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HSBC empowers global women leaders
As part of our global focus to improve diversity in terms of gender, generation and ethnicity at leadership levels, we supported the International Women's Forum (IWF) Cornerstone Conference 2009, the second IWF conference held in Hong Kong since 1996.
The conference, themed 'World without Borders', enabled about 400 business and community leaders from more than 30 countries and territories to exchange ideas and share best practice to facilitate public policy making and strategic planning for multinational corporations, NGOs, governments, and academic institutions around the world.
HSBC's sustainability best practice for tackling a variety of global environmental, educational and economic challenges, as well as ideas on managing risks and opportunities arising from those challenges were shared at the conference. Examples of how HSBC integrates sustainability into its business model include:
HSBC understands that climate change is a global challenge and it is essential that we provide support to our clients to help them manage the risks as well as realise the opportunities. HSBC has developed pioneering products and services such as green equipment financing to assist our customers to become more eco-friendly in their operations, helping them meet new environmental regulations in the global and local context.
In helping to address poverty, HSBC also understands the importance of financial inclusion. In Hong Kong, HSBC has recently funded the set up of the first Social Enterprise Business Centre in Hong Kong to provide expert advice to help social entrepreneurs' operate with sustainable business models, making a social contribution and benefiting disadvantaged groups in the long-term.
HSBC focuses on education and the environment for our community investments which, we believe, are fundamental to the development of sustainable communities (US$102 million globally). HSBC sponsors programmes to teach basic financial skills to children in 15 countries and territories to enable them to make wise decisions in how they spend and save their money.
Teresa Au (centre), Head of Corporate Sustainability Asia Pacific Region, with HKSAR Government Chief Executive Donald Tsang (right) and IWF HK Chair Tisa Ho (left) at the opening reception of the International Women's Forum Cornerstone Conference.
Teresa Au (second from left) shared HSBC's sustainability best practice for tackling a variety global challenges as well as ideas on managing risks and opportunities arising from those challenges, at the open plenary session of the International Women's Forum Cornerstone Conference.
Teresa Au (left) with Donald Tsang (fourth from left), Madam Gu Xiulian, former President, All-China Women's Federation (fourth from right) and IWF HK members at the opening reception of the International Women's Forum Cornerstone Conference.
People and Diversity projects
HSBC believes that leading global corporations of the future will be those who are able to develop services and products that help customers address global challenges, including climate change, resource depletion, globalisation and poverty. HSBC integrates sustainability into the way we do business and is turning sustainability into a commercial reality. And the only way we can create long-term shareholder value is to operate with a sustainable business model.
Teresa Au
Head of Corporate Sustainability
Asia Pacific Region
