100 Not Out!

100 not out!

HSBC Corporate Sustainability, working with NGO partner Earthwatch, in conjunction with Hong Kong University, and WWF, have just completed the 100th Sustainability Leadership Programme in Hong Kong...the birth place of the Bank, over 150 years ago. The 4-day residential experiential based programme has come a long way since it was created in the US in 2009/10. The focus of the programme then, was on Operational Sustainability and Reducing the Banks Environmental Footprint. Back in the day, every Senior Management participant resided in an internally facing Function, such as Corporate Real Estate, Procurement and IT Ops. Now with 100 programmes completed, and sponsored by the Group Chairman, the programme has fielded in the UK, US, Mexico, Borneo, main-land China, India, Brazil, Costa Rica and Hong Kong, with 1300 Senior Managers having graduated from over 50 countries and cultures. The programme has also seen key stakeholders attend from over 50 of the banks Strategic Supply Chain partners, and more recently banking Clients have also participated. The latter wanting to understand more about how and why HSBC, a Global Banking giant, is involved in Sustainability. All of which deepens the working relationship, leading to increased collaboration, shared values / purpose, and ultimately a more meaningful impact on the Environment and Society. The main emphasis of the programme now, is on Sustainable Financing. The participants are predominantly from the banks Global Businesses, who are Customer / Client facing. During and after the programme, the participants collectively and individually challenge themselves to see how the Bank can mobilise the resources needed to finance Sustainable Solutions, in what is an increasingly changing, complex and chaotic world. Actions are aligned to both the Banks sustainability and strategic priorities, and also to what came out of COP 21 in Paris. Other key outputs include connecting and supporting clients, through the banks global network, in transitioning them to a lower carbon economy and sustainable way of operating. 

To finish, the bank is now looking at evolving the programme again, with the development and roll out of client 'centric' experiences. If you would like to know more about the programme, and or the banks Global Sustainability agenda please do reach out. As noted above, 'collaboration' is the key to truly making a meaningful impact in this world.