As the strategic partner of the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM), Bank of China (Hong Kong) (“BOCHK”) will continue its generous support for “HKPM Showtime Carnival”, joining 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 mission 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, as outlined in the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

“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.”

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 74th 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.

	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.
	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.
	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.
	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 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 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 in Hong Kong Stadium 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 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 12th 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 "14th 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 "14th 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. Through various forms of support for community development and disadvantaged groups.

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 25th 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 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, the 110th 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 the image above 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.

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 6th Hong Kong Business Sustainability Index (HKBSI), the 2nd Greater Bay Area Business Sustainability Index (GBABSI), and the 1st 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.