Clarence Leung Wang Ching, Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs; Mr. Stephen Tai Tak Fung , Chairman of Concerted Efforts Resource Centre; Mr. Kenneth Chu Ting Kin, President of Green Fun; Mr. Joseph Lee, President of the Executive Committee of “Hong Kong Tree Planting Day 2024”, together with committees of Concerted Efforts Resource Centre as well as representatives from different organisations, jointly plant native saplings.

Committed to promoting high-quality and sustainable development, BOCHK strongly supports environmental protection and charitable activities, and endeavors to enhance public awareness and participation in green initiatives. More than 230 BOCHK volunteers and their family members participated in the tree planting event to advocate the civilised value of “everyone loves, protects and plants green”. Together, we join hands to inherit and promote the concept of environmental protection, to drive ecological civilization and to fully support our country in achieving the “dual carbon” targets.

“The 2^nd Community Chest Sports for Millions”, fully supported by BOCHK and organised by the Community Chest, was successfully held on 16 March 2024 at Disciplined Services Sports and Recreation Club.

The Kick-off Ceremony was officiated by Mr. Billy Kong, Executive Committee Deputy Chairman of the Community Chest; Mr. Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK together with Mr. Siu Chak Yee, the Commissioner of Police and other officials of the HKSAR Government. Mr. Tang Ping Keung, Secretary for Security, was the officiating guest of the award presentation ceremony.

The event attracted nearly 40 teams from industrial and commercial organisations, disciplinary forces and member agencies of the Community Chest with over 400 participants. More than HK$1.8 million was raised for charity. In addition to donations, the Bank also arranged 80 members from the Youth volunteer team to provide full-day services such as venue setting, race operation, refereeing assistance and support, etc., to contribute to the charity.

The “Xue Long 2” Antarctic Research Icebreaker’s inaugural visit to Hong Kong, supported by BOCHK and organised by the Hong Kong Green Future Fund and the Hong Kong Polar Research Centre, commenced with a series of activities staring on 8 April. As a prelude to the historic five-day visit, a grand welcome ceremony on land, sea and air was successfully held in Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, with various government departments participating.

As the nation’s first domestically built polar scientific research icebreaker, "Xue Long 2" is equipped with world-class marine and research facilities. It features the world's first dual-directional icebreaking capability at both bow and stern, and can freely rotate 360 degrees in place. A highlight of its expedition was the successful construction of the "Qinling Station" in the Ross Sea of Antarctica in February this year, which will provide important support to researchers. After completing China's 40^th Antarctic expedition and enduring a challenging journey of over five months in a harsh environment, the vessel will return to the motherland, and making its first stop in Hong Kong.

A series of activities is being held to commemorate the vessel's visit. These include tours of advanced facilities onboard, a Cultural Gala, and a joint seminar with Scientists Meet HK Students, etc. In addition, a free exhibition at the Science Museum will run until 26 June, and more than 15 seminars and roving exhibitions about polar science will be held in primary and secondary schools from May util the end of the year, with the aim of enhancing citizens’ pride in the country's scientific research achievements, deepening citizens' awareness of polar and climate change issues, and enhancing Hong Kong’s contribution to polar scientific expeditions and climate mitigation.

As the diamond sponsor, BOCHK has fully supported the “Xue Long 2” event series by arranging for over 160 volunteers to support the activities, and inviting students and people from grassroots communities to participate, with the aim of increasing awareness of polar scientific research and environmental conservation among all walks of life, and helping to increase public interest in scientific research and sustainable development.

Bank of China (Hong Kong) (“BOCHK”), the strategic partner of Hong Kong Palace Museum (“HKPM”), solely sponsored HKPM to launch“HKPM Showtime Carnival”. With the theme of “Museum by the Harbour”, HKPM has presented the first music program at the atrium for two consecutive weekends (30 and 31 March; 6 and 7 April). The Carnival has attracted more than 9,000 audience, taking them on an immersive, multi-sensory cultural journey against a stunning view of the Victoria Harbour. BOCHK also sponsored HKPM to hold free “Eco-Musical Instrument Family Workshop” in which the traditional Chinese musical instruments and songs were introduced to kids and parents to create their own eco-musical instruments with green materials. They all enjoyed the fun of music and arts innovation.

Besides, BOCHK has been sponsoring over 50,000 HKPM tickets for the underprivileged, students and people in need distributed through non-profit organisations. BOCHK has invited more than 1,100 underprivileged and students to attend the concerts at the atrium of HKPM, and volunteers from BOCHK provided services to those in need, offering people from all walks of life a chance to visit the Museum and appreciate the treasures.

“The Inter-School Division One Athletics Competition 2023-2024”, fully supported by BOCHK and organised by The Schools Sports Federation of Hong Kong (HKSSF), China was successfully held at the Wan Chai Sports Ground on 8 March. This competition attracted over 2,000 student representatives from 26 schools to participate. A total of 28 new Inter-School records were created.

BOCHK will continue to support the development of youth sports to cultivate students' spirit of striving for improvement and self-reliance, and help nurture more young successors for the sports sector which will shine brightly and contribute to Hong Kong in the international sports arena.

BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) has been rated "Low Risk" by ESG risk rating agency Sustainalytics for the first time in 2024. According to Sustainalytics, the bank has designated board-level responsibility to oversee ESG issues, a well-established environmental policy and whistleblower programme, and with very strong ESG reporting. It fully recognised that BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) operates its business in a sustainable and responsible manner, with continuous improvement in ESG risk management.

Sustainalytics is the world’s leading ESG risk rating agency which conducts a risk assessment based on a company's ESG performance, evaluating a company's risk exposure and risk management to arrive at an ESG risk score. Sustainalytics analyses and scores the ESG risk rating of a company annually by taking into account the company's disclosed information as well as by sending out questionnaires to obtain feedback from the company. The score is based on the information disclosed by the organisation and the feedback received from the organization through questionnaires.

On February 28, BOCHK successfully held the forum themed “Cooperation & Innovation – Accelerating the Development of Sustainable Finance in China”. As one of the partner events of Hong Kong Green Week, this forum received tremendous supports from Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and attracted more than 180 political, business and industry leaders from the Asia-Pacific region to participate. During the forum, experts from the financial, business, academic and the public sectors shared their insights on the development of sustainable finance, strategies for cooperation and innovation, and Hong Kong’s role as an international green and sustainable finance centre.

The establishment of a green and sustainable ecosystem necessitates collaboration across agencies, industries, and regions to collectively drive the low-carbon transition of the economy and society. Going forward, Hong Kong can further leverage its "super connector" advantage to connect the mainland and international capital markets, facilitate cooperation and innovation in green and sustainable development, and contribute to the sustainable financial development of the country. BOCHK is committed to optimizing its sustainability strategy, introducing innovative green and sustainable products and services, and supporting the sustainable finance development of Hong Kong and the mainland.

BOCHK has been dedicated to promoting high-quality and sustainable development. Following a number of international recognitions in the first half of 2023, such as “Asia-Pacific Climate Leaders” by Financial Times and the “Best ESG Impact Bank - Hong Kong SAR” by FinanceAsia, the bank has recently received various awards which fully acknowledging its outstanding performance in ESG and CSR.

Market Leader for Corporate Social Responsibility in Hong Kong, Market Leader for Environmental, Social and Governance in Hong Kong and Market Leader for Digital Solutions in Hong Kong”

• Obtained three highest accolades in the “Euromoney Market Leaders” organised by Euromoney in 2022 and 2023, including “Market Leader for CSR in Hong Kong”, “Market Leader for ESG in Hong Kong”, and “Market Leader for Digital Solutions in Hong Kong”.
• BOCHK was ranked the highest “Market Leader” in all three award categories.

The ESG Corporate Awards - Platinum Award

• Awarded the “Platinum Award” for the second consecutive year at the Asset ESG Corporate Awards
• The ESG Corporate Awards is one of the longest-running ESG awards in Asia-Pacific region, aiming to recognise companies that have demonstrated outstanding performance in corporate governance, social responsibility, investor relations, etc.

ESG Leading Enterprise Award and Leading Social Initiative Award

• Received the “ESG Leading Enterprise Award” for the third consecutive year and the “Leading Social Initiative Award” for the second time in the “ESG Leading Enterprise Awards” of Bloomberg Businessweek/Chinese Edition
• The awards recognise listed companies and asset management organisations with outstanding ESG performance and encourage companies to work together to promote sustainable development.

Hong Kong Sustainability Award 2023 - Distinction Award

• Awarded “Hong Kong Sustainability Award 2023 - Distinction Award” by the Hong Kong Management Association.
• In recognition of BOCHK for its contribution in the areas of environment, social, corporate governance and sustainable development.

Best in ESG Awards (Merits) and Theme Award (Merits)

• Won the “Best in ESG Awards (Merits)” and “Theme Award (Merits)” in the 5^th BDO ESG Awards 2023
• The theme award for 2023 emphasizes the importance of carbon neutrality and the urgent need to combat. The award recognises listed companies that are committed to practising carbon neutrality.

Best ESG Pioneer, Best ESG Financial Service Provider and Best Listed Company at ESG Practices

• Won the “Best ESG Pioneer”, “Best ESG Financial Service Provider” and “Best Listed Company at ESG Practices” in the Hong Kong International ESG Ranking 2023 of the Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group.
• The ranking aims to recognise companies that have achieved balanced development in environmental protection, social responsibility, corporate governance across multiple dimensions.

“The Community Chest 55^th Anniversary Walk for Millions (Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge-Hong Kong Link Road)”, fully supported by BOCHK and organized by the Community Chest, was successfully held on 7 January. Over 170 walking teams formed by companies and organisations and individual walkers, totalling around 11,000 participants, took part in the charity walk. More than 1,120 employees and family members from BOCHK, with 60 volunteers supported this event. With the donations from BOCHK, all funds raised from the activities will be allocated to fund its 24 member agencies in support of family and child welfare services, without deducting any administrative expenses.

The Honourable John K C Lee, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Mr Zheng Yanxiong, the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, graced the event as Guests of Honour. They were joined by Mr Paul Lam, Secretary for Justice; Miss Alice Mak, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs; Mr Siu Chak-yee, Commissioner of Police; Mr Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong); Dr Simon Kwok, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Community Chest as well as many guests to start the walk.

The walk started near the west portal of Scenic Hill Tunnel of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge - Hong Kong Link Road. Participants walked along the Hong Kong Bound Lane and took a return route near Sha Lo Wan to the finish point. The total distance was approximately 6 km and it took around 2 hours to complete the whole journey.

BOCHK has always been actively fulfilling its corporate social responsibility by supporting various charity activities, penetrating into the grassroots and reciprocating to the society. Going forward, we will further focus on the local social needs and continue to join hands with various sectors to build a better society.

The Award Ceremony of the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize 2023 (BOC STIP), sponsored by BOCHK, was held successfully on 15 December 2023. Heavyweights were invited to be the officiating guests, including Mr. Paul Mo-po Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr. Jianming Fang, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Professor Weiming Wang, Minister of Education, Science and Technology of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Ms. Cheng Wu, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Ir Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, President of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Ping-kong Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of Hong Kong Baptist University, Prof. Yuk Ming Dennis Lo, President of Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation, and Mr. Yu Sun, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited. Together with over 150 representatives from the Government, industry, academia, research and private sector, they witnessed the laureates’ achievements and celebrated their success.

Since its inception in 2022, the BOC STIP has received wide support from academies, scientific researchers as well as science and technology companies. Each year, experts from Hong Kong and overseas are invited to select outstanding scientific researchers/teams in five fields for their impressive achievements in scientific research as well as the application and commercialization thereof. This year, six laureates are selected, namely Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Professor Jia Jiaya of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Life and Health, Dr. Wong Siu-lun Alan of The University of Hong Kong; New Materials and New Energy, Dr. Tang Jinyao of the University of Hong Kong; Advanced Manufacturing, Professor Cheung Chi Fai Benny of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University; and FinTech, Professor Au Man Ho Allen and Professor Luo Xiapu Daniel of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. BOCHK sponsored the BOC STIP and a total of HK$10 million was awarded to the inaugural laureates, and each winner (or team) was awarded HK$2 million.

As the strategic partner of the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM), BOCHK will continue its generous support for “HKPM Showtime Carnival” and join hands with top-tier performing arts organisations and artists to present a series of events each season, featuring performances, demonstrations, workshops, talks, and more. “HKPM Showtime Carnival” demonstrates the commitment to promote Chinese arts and culture both locally and globally, while contributing to Hong Kong’s development as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

“HKPM Showtime Carnival” was officially launched on 26 November 2023 (Sunday). Officiated by Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the HKPM, and Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK, the opening event showcased a captivating performance of Gazing, Listening: The Sounds from Cultural Relics by the Hong Kong Gaudeamus Dunhuang Ensemble (HKGDE). Through a series of delightful tunes, the HKGDE celebrated the beauty of the Museum’s precious artefacts. The show also featured the premiere of With Dragons, a new composition for eight instruments inspired by the Sanxingdui culture. The HKGDE musicians also offered the “Ancient Dunhuang Musical Instrument Family Workshop”, introducing participants to the musical instruments, colours, and patterns found in the famous Dunhuang cave murals in Gansu Province.

Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the HKPM, said: "The HKPM is committed to presenting high-quality exhibitions alongside a broad range of educational activities and arts and cultural programmes, with a mission to integrate the rich culture of the Palace Museum and Chinese arts, culture and history into the performing arts. Our aim is to present stimulating multi-disciplinary learning and education programmes for the public as well as Mainland and overseas visitors, particularly the younger generation. We are grateful for Bank of China (Hong Kong)’s trust and support and look forward to working together to promote the inheritance of Chinese culture."

Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK, said, "As the strategic partner of the HKPM since 2022, BOCHK has actively participated in a series of cultural and artistic activities that benefit different sectors of the society, and organised our volunteer team to assist in different guided tours of the Museum, allowing Hong Kong citizens, especially young people to deepen their understanding of Chinese history and culture. Going forward, we will continue to join hands with various sectors to promote Chinese traditional culture and foster Hong Kong’s development into an art and cultural exchange centre.”

Bank of China (Hong Kong) (“BOCHK”) sponsored, the UNESCO Hong Kong Association and the Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development organised, the “2023 Hong Kong – Greater Bay Area (GBA) Secondary School Model UNESCO Conference on World Heritage” (“Conference”) was successfully held. This conference aimed to improve students’ engagement in sustainable development and to focus on the protection of world heritage, through experiential learning and debating to raise the innovative solutions. This was not only enhancing the students’ interaction and cultural integration from Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area, but also cultivating sustainable future talents with global perspective for the Nation.

162 secondary school students from 30 schools in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area represented 54 different countries delegation to propose innovative solutions on protecting world heritage. They reached consensus to establish “Youth Declaration on Protecting World Heritage” (the Declaration) through insightful discussion and negotiation in which students advocated (1) at a personal level, individuals can raise awareness of World Heritage protection through social media; (2) at the school level, research-based World Heritage projects could be integrated into courses and curriculums on sustainable development; (3) on a societal level, youths could become ‘Green Citizens Youth Ambassadors’ participating in local and international voluntary work for heritage protection and taking part in cultural exchange tours. Students from all delegations call for global cooperation to address challenges faced by World Heritage sites, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and destructive urban development, and to inherit these priceless treasures shared by humankind. After all the presentations, St Paul’s College was awarded as Grand Best Delegation. Twelve Consulate Generals in Hong Kong including Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Philippines, Portugal, also supported the conference and delivered messages of congratulations.

BOCHK will continue to integrate sustainable development to our long-term strategy. To create the long-term value for Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area as well as to promote the integration into the national development, BOCHK empowers youth actively exploring international issues and focusing on UNSDGs to cultivate sustainable future talents with Hong Kong roots, national pride with a global perspective and broad vision through supporting MUNESCO.

BOCHK has sponsored the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA) to organise the inaugural Bank of China (Hong Kong) Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HK Section) Half Marathon which was successfully held on 19 November. Nearly 8,000 runners participated together in the half marathon on the world's longest bridge-tunnel sea crossing, making history together in Hong Kong.

Officiating guests including Mr. Chan Kwok Ki, GBM, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong SAR; Mr. Benson Kwok Joon Fung, Commissioner of Immigration; Mr. Qatari Dahlan Jumaan al-Hamad, President of Asian Athletics Association; Mr. Kwan Kee, MH, Chairman of Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association; and Mr. Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong) collectively fired the starting pistol. All runners were so excited in witnessing the historic moment and running together towards Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao!

The special exhibition “Gazing at Sanxingdui: New Archaeological Discoveries in Sichuan”, solely sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong) and organised by the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM), unveils on 26 September. The official opening ceremony was held at the HKPM, officiated by Chan Kwok-ki, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government; Wang Yi, Deputy Director of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and Director of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration; Henry Tang, Chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) Board; Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong); Winnie Tam; Chairman of the HKPM Board; Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of the WKCDA; and Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director, HKPM.

Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong), said, “In celebration of the 74^th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, BOCHK is honoured to be the exclusive sponsor of the ‘Gazing at Sanxingdui’ exhibition. This exhibition is certain to provide an unforgettable experience of the ancient Shu civilisation to Hong Kong citizens as well as visitors from the mainland and around the world, enabling the audience to immerse themselves in the remarkable accomplishments of Chinese civilisation. As a stakeholder and contributor of the Hong Kong community, BOCHK has long dedicated ourselves to promoting the development of arts and culture within the city. Throughout our long-standing presence of over a century here, we have been actively promoting traditional Chinese culture. Being the strategic partner of the HKPM since 2022, we have actively participated in a series of cultural and artistic activities that benefit different sectors of society, allowing Hong Kong citizens, especially young people to deepen their understanding of and enthusiasm for Chinese history and culture. Going forward, we remain committed to joining hands with various sectors to promote cultural and artistic exchanges between China and other countries.”

The exhibition, open to public from 27 September 2023 to 8 January 2024 in Gallery 8 of the HKPM, features new archaeological discoveries at Sanxingdui in Sichuan Province, displaying 120 artefacts such as bronze, jade, gold, and pottery objects excavated from the Sanxingdui, Jinsha, and Baodun sites, dating back 2,600–4,500 years. 23 of them are grade-one national treasures, which include the bronzes unearthed in 1986 and on loan from the Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan: a bronze head with gold mask, a mask with protruding pupils, a figure with animal headdress, a zun-vessel, and the stand of bronze tree no. 2. Relics. 55 important items were unearthed in the most recent excavations at the Sanxingdui site between 2020 and 2022. Almost all of them are displayed outside of Sichuan for the first time, such as the mythical creature, eye-shaped objects, dragon-shaped object, hybrid tiger-dragon figure, as well as the jade rectangular stand with animal face and phoenix-bird motifs. These iconic objects were recently on display at the new Sanxingdui Museum.

BOCHK is committed to promoting sustainable and high-quality development, and is continually recognised by the market for its outstanding performance in sustainability and corporate social responsibility. In addition to the highest AAA rating granted by the international rating agency MSCI ESG for two consecutive years, this year, BOCHK continued to receive a number of ESG and CSR related awards, reflecting that BOCHK is gaining high recognition in both the international and Asian markets.

Asia-Pacific Climate Leaders

• Selected as "Asia-Pacific Climate Leaders" by Financial Times and research firm Statista for the second consecutive year.
• Recognises BOCHK as one of the companies achieved the greatest reduction in core GHG emissions intensity in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Seven companies in Hong Kong received this accolade.

Asia’s Best CSR and Best Environmental Responsibility

• Awarded the “Asia’s Best CSR” and “Best Environmental Responsibility” by Corporate Governance Asia for the second consecutive year.
• The organiser assesses thousands of companies in Asia and commends the organisations with great contribution in ESG in the previous year.

China ESG Impact List 2023

• Selected as one of the forty Chinese enterprises with outstanding ESG performance in the “China ESG Impact List 2023” by Fortune.
• Fortune “China ESG Impact List 2023” aims to honour companies with strong commitment to ESG responsibility while generating profits.

Best ESG Impact - Hong Kong SAR (Domestic Category)

• Awarded “Best ESG Impact - Hong Kong SAR (Domestic Category)” by FinanceAsia.
• The "Best ESG Impact Bank" award was newly-added this year to recognise banks that excel in providing ESG financing and promoting ESG in the Asian market.

BOCHK has sponsored the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA) to organise the first “Bank of China (Hong Kong) Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HK Section) Half Marathon 2023” (The Race), which will be held on November 19, 2023 (Sunday). It will be the first half marathon to be held on the world's longest sea-crossing bridge and tunnel, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

A press conference was held at Bank of China Tower to announce the details of the race and registration methods. HKAAA also invited Mr. Edgar J.T. Yang, PDSM, Director and Secretary, Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China; Mr. Alex Moh, President, Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates; Mr. Kwan Kee, Chairman, Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates; Dr. Simon Yeung, Chairman, Organising Committee of the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (Hong Kong Section) Half Marathon, and Mr. Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong) to host the race’s kick-off ceremony. Moreover, HKAAA invited athletics enthusiast Mr. Vincent Cheng Wing-shun, MH, JP, Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, and Mr. Marcus Cheng, Hong Kong, China Half Marathon Runner, as special guests for the kick-off ceremony.

At the event, Mr. Kwan Kee, Chairman of Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates, said, “The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge embodies the most direct and close link between Hong Kong and the Mainland, and is also integral to the blueprint for the development of the Greater Bay Area. Holding a half marathon event here marks a significant milestone for the HKAAA.”

Mr. Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong), said, “For many years, BOCHK has been fully committed to undertaking its corporate social responsibilities by supporting various rewarding sports initiatives to promote the development of sports in Hong Kong and contribute to the building of a harmonious society. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is a mega-project that drives the development of the Greater Bay Area while also bringing Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao closer together. Leveraging our leading advantages in cross-border finance, BOCHK is actively promoting financial and livelihood interconnectivity, with a view to capturing the development opportunities of the Greater Bay Area for all stakeholders. We are honoured to be the title sponsor for this signature local sports event. By supporting it alongside BOC Life, we are telling an engaging and inclusive Hong Kong story that promotes the interaction and integration in the Greater Bay Area.”

There are 8,000 slots open to runners, divided into an Open Group and a Challenge Group. We welcome runners from around the world to participate.

BOCHK will be right by your side as we run towards Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao!

To promote the younger generation’s understanding of and interest in innovation & technology, BOCHK has funded the Junior Police Call (JPC) of the Hong Kong Police Force to organize “The JPC x BOC STEM-Up Innovation and Technology Competition 2022". JPC successfully held its award presentation ceremony at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. More than 1,500 students from 190 schools have participated this year.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee; the Chief Information Officer of BOCHK, Dr Rocky Cheng; the Permanent Secretary for Education, Ms Michelle Li and the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, officiated at the ceremony.

The competition aimed to encourage students to apply their STEM knowledge and skills to develop innovative and feasible solutions in the four areas of “Mobility”, “Living”, “Environment” and “Economy”, so as to construct a “Smart City”. It also hoped to inspire students’ creative thinking and enhance their skills in problem solving and logical reasoning. This year, the “Safest City Award” was introduced to give young people an opportunity to showcase their new ideas for crime prevention and road safety and thus work together to construct a safer and more stable society.

To further promote the younger generation’s understanding of and interest in innovation and technology, a two-day Innovation and Technology Carnival was held at the same venue where students from participating schools displayed and presented their winning entries. In addition, booths with innovative and technological elements, such as demonstrations of police technology application, Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR) games and technology-enabled art creations and sports, were set up to enable the participants to experience the fun of technology.

BOCHK has sponsored the UNESCO Hong Kong Association and Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development to organise the "2023 Hong Kong Secondary School Model UNESCO (MUNESCO) Conference on Climate Sustainability". The conference will be held on 2 April 2023.

To strengthen students' understanding of the latest international developments in climate action and facilitate productive discussions, the organisers first prepared the "Model UNESCO Climate Action Leadership Bootcamp", with almost 100 students taking part. Students learnt about the application of interdisciplinary skills, including negotiation, systems thinking, critical thinking, strategic planning and integrated problem-solving.

Dr. Ma Jun, Co-chair of the G20 Sustainable Finance Study Group, and Mr. Shun Chi-Ming, former President of the Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology (CAeM) of the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and former Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, were invited as honorary speakers to share insights on topics such as climate negotiations, international climate conferences, scientific principles, and climate change trends. Youth speakers also helped to familiarise students with the procedures of the UNESCO General Conference, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the importance of youth climate action, through workshops and interactive sessions.

Prof. Karen Cheung, President of the UNESCO Hong Kong Association, awarded certificates of completion to the students. The participating students gave highly positive feedback, and are looking forward to actively engaging at the conference in April in order to grasp the opportunity to take part in discussing international affairs and demonstrate the innovative ability of young people.

BOCHK is actively responding to the issue of climate change. We are committed to nurturing our youth to raise their awareness of carbon reduction and learn how to practise sustainability in their daily lives.

BOCHK has funded the “STEM Education Project for the Youth", which provides a range of training courses and competitions for primary and secondary school students, since 2020. More than 60 schools with over 1,700 students have participated over the last three years.

Recently, the “STEM Education Project for the Youth" successfully held a Drone Flying Senior High School Competition and Award Ceremony. Mr. Tang Fei, Vice President of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, Mr. Chong Yat Wai, Deputy General Manager of the Information Technology Department of BOCHK, and Dr. Choy Sze Tsan, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong STEM Education Alliance, officiated at the event. Teams from nine schools took part, and more than 100 teachers and students attended. Participants were set the task of programming a drone to fly in sync with accompanying music, creating a spectacular flying performance. The project also included presentations on how the use of drones can be applied to different areas of STEM, deepening students’ understanding of the theme.

Many people might go to a teahouse with their family members to enjoy dim sum during Chinese New Year, but this may be a luxury for elderly people who need to live long-term in a nursing home. Thanks to donations from Bank of China (Hong Kong) and the Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged, as well as the support of the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the Hong Kong Women Development Association organised the "Happy & Healthy Ageing" Home Visiting Service on 27 January (the sixth day of Chinese New Year) at the Elderly Home in Kennedy Town. Through traditional teahouse delicacies and decoration, BOCHK volunteers became "Dim Sum Ambassadors", recreating a teahouse environment so that elderly people living in the nursing home could recapture the joy of past Chinese New Year celebrations spent enjoying tea and dim sum.

Guests of the event included: Secretary for Labour and Welfare Bureau, Mr Chris Sun; Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare Bureau, Ms Alice Liu; Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK, Mr. Stephen Chan; Chairman of Hong Kong Women Development Association, Ms. Ip Shun Hing; and District Social Welfare Officer (Central Western, Southern and Islands), Ms. Jenny Yan.

During the event, guests and volunteers served dim sum to about 80 elderly people on dim sum carts and distributed fortune bags, expressing their care and wishing them good health and happiness in the Year of the Rabbit. The purpose of this “mobile teahouse” activity is to remind them of the joyful memories of the past. The event also provided softer food in dim sum style suitable for elderly people with swallowing difficulties, thus catering to the different needs of the elderly.

The event was part of the "Happy & Healthy Ageing - Support Services for the Elderly" programme. In the future, besides organising a number of "Happy & Healthy Ageing Teahouse" activities in different homes, the programme will launch various kinds of activities in the community, starting with recreational and social activities, health education and gerontechnology, in hope of helping elderly people and their caregivers to maintain their physical and mental health.

“Hong Kong & Kowloon Walk for Millions”, fully supported by BOCHK and organized by the Community Chest, was successfully held on 15 Jan. Mr John Lee, The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Mrs Janet Lee, President of The Community Chest, officiated the ceremony. They are joined by Mr Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of BOCHK, Mr Billy Kong, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Community Chest as well as many guests to start the walk.

This was the Chest’s first major fundraising event in 2023. The atmosphere was lively and all the participants enjoyed the walk. More than 900 BOCHK colleagues and family members joined the walk. About 12,000 walkers took the charity steps and raised over HK$5 million for family and child welfare services supported by the Chest.

BOCHK has obtained three highest accolades in the “Euromoney Market Leaders 2022” organised by Euromoney, including “Market Leader for CSR in Hong Kong”, “Market Leader for ESG in Hong Kong” and “Market Leader for Digital Solutions in Hong Kong”.

BOCHK is committed to undertaking corporate social responsibility by collaborating with over 70 charitable organisations and community partners to carry out over 80 charitable projects in 2022, with more than 3 million beneficiaries. BOCHK’s anti-pandemic donation has exceeded HK$26 million to date. In 2022, over 8,200 BOCHK volunteers participated in 120 volunteer activities, contributing 20,000 hours of volunteer service. In addition, BOCHK has elevated sustainability to a long-term strategic level, and continues to enrich and innovate its green finance products and services, at the same time strives to reduce the environmental footprint of its own operations. The Bank has integrated sustainability into its risk management process to ensure long-term and balanced sustainable development.

Regarding innovative fintech applications, BOCHK is committed to applying innovative fintech to digitalised services, and was the first bank in Hong Kong to adopt the HKSAR Government’s iAM Smart technology for remote account opening. The Bank uses big data analytics to offer a range of diversified wealth management products, including the one-stop wealth planning service “PlanAhead”, the stock analysis tool “PickAStock”, Foreign Exchange and Stock Widgets, and the odd lots trading service “NotALot”. This further enrich the digital wealth management landscape and promote customers’ personal digital transformation.

BOCHK is awarded three accolades in the first TVB ESG Awards 2022, including the “Best in ESG Practices”, “ESG Project Innovation Award”, and “Innovative Climate Technology Award”.

The “Best in ESG Practices” award recognises BOCHK’s outstanding performance in various areas of ESG. Sustainability is a core long-term strategy of BOCHK and a three-tier sustainability governance structure was established to advance ESG-related work through a top-down approach. For the environmental aspect, BOCHK innovates an array of sustainable financial products and services to facilitate low-carbon transition of its customers. BOCHK embraces green banking concepts to move towards carbon neutrality in its own operations. Over the years, BOCHK actively fulfills its social responsibilities and participates in public welfare undertakings. BOCHK and the BOCHK Charitable Foundation have donated more than HK$1.5 billion. In 2021 alone, BOCHK’s charity projects benefited more than 3 million participations. In addition, BOCHK encourages employees to participate in volunteer services and there are over 8,200 staff volunteers. More than 90 volunteer activities were organised in 2021 with volunteer services of over 17,000 hours.

BOCHK is awarded “ESG Project Innovation Award” and “Innovative Climate Technology Award” as innovation and technologies are successfully incorporated into its ESG philosophy and low-carbon operations with significant results. As a pioneer in multiple local markets, BOCHK makes continuous efforts in green finance innovation and has launched a number of green products integrated with ESG elements. BOCHK has put in place measures for energy saving, carbon and emission reduction to minimise carbon emissions from its daily operations, including the implementation of smart energy management at core office premises, introduction of highly energy-efficient equipment and green products for branch renovation, and the promotion of intelligent banking in services points. In 2022, BOCHK and S&P Dow Jones Indices joined hands to launch the S&P BOCHK China Hong Kong Greater Bay Area (“GBA”) Net Zero 2050 Climate Transition Index, the first climate transition index in the GBA, with the target to drive low-carbon transition of listed companies in the region. BOCHK and the Hong Kong Alliance of Technology and Innovation also jointly established the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize to facilitate the development of science and technology innovation in Hong Kong.

A new “BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize” has been set up by the Bank to encourage and promote the development of science and technology innovation in Hong Kong. A total of HK$10 million was awarded to the inaugural Laureates for their outstanding achievements in the five eligible fields of artificial intelligence and robotics, life and health, new materials and new energy, advanced manufacturing, and fintech. More than 150 veterans and scholars of the science and technology innovation industry joined the Hong Kong ceremony in person.

BOCHK strives to be an innovator in promoting the convenience of fintech to the public and providing investment and financing services to support IT industry practitioners, especially in the Greater Bay Area. Going forward, the Bank will continue to collaborate with different stakeholders to enrich Hong Kong’s IT talent resources and support progress towards the city’s vision of becoming an international IT centre.

BOCHK has sponsored Lang Qing Charity to organise “Moving Towards Carbon Neutrality: Youth of the Greater Bay Area”, a programme series that promotes carbon neutrality awareness as well as further enhancing interaction among youth in the Greater Bay Area. The programme also improves their understanding of national policy, carbon neutrality goals and action plans, so as to promote young people’s integration into the nation’s development.

The opening ceremony of “Carbon Neutrality Pioneer School 100” and the prize-giving ceremony of the “Moving Towards Carbon Neutrality: Youth of the Greater Bay Area” Video Production and Filming Competition were held earlier, with support from principals, teachers, students and their parents in Hong Kong. The event was connected simultaneously with venues in Shenzhen and Macao.

Ms. Mabel Mak, Chairman of Lang Qing Charity Limited Hong Kong and the “Moving Towards Carbon Neutrality: Youth of the Greater Bay Area” Hong Kong Committee, expressed special thanks to BOCHK for its continued support and contributions towards sustainability. She also encouraged students to take action to promote sustainability and encourage their friends to adopt sustainable lifestyles.

Ms. Alice Ho, Chief Youth Officer of the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC), joined us and shared her experiences of the COP27 meeting. Students from Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao also declared their visions for carbon neutrality.

BOCHK will continue to treat sustainable development as integral to our long-term strategic direction, and strive to achieve a net zero carbon future with the collaboration of different stakeholders.

BOCHK won the “ESG Leading Enterprise Awards” organised by Bloomberg Businessweek (Chinese Edition) for two consecutive years, and received the “Leading Social Initiative Awards” for the first time.

BOCHK has adopted a forward-looking approach to elevate sustainability to the long-term strategic level. A comprehensive three-tier sustainability governance structure is established with the 2021-2025 Sustainability Plan formulated to gradually execute more than 30 specific action plans. In addition, BOCHK actively supports the national and HKSAR Government carbon neutrality goals by launching a number of pioneer sustainable financial products and services in Hong Kong, including Hong Kong’s first green mortgage plan and personal green time deposits plan, and the first ESG Multi-Asset retail fund with RMB share class, etc.

BOCHK has been actively fulfilling social responsibilities. In 2022, the Bank has become a strategic partner of the Hong Kong Palace Museum (“HKPM”) and committed to promoting the development of Chinese culture and art, which covers cultural education, major exhibitions, ticketing and opening programmes. In addition, local performing arts groups would be invited to present performing arts events every Sunday, providing a performance platform for local artists. BOCHK has also donated 33,000 general admission and special exhibition tickets of HKPM to underprivileged groups, offering people from all walks of life an equal opportunity to participate in cultural and artistic activities. BOCHK staff volunteers have also accompanied students from grassroots families to visit the HKPM to enhance young people's knowledge of Chinese culture and history.

Funded by Bank of China (Hong Kong) ("BOCHK"), the "Junior Police Call Fun Day and Code Buster Opening Ceremony" was successfully held at the JPC Permanent Activity Centre and Integrated Youth Training Camp. Ms. Kan Wai Mun, Member of the Legislative Council and General Counsel of BOCHK, attended and served as the officiating guest. Other guests included Mr. Chan Tung, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Public Relations). More than 200 JPC members represented the 21 police districts that took part.

One of the highlights of the JPC Fun Day at Pat Heung was the brand-new ‘Code Buster’ facility. Sponsored by BOCHK, ‘Code Buster’ is Hong Kong’s only physical escape room based on the theme of policework. Participants wearing specially designed uniforms carry out different tasks such as investigation, rescue or crime prevention, with educational messages integrated into the games.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Kan Wai Mun, Member of the Legislative Council and General Counsel of BOCHK, said: “We are glad to see that "Junior Police Call" is keeping up with the times and following society’s constant changes. For example, an eSports team has been established to meet young people’s interests and enhance their sense of responsibility, self-confidence and social commitment. Looking forward, I will continue to pay attention to young people’s development needs, create a space for them and encourage them to pursue their dreams and contribute to society.”

Mr. Chan Tung, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Public Relations) explained that ‘Code Buster‘ is based on puzzle-solving team activities that are popular among young people, with a view to instilling correct values through games. He also thanked BOCHK for supporting the Force’s youth engagement work, which has contributed to making the JPC Permanent Activity Centre and Integrated Youth Training Camp such a distinguished training centre. JPC Permanent Activity Centre and Integrated Youth Training Camp will continue to develop more facilities and activities to strengthen youth training and enhance young people’s understanding of the Force.

BOCHK received three awards in the 12^th Asian Excellence Award organised by Corporate Governance Asia, in recognition of its outstanding performance in driving ESG development in various aspects. The awards are “Asia’s Best CSR”, “Best Environmental Responsibility”, and “Best Investor Relations Company”.

Corporate Governance Asia commends that since the pandemic outbreak, BOCHK has been helping its customers, employees and the communities to go through the hard times by implementing a series of innovative initiatives. BOCHK has taken the lead in launching an array of anti-pandemic financial support initiatives to help different industries overcome challenges. In response to the fifth wave of pandemic, BOCHK has provided local SMEs with HK$50 billion credit support, and has donated more than HK$26 million to local charities to give full support to Hong Kong’s all-out battle against the pandemic. In addition, BOCHK actively supports the nation’s carbon neutrality goal, embraces the concept of green banking, and endeavours to promote the gradual low-carbon transition of the society. With the launch of the first green mortgage plan and ESG multi-asset retail fund with RMB share class in Hong Kong, BOCHK has become a pioneer in multiple local markets. BOCHK also actively manages its investor relations, interacts with investors through diverse channels to continuously enhance its transparency.

“The Community Chest New Territories Walk for Millions 2022” , fully supported by BOCHK and organized by the Community Chest, was successfully held in Tseung Kwan O Cross Bay Link on 20 Nov. Mr. HH Chan, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Government of the HKSAR, officiated the ceremony. He is joined by Mr. Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK, Dr John Chan, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Community Chest as well as many guests to start the walk.

This is the first time of in-person Walk for Millions since the outbreak of the pandemic. The participants stepped on the new landmark bridge, which is the first marine viaduct in Hong Kong with a carriageway, cycle track and footpath, they were all very excited. They took photos along the walk path and shared the joy with friends. About 15,000 walkers took the charity steps and raise nearly HK$8 million for family and child welfare services supported by the Chest.

MSCI ESG, one of the most recognised ESG rating agencies in the investment community, has rated BOCHK the highest AAA for two consecutive years in 2021 and 2022, making the Group one of the top ESG performers among the 5% of the 191 constituent banks in the 2022 All Country World Index (ACWI), and is currently the highest rated bank in Hong Kong.

The MSCI ESG’s rating report this year mentioned that BOCHK received the highest AAA rating again is mainly attributable to its robust business ethics framework which is leading its global peers. With detailed policies against corruption and employee training on ethics standards, BOCHK also leads industry peers in talent management, data protection practices, and consumer protection mechanisms. MSCI ESG also states that BOCHK has a robust complaint resolution system and well-trained employees that could effectively protect consumers’ interests.

Going forward, the Group will continue to enhance its ESG performance, promote long-term and balanced sustainable development, and fulfill its corporate social responsibility, with an aim to deliver greater value for its stakeholders and the community.

BOCHK is committed to supporting education and youth development, and collaborates with different organisations to provide platforms for young people to develop their talents. To promote the development of national aerospace technology, BOCHK sponsored the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers (HKFEW) and Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) to jointly organise the first “Youth Aerospace TechEd Programme” in Hong Kong. The programme received an overwhelming response, with applications submitted from more than 100 schools. After rigorous screening, 60 local secondary school students were selected as finalists for a training programme of six to eight months.

The inauguration ceremony took place on 29 October 2022, and was officiated by Professor SUN Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government; Mr WONG Kam-leung, Chairman of HKFEW; Dr Rocky CHENG, Chief Information Officer of BOCHK, and the Hon. Sunny TAN, Chairman of HKPC.

Professor SUN Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, said: “Aerospace engineering not only concerns space, but also involves natural and applied science as well as advanced engineering technology. Integrating relevant knowledge through popular science education and practice is the first step into space, and this is the foundational aim of the ‘Youth Aerospace TechEd Programme’. The programme gives young students the opportunity to acquire cutting-edge knowledge in aerospace technology and space science, stimulates their enthusiasm and interest in the aerospace industry, and provides valuable channels for nurturing aerospace technology talent in Hong Kong.”

Dr Rocky CHENG, Chief Information Officer of BOCHK, said: “BOCHK sponsored the “Youth Aerospace TechEd Programme” to deepen young people’s interest in advanced technology, cultivate more future leaders in scientific research, and contribute to Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology centre under the "14^th Five-Year Plan". This programme is a high-quality STEAM education activity that will strengthen young people’s independent thinking and creativity in ways that support the promotion of innovation and technology development in Hong Kong. We will continue to collaborate with different organisations to provide platforms for local students to develop their talents and unleash their diverse potential. We will strive to create more possibilities for young people as part of their growth journey.”

The Hon. Sunny TAN, Chairman of HKPC, said: “To make the programme more appealing and interactive, we invited students to spend time with national aerospace experts and create their own CubeSat prototypes. This enabled them to learn through a “hands-on, minds-on” approach that goes beyond textbooks.”

Mr WONG Kam-leung, Chairman of HKFEW, said: “Through this programme, we aim to deepen Hong Kong students’ understanding of aerospace technology and strengthen their sense of national identity.”

The Programme is supported by the following organisations: The Innovation, Technology and lndustry Bureau of the HKSAR Government, the Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government, Shenzhen Aerospace Industry Technology Research Institute, Asia Tourism Exchange Center Limited and HKFEW TechEd Centre.

With the support of BOCHK, The New Territories Walk for Millions 2022, scheduled for Sunday, 20 November 2022, will be held at the Cross Bay Link (CBL), Tseung Kwan O (TKO). For two years in a row, the Community Chest’s Walk for Millions had to be held virtually due to COVID-19. This represents the return of in-person Walk for Millions for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic. Members of the public can set foot on the new landmark bridge, which is the first marine viaduct in Hong Kong with a carriageway, cycle track and footpath, while enjoying the pleasant sceneries of Junk Bay and Eastern Channel.

With the donation from BOCHK, the Chest is able to allocate all funds raised, without deduction of administration expenses, to 24 member agencies that provide family and child welfare services so that they can support families in need. CBL will promote the accessibility and the overall development of the district, creating a whole new look of TKO. Join us for this meaningful event to witness the spectacular results of this infrastructure.

The Walk will start near the junction of Po Yap Road and Po Shun Road in TKO, then proceed along a new road leading to the TKO Interchange and further onto the CBL Marine Viaduct. Walkers will take a return route to the finish point at a landscaped deck of the new road near Tong Yin Street. The total distance is approximately 6 km, and it takes around 1.5 hours to complete the whole journey. The Chest will implement precautionary measures against COVID-19 at the event, and all participants are required to strictly adhere to these measures. Other details will be announced in due course. Please stay tuned to the Chest’s website and Facebook page for the latest updates.

BOCHK is committed to undertaking corporate social responsibility by proactively engaging in charitable activities. By joining hands together with our community, we aim to build a better future.

To nurture Hong Kong future aerospace experts, BOCHK sponsored Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers (HKFEW) and Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) to jointly organise the first “Youth Aerospace TechEd Programme” (Programme). For application details, please visit https://innospace.hkpc.org/Youth-Aerospace-TechEd-Programme . The application is now open until October 24, 2022, for local secondary school students aged 13-17. Seats are limited on a first-come-first-served basis. This Programme is also supported by Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, The Government of HKSAR, Shenzhen Aerospace Science and Technology Innovation Research Institute and HKFEW TechEd Centre.

This Programme aims at nurturing students in space science knowledge and aerospace technology to arouse their interest in the field and inspire them to become future aerospace engineers in the future. Five key areas will be covered, including flight simulation, Space Science, AR/VR virtual reality, 3D printing and Cube Satellites (CubeSat) prototyping. To explore a wider spectrum, students may also have the opportunity to interact with China’s top aerospace experts to learn about Space Science, the structure of spacecraft, and the work of astronauts.

BOCHK is committed to supporting youth development. In order to promote Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology center under the "14^th Five-Year Plan", we have fully supported this program to cultivate young talent by exploring the mysteries of the universe and experiencing virtual reality. This also enables us to raise a new generation of space engineers by deepening their interest in advanced technology.

BOCHK is named the “Best Bank for CSR in Hong Kong” in Asiamoney’s “Best Bank Awards 2022”. BOCHK is highly recognised by the market with its strong commitment in fulfilling CSR, through launching an array of anti-pandemic financial support initiatives, promoting philanthropy, as well as implementing financial innovation and financial inclusion.

Asiamoney commends BOCHK’s continued effort in strengthening its commitment to CSR over the years. BOCHK has been supporting SMEs to reduce their operation costs amid the pandemic since 2021. To encounter the fifth wave of Covid-19 pandemic, BOCHK earmarked HK$50 billion in credit support for local SMEs and offered them free reductions. The ERP cloud service of the Bank provides a one-stop book-keeping and financial management platform, which benefitted nearly 5,000 SMEs in the city. BOCHK showed concern for the grassroots and donated HK$26 million for delivering anti-pandemic care packs, maintaining hot-meal services and offering daily necessities to the elderly and the underprivileged. It also worked with the Community Chest of Hong Kong to provide tailor-made care packages for cleaners. Their E-donate platform helps reduce administration costs for charitable groups, and at the same time allow the public to do their bit for society in an easier way. In addition, the Bank encourages the employees to serve their community and give back to society. By the end of 2021, there were over 8,000 members for the volunteer team, recoding more than 17,000 hours of volunteer service during the year.

BOCHK actively undertakes corporate social responsibilities. Through various forms of support for community development and underprivileged groups, we share the fruits of development with society and promote social harmony and cohesion, with an aim to contributing to the long-term development and prosperity of Hong Kong.

In recent years, corporate carbon emissions have been attracting attention. The Financial Times and Nikkei Asia, in collaboration with Statista, a research institute, jointly organised the "Asia-Pacific Climate Leaders 2022" recognition event, which aims to recognise the companies with the greatest reduction in core GHG emissions in Asia Pacific. A total of five companies in Hong Kong were honored, and BOCHK and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing are the only two companies in the financial services sector to receive the award.

The research institute Statista identified 200 top-performing companies as Asia Pacific Climate Leaders 2022 by calculating the reduction in their Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions intensity relative to revenue between 2015 and 2020 based on publicly available information. The list of winners was announced on the websites of the Financial Times and Nikkei Asia.

BOCHK has been actively responding to climate change and is committed to minimising the potential environmental impact of our business operations. We have also set five green operation goals to gradually move towards carbon neutrality for a better future.

BOCHK is deeply honoured to become a strategic partner of The Hong Kong Palace Museum(HKPM), supporting the launch of a host of arts and cultural activities in the areas of cultural education, major exhibitions, ticketing and opening programmes for different community groups.

“HKPM SHOWTIME!” series

Under the exclusive sponsorship of BOCHK, HKPM will launch the “HKPM SHOWTIME!” series, which will run from July 2022 to June 2023. The series will present a wide range of performing arts events in the museum or online every Sunday from 3pm to 4pm, spanning music, dance and drama and performed by some of Hong Kong’s leading performing arts groups and artists. These shows will draw on the richness of the Palace Museum’s history and the beauty of Chinese arts and culture with the aim of sparking multi-disciplinary learning and education for the benefit of the public, at the same time offering new ways to promote cultural dialogue between China and the rest of the world.

BOCHK donates 33,000 HKPM tickets to the underprivileged

BOCHK will sponsor 33,000 general admission tickets and special exhibition tickets in the first year following the museum’s opening. These tickets will be distributed to underprivileged groups through HKPM’s non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners, offering people from all walks of life a chance to visit the museum and learn more about Palace Museum culture from a fresh perspective.

“A Dialogue Between Dunhuang and Palace Museum: Beyond the Bounds of History”, concert and cultural lecture event

To celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the opening of HKPM, BOCHK will also sponsor “A Dialogue between Dunhuang and Palace Museum: Beyond the Bounds of History”, a concert and cultural lecture event co-organised by HKPM and HKGDE. During the event, which will be held on 21 June 2022 (Tuesday), HKGDE will perform an original overture composed specifically for the occasion. Inspired by the cultural heritage of Dunhuang and the Palace Museum, the orchestra’s two resident composers have created a large-scale orchestral suite with rich narratives and a deep allegorical significance. Building on the themes explored in the performance, a panel discussion moderated by Professor Lee Chack-fan and featuring Dr Wang Xudong, Director of the Palace Museum, Dr Zhao Shengliang, Secretary of the Party Committee at the Dunhuang Research Academy, and Dr Louis Ng, HKPM Museum Director, will explore the captivating stories underpinning the cultural heritage of Dunhuang and the Palace Museum.

Henry Tang Ying-yen, Chairman of the Board of WKCDA, said: “BOCHK has always been a strong supporter in promoting Chinese arts and culture. We are grateful for the bank’s full-fledged support for the development of HKPM and the museum’s activities, which is clear recognition of our vision to promote the inheritance of Chinese culture to future generations, and will play a significant role in helping us to realise this vision. Building on our shared goal, HKPM looks forward to establishing a close long-term partnership with BOCHK to strengthen our efforts to bring Chinese culture to the world.”

Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of BOCHK, said: “The HKPM encapsulates the heritage of Chinese cultural treasures blended with a global vision, telling the 5,000 years of China’s story from a modern perspective. The museum offers an excellent opportunity for the general public to appreciate Chinese culture, history and arts while also providing a significant platform for global cultural exchange. In celebration of the 25^th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, the 110^th anniversary of the founding of Bank of China, and its 105 years of service in Hong Kong, BOCHK is deeply honoured to become a strategic partner of HKPM, supporting the launch of a host of arts and cultural activities for different community groups. Going forward, the Bank will continue to join hands with various sectors to promote Chinese traditional culture and foster Hong Kong’s development into an art and cultural exchange centre.”

Please click here to watch the video and learn more about our sustainability concepts, measures and performance!

MSCI ESG Research released its report on the Group's ESG rating results, in which the Group was rated the highest AAA for the first time and jumped one level to the highest grade after receiving AA for five consecutive years since 2016, making it one of the top ESG performers among the 3% of the 189 constituent banks in the 2021 All Country World Index (ACWI) and the highest rated bank in Hong Kong.

According to MSCI ESG, one of the most recognised ESG rating agencies in the investment community, the upgrade is mainly due to BOCHK's improved overall ESG performance, leading the industry in talent management, corporate governance, anti-bribery and business ethics-related policies and practices, developing green finance to promote low-carbon transition of customers, and managing potential risks related to customer protection. During the year, we became a TCFD supporting organisation and conducted climate change-related stress tests.

Looking ahead, we will continue to strive to promote ESG development by launching different initiatives, and keep enhancing the Group's ESG performance in order to fulfil the expectations of the market and our stakeholders.

BOCHK has funded the Evangelize China Fellowship Holy Word School and The Chinese University of Hong Kong to launch the “Across-aged Utilization of Technology & Innovation for Social Missions (A.U.T.I.S.M.)”, which provides relevant interventional treatment to persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to improve their quality of life in their various life stages.

A unique feature of the A.U.T.I.S.M. is the detection of verbal and nonverbal impairments of persons with ASD by artificial intelligence (AI) and using social robots with personalised characters to provide relevant interventional therapy and trainings. The social robot can detect eye contact of a subject and make appropriate prompt if the subject failed to establish eye contact accordingly. Through interaction with the social robot, persons with ASD can learn the skills and apply into their daily lives and social interactions.

Up to now, A.U.T.I.S.M. has provided several professional treatments and social robot supportive trainings, and served about 3,000 beneficiaries.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, BOCHK and Po Leung Kuk jointly organised the "Caring for the Elderly" Mid-Autumn Festival Volunteer Visit. Mr. Sun Yu, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of BOCHK, led a group of volunteers to visit the elderly at Po Leung Kuk Elderly Center and presented them with gift bags and blessings for the festival.

Before the visit, Mr. Sun and Mr. Calvin Lam, Chairman of Po Leung Kuk, joined hands with volunteers to pack gift bags at the Po Leung Kuk Lau Chan Siu Po District Elderly Community Centre. Afterwards, Mr. Sun visited the elderly living in the neighbourhood and presented them with the gift bags to show love and care for the elderly. Accompanied by Chairman Lam, Mr. Sun also visited the BOCHK-funded Innovation Technology Resource Centre, which is dedicated to displaying and providing technological products for the elderly. The Centre aims to enhance the elderly's understanding of aging technology products and provide product trials to help them make good use of technology to improve their daily lives.

The "Caring for the Elderly" District Visiting Scheme is one of the charitable and philanthropic projects of Po Leung Kuk funded by BOCHK. The scheme enables the elderly to feel the care from the community through door-to-door visits by volunteers, and by taking part in the activities of more than a dozen elderly centres of Po Leung Kuk. Since the launch of the program in December 2019, over 6,000 visits to the elderly have been arranged.

In May of 2021, BOCHK has officially become a supporter of “Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)”, which demonstrated our determination and commitment to continuously enhance climate-related disclosure.

In 2015, the Financial Stability Board, with major central banks as members, established the TCFD to develop a voluntary disclosure framework for climate-related financial disclosure. The information helps investors to incorporate climate-related risks into their decision making and reasonably assess climate-related risks and opportunities. In recent years, TCFD has received considerable attention from international financial markets and regulators from different countries. Currently there are over 1,900 supporting organisations and institutions worldwide. A total of 22 organisations in Hong Kong also demonstrated their support to TCFD, 11 of which are financial institutions.

We have made initial disclosures in BOCHK’s 2020 Sustainability Report in accordance with the TCFD recommended disclosure framework, which covered our philosophy, management approach, work progress and planning in the four major aspects of "Governance", "Strategy", "Risk Management" and "Metrics and Targets". Going forward, as we continue to strengthen climate-related risk management capabilities, we will also enhance our disclosure of climate-related risks in accordance with the TCFD recommended framework.

As a major listed banking group in Hong Kong, we are committed to supporting and joining hands with the banking sector to facilitate low-carbon transformation, and to strive to work together for the future.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School has recently announced that Bank of China (Hong Kong) (BOCHK) was ranked second in three sustainability indexes, namely the 6^th Hong Kong Business Sustainability Index (HKBSI), the 2^nd Greater Bay Area Business Sustainability Index (GBABSI), and the 1^st Greater China Business Sustainability Index (GCBSI). BOCHK was awarded “Exemplar” level in the above three sustainability indexes and was ranked highest in the banking industries, fully demonstrating that our sustainability performance in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area have been well recognised by the market.

The above indexes respectively evaluated the sustainability performance of 50 Hang Seng Index constituent companies; 66 Hong Kong-listed companies which have business operations in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and comply with Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect Southbound trading; and 200 listed companies covering the Hang Seng Index, the FTSE Taiwan 50 Index, the SZSE 100 Price Index, and the SSE 50 Index. The CUHK Business School follows the “Values – Process – Impact” (VPI) model in the assessment of companies’ sustainability performance. Each index company was assessed in three major areas, namely Values, CSR Management and Practice and CSR Impact against seven stakeholder groups (Community, Consumer, Employee, Environment, Government, Investor and Supplier), as well as the company’s contributions to economic, social and environmental sustainability. BOCHK was rated above 90 points in the above three indexes, which are significantly higher than the average scores of the indexes (50.96, 52.86, 46.88 points respectively), indicating that our CSR business philosophy has been well integrated into the core development of the corporate business.

As a leading commercial and internationalised regional bank deeply rooted in Hong Kong for over 100 years, BOCHK has been actively fulfilling CSR, integrating CSR into the Group's development strategy, operating our business in a responsible manner, and promoting our long-term sustainable development. In the past year, our performance in serving the economy, supporting the fight against the pandemic, promoting financial inclusion, green finance, low-carbon transformation, innovative technology, and corporate culture has continued to improve, creating greater value for all stakeholders and communities.

In addition, BOCHK and the BOCHK Charitable Foundation have cumulatively donated more than HK$1.3 billion to the community over the years to share the achievements of corporate development. The areas of donations include poverty alleviation, youth development, medical care and elderly care, environmental protection and carbon reduction, culture, sports and arts, covering the Southeast Asia region and reflecting the social responsibility of BOCHK in different regions.