Kevin O’Brien is the Chief Executive of Gammon Construction. He has over 30 years’ extensive management experience in the construction and engineering industry covering both the private and public sectors.  He is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors. He is the Chairman of the Business Environment Council.

My Sustainability Goals for 2023:

Personal: Taking the best examples and decisions and applying them to my own behaviors and habits.

Business: Start the race on our SBTI journey.

Society: Leading BEC to help Hong Kong accelerate towards net zero.

Clement Cheung is an environmental professional specializing in multi-stakeholder engagement and impact initiatives to promote sustainability in business operations. His work focuses on fostering collaboration among businesses, policy makers, and communities to achieve shared sustainability goals. In his role in Business Environment Council, Clement is leading the research study in the Hong Kong Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition. Clement also has experience working in the higher education sector, specifically in educational administration and environmental education within a university setting. Clement is a Well AP.

A Chartered Construction Manager, Engineer, Project Manager, and Surveyor by profession, Ir Prof. Chan has worked in a number of tertiary institutions both in Hong Kong and overseas. He was a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of the School of Building and Planning at the University of South Australia. Ir Prof. Chan joined the Department of Building and Real Estate of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 1996 and was Associate Head (Teaching) from 2005 to 2011; Associate Dean and Interim Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment from 2011 to 2013, and from 2013 to 2014 respectively. He was Head of Department of Building and Real Estate from 2015 to 2021 and is currently Dean of Students, Associate Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Able Endowed Professor in Construction Health and Safety, Chair Professor of Construction Engineering and Management, and Chief Warden of PolyU Students Halls of Residence.

Mr. Sam CHAN has over 20 years’ experience in the construction industry. Before joining the Construction Industry Council (CIC) in 2018, Mr. CHAN was the Technical Director and Authorized Signatory of an Registered General Building Contractor specialized in repair and maintenance, Alteration and Addition (A&A) and fitting-out works. Mr. CHAN joined the Construction Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF) Department of the CIC in 2018 to administer the operation of the $2.2B fund aimed at encouraging wider adoption of innovative construction methods and new technologies in the construction industry and building up the capacity of industry practitioners and tertiary students of construction-related disciplines to build an innovative culture and mind-set.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

The construction industry is a major contributor in achieving the target of net-zero. One of key initiatives under the CITF is promoting the use of more energy efficient and environmentally friendly construction equipment or methods such as zero-emission construction plants which can improve the environmental performance in the construction process.

Ir Joe Chow is a Chartered Engineer at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Energy Institute with more than 15 years of experience in sustainable engineering and facilities management.

Currently, Joe is the Asia Head of Energy and Sustainability at City Facilities Management (HKG) Limited. He is responsible for managing a wide range of energy saving projects and sustainability activities for the partners covering 5,000+ retail stores in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia.

Joe is serving various public duties including the Vice President of the IFMA Hong Chapter and the Immediate Past President of the ASHRAE Hong Kong Chapter

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

Working together towards carbon neutrality future and accelerate the actions at now.

Sophia Wong is the Head of Communications and Sustainability at Champion REIT, a leading real estate investment trust in Hong Kong. She is responsible for leading Champion REIT’s internal and external communications, including sustainability, community engagement and branding, with over 20 years of experience in the field.

Sophia has been instrumental in devising Champion REIT’s sustainability strategy, including the establishment of 2030 ESG targets in alignment of SDGs of United Nations. Over the years, she has developed a strong passion in sustainability especially green and wellness initiatives. These efforts have led to several top honours of the Trust, including Hong Kong Sustainability Grand Award from The Hong Kong Management Association, the first-in-Hong Kong Triple Platinum certifications for existing building and the award-winning Love・Play・Farm project at Langham Place.

Katie works on BEC’s Policy & Research team where she contributes to the development of policy positions on Hong Kong’s existing and emerging environmental challenges and drives the delivery of impactful projects to embed sustainability into business strategy and the city’s broader climate transition. Katie currently leads the team’s nature-related work to narrow the gap between business and nature, incorporate biodiversity considerations into local policy and business decision-making, and supports other sectoral decarbonisation initiatives, such as the aviation sector through sustainable aviation fuel.
Prior to working in Hong Kong, Katie worked in the UK to deliver analysis and thought leadership to impact investors and sustainability-minded corporates on climate change policy, the blue economy, biodiversity and nature conservation. Katie is a Geography graduate of King’s College London.

My Sustainability Goal for 2024:

• Mainstreaming biodiversity protection into Hong Kong’s business decision-making and policy landscape.
• Engage key stakeholders and facilitate collaboration to bring about positive and impactful industry change for nature, biodiversity, and the broader environment.

Simeon Cheng is the Group Director of sustainability of Vitasoy International Holdings Limited. He is a sustainability professional with 30 years of experience leading the development of sustainability strategies and overseeing implementation in consultancy and corporate environments.

Before joining Vitasoy, he served in environmental and sustainability leadership roles at the MTR Corporation and CLP Holdings Limited. He has also served in many external roles including being a board member on GRI’s Global Sustainability Standards Board between 2015/2016.

Simeon holds a Fellowship in Chemical Engineering with the Institution of Chemical Engineers, UK, a Fellowship with the Hong Kong Institute of Environmental Impact Assessment, and degrees in business administration and law.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

Stronger policy support on environmental issues;
Elevate awareness on key sustainability topics in society;

Dr. David Gallacher is an environmental specialist with AECOM and has worked across the Asia region, primarily based in Hong Kong but also spending time in Shanghai, Delhi and Singapore. He has an academic background in ecology and environmental management and possesses experience in a wide range of project types, including environmental planning, impact assessment and monitoring, nature-based solution design, sustainable urban planning , water-sensitive urban design and ESG Reporting. David is currently the chairperson of the Hong Kong Institute of Environmental Impact Assessment and a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Qualified Environmental Professionals.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

Promoting a more quantitative understanding of our relationships with nature by leveraging new technologies, allowing us to identify risks and dependences and plan for a nature-positive future

Melanie is the Assistant General Manager (Sustainability) and the Head of Sustainability of Sino Group. She oversees a range of sustainability projects related to ESG. Being a specialist in the realm of Sustainable Development for nearly 20 years, Melanie has also gained extensive experiences in Sustainable Tourism and Stakeholder Engagement.
Melanie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Management from the Imperial College London, a Master Degree of Science in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Master Degree in Sustainable Business from the University of Cambridge. She is also a certified Sustainable Tourism Professional by Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
Melanie is serving various public duties, including the Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC)’s Environment & Sustainability Committee, a member of the Publicity Working Group of Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC), a sub-committee member on Youth and Capacity Building of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, HKSAR Government and a member of the Advisory Committee on Recycling Fund (RFAC) of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, HKSAR Government.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024

Joining hands with our stakeholders in creating better lifescapes.

Sophia Zhu is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of experience in strategic governance, environmental sustainability, and organisational growth. As the Special Advisor of Development and Strategy at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG), she leverages her expertise to advance conservation efforts, drive innovative approaches to protecting biodiversity, and work with corporations to integrate these principles into their business strategies.

With a passion for integrating science, art, and philosophy, Sophia brings a holistic perspective to understanding and safeguarding our natural world. Her experience spans both the corporate and non-profit sectors, allowing her to bridge the gap between business imperatives and environmental stewardship.

Previously, as Managing Director and Head of Compliance Testing APAC at Citigroup, Sophia built and led a regional compliance team, introduced climate risk management frameworks, and spearheaded transformative organizational changes. Her work in the financial sector provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities businesses face in adopting sustainable practices.

Sophia also serves as a Trustee at the Croucher Foundation, where she has led governance reforms and provided strategic direction. Her expertise in trust-based philanthropy and stakeholder engagement has been instrumental in fostering collaboration and driving impactful change.

At KFBG, Sophia combines her strategic planning skills, environmental knowledge, and leadership experience to further the organization’s mission of nature conservation and sustainable living. She bridges corporate sustainability goals with practical conservation efforts, enhancing the impact of KFBG’s initiatives.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

Corporations start to engage in proactive biodiversity enhancement and habitat restoration work.

Benny Siu, Head of Safety, Sustainability and Quality Assurance of Hactl, works with different stakeholders in the aviation supply chain on safety, sustainability, quality and risk management. Benny is also a Chartered Environmentalist and Chartered Safety Practitioner.

Hactl is one of the world’s leading air cargo terminal operators, providing services to over 100 airlines and 1000 freighter forwarders. Launched in 1976 to consolidate and streamline all air cargo handling in Hong Kong, Hactl has played a major role in the establishment of Hong Kong as the definitive air cargo logistics hub for Southern China and Asia.

My Sustainability Goals for 2023:

Driving a more sustainable air cargo industry.

Introduction:
Joseph is a chartered mechanical engineer with more than 29 years’ experience in design, implementation and life cycle asset management of airport infrastructure and airport systems. He joined the Airport Authority during the planning and construction stage of HKIA in 1994.

Being a key member in the engineering and technology development of the airport infrastructure and systems from planning, design to operation and maintenance. He successfully implemented a number of critical projects to upgrade E&M systems and airport special systems. Including the Automated People Mover (APM) System, Baggage Handling System (BHS), chiller system, seawater supply system, modernization of escalators, aircraft loading bridges and enabling of 5G network of HKIA.

Experience:
In airport sustainable and innovation development, Joseph directs the engineering team for the strategic project namely Airport City Link. The project remarks the first public Autonomous Vehicles (A) transportation in Hong Kong with Vehicle to Everything (V2X) technology to realise Fleet Orchestration concepts in Airport Operations implementation.

He implemented high speed BHS to match the extended terminal footprint, airport specific Airfield Ground Lighting LED technology, modern security system involving access control, CCTV, electronic systems, etc. He also realized innovative energy saving projects with application of airport data and weather to reduce energy cost on chiller system. He also planned full solution for electrical vehicles and concept trial on hydrogen tractors in the airport.

Community:
Joseph act as the Chairman of the Airport Authority Staff Club Committee, it serves to connect 2,500+ AA staff members and enhance their well-being through organising recreational activities.
In engineering field, he serves as International Professional Review Interviewer of Institution of Mechanical Engineers and members Engineering Alumni Association of The University of Hong Kong.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

1. To raise awareness through the HKIA Renewable Diesel Pilot on the immediate benefits of Renewable Diesel as a low carbon, drop-in fuel that can be used in vehicles and equipment. This may lead to an increase in Renewable Diesel demand in HK and the provision of an affordable and stable supply to many HK users who wish to decrease transportation emissions.

2. To support the trial of low-carbon alternate technologies and fuels, AAHK will pilot the use of hydrogen–powered cargo tractors within HKIA – this pilot will also support the government’s overarching goals for hydrogen application in HK.

Mary Ng is a seasoned international banking executive with more than 18 years’ experience in the financial services industry. As ANZ’s Head of Supply Chain Finance for North Asia she is focused on supporting the growth of institutional customers moving trade and capital across the region. As her customers increasingly prioritize their transition to net-zero, Mary has played an instrumental role in supporting these goals by incorporating sustainability measures into supply chain finance solutions.

Mary also serves as Co-Chair of ANZ’s Thrive committee, which aims to promote diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being within the organization. Her leadership in this area further underscores her commitment to creating a more equitable and supportive work environment.

Stephen brings over 10 years of commercial and operation experience in the oil and gas industry. Currently serving as the Head of Marketing and Business Development for Fleet Solutions at Shell Hong Kong Limited, he plays a key role in driving strategic initiatives and fostering low carbon energy solutions, such as the recent renewable diesel (HVO) pilot projects with Morden Terminals, AAHK and HACTL. Stephen holds an MBA from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and is an adviser of the Mobility and Logistics Advisory Group for Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation. He is committed to helping clients and partners decarbonize through the use of cleaner energy and innovative technologies.

Mr. Jackson Yip is the CEO & Co-Founder of EC Innovation Limited, dedicated to entrepreneurship after graduating from HKUST Business School in 2023. With the support of chemistry professionals, Jackson is leading the commercialization of a breakthrough electrocatalytic technology into EC Innovation’s flagship product, “EC Flow System”, which converts agricultural wastewater into nutrient solution. With the vision of creating a perpetual planting ecosystem around the globe, Jackson is engaging with government, private institutions, NGOs, and farm owners to accomplish this aspiration in various agricultural sites.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

Better water conservation
The construction of Circular Economy

Natasha is an experienced business leader with a passion for sustainability. She has held leadership positions at JLL and KPMG for the last decade, primarily in change management space, driving business critical transformation at a regional and global scale. Throughout her career, she has been deeply committed to sustainability and have led various initiatives to embed sustainable practices in her work place as well as communities. As the co-chair of the Eco Club at JLL Hong Kong, she spearheaded numerous programs to reduce the firm’s environmental impact in HK and engaging employees in sustainability efforts.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

My ambition is for Hong Kong to transform into a city where reusable alternatives become the standard, reducing single-use waste and promoting a more sustainable future. For 2024-25, below are my key goals:
1) Enabling targetted partnerships with property developers & corporations to help replace single-use cups and food boxes with reuseable alternatives.
2) Working with partner cafes to promote reusables more actively.
3) Partnering with environmental organisations to reach a wider audience for Muuse.

Sharon Ng is a recent graduate of BSc in Biological Science and MSc in Environmental Science and Management from HKUST. She founded Sootable with the mission of teaching humans how to live peacefully with nature. She is a Science-lover and is eager to apply scientific principles to drive innovations in Sootable. For starters, she took on the project to tackle severe air pollution and accelerate the transition to renewable energy simultaneously. Through waste-to-X transformations as a mid-term goal, she hopes that Sootable can upcycle unwanted materials into something beneficial to the environment, which is the definition of X.

Sootable defines itself as a Nature-inclined, GreenTech and ClimateTech company. Sharon and her team are working hard to implement nature-compatible solutions to restore Earth’s splendid scenery.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

– The roadmap to a healthy world which I aspire to make it happen is Sustainability, Redundancy, Abundance and lower cost for the right things.
– A tighter Circular Economy loop
– Lead humans, by humans, with love (love is contagious and therefore sustainable!)
– A cleaner Supply Chain

A highly experienced practitioner, consultant and facilitator Marisa blends management and leadership of strategic design and innovation. Her work across disciplines is broad – supporting organisations to understand, apply and leverage frameworks and methodologies to optimise value creation; from consulting to co-creating, with Fortune 500’s, national ministries, non/not-just-for-profits and SMEs.

In 2009 Marisa discovered her nascent entrepreneur and embarked on her first sustainability-led business model venture, shifting the negative perception of plant-based eating; enabling reduced-carbon diets and responsible consumption – supporting organic farmers, through a (then) pioneering circularity, systems-thinking based business.

After a move to Singapore, in 2016, the nexus of her old life and new was conceived – The Inceptery (B Corp certified in 2021); an innovation firm working at the edge of conventional boundaries and assumptions, challenging notions of success in our current paradigm – focusing on systemic value creation.

Recently the emphasis has also shifted to include supporting teams to become more self-sufficient – to embed and embody the knowledge, understanding, capabilities and mindsets needed to build a culture of democratic, inclusive and responsible innovation towards systemic change – for people, planet, prosperity as a strategic imperative.

In their work they take each opportunity to scale broad and deep, building the capacity of the ecosystem by creating the conditions for others to be empowered to take action, through our collective consultancy and tech enabled decision-making support.

A graduate in Strategic Design Management, and with a firm belief in the non-linear nature of systems change, that encompasses the many facets of sustainability – wherever opportunity arises, she harbours a fascination with the limitless power of intentionality, giving a voice to underrepresented users, and externalising creative processes collectively – bringing about new consciousness, solutions, and businesses alongside technology to improve human-planetary conditions.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

1. Regionally, not just HKG, for organisations or all sizes and types to start their sustainability performance measurement and improvement through reporting and disclosures in any form they can. Just getting started using the variety of tools, platforms and technology that exist already, which should help them in getting started on this journey.

2. We are looking for larger scale organisations for a pilot who want to explore building new or shifting old business models to think about the business model of the future that incorporates sustainability-led imperative, using tools and methodologies that incorporate systemic value creation as a primary driver.

3. From HKG and the region, build a synergistic network of partners, collaborators and clients focused on holistic approaches towards systemic value creation and systems innovation. (Either they have solutions or the desire/need and want to bring build a collective do this through partnering and collaboration).

Mr Edwin Lau is currently the Founder and Executive Director of The Green Earth, an environmental organization promoting resource conservation and zero-waste culture. He has been actively engaged in environmental protection work since the late 1980s. During the period, he placed great concern on several pressing environmental topics, e.g. waste management, air pollution, climate change and energy conservation.

Mr Lau is currently a member of CUHK Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change Expert Committee and senior advisor of Hong Kong Solar Industries Association.

In 2009, Mr Lau was awarded the Medal of Honour by the HKSAR Government in recognition of his long-term contribution to the promotion of environmental protection and environmental education. In the same year, he was also awarded an Outstanding Earth Champion by The Earth Champions Foundation.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

• Shelving the waste-charging scheme does not mean the city’s waste crisis has gone, instead, we must act stronger in avoiding waste generation at source and followed by practising clean recycling to genuinely address the waste crisis.
• Hong Kong should do more in enhancing the building energy efficiency of the entire building stock.
• Renewable energy, including Green Hydrogen, should be developed much faster to supply the city with zero-carbon renewables to cope with the increasing demand, otherwise even with faster transition to electric transport would not contribute much in decarbonisation.
• We need to educate the public a lot more to raise their environmental awareness so that the majority of the population will act green continuously.

Kenny is currently serving as the Treasurer of the Hong Kong Waste Management Association (HKWMA). Hong Kong Waste Management Association (HKWMA), inaugurated in 1994, has been the premier organization representing professionals in Hong Kong’s solid waste management and environmental industries. Our members range from government officials, consultants, contractors and academia both locally and internationally.

Kenny is the Co-Founder of EnviPro Technology Company Limited (EnviPro), contributing to consultancy projects related to air, acoustic, odour and health impact assessment in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

In 2021, Kenny appointed by the Government as member of the Advisory Committee on Countryside Conservation (ACCC). Kenny obtained The outstanding alumni Award from the PolyU CEE in 2023.

Our sustainability goals for 2024:

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. Progress is impossible without change.

Keilem Ng mixes an international career working in real estate finance and investment with a passionate commitment to sustainability and the environment. Keilem is currently General Manager – Sustainability at Link REIT, Asia’s largest real estate investment trust, and is responsible for integrating sustainability into all aspects of the business. Keilem joined the investment industry in 2004 and has worked in New York, Shanghai and Hong Kong covering global markets. From 2009 to 2017, Keilem was an Executive Director at JPMorgan Asset Management responsible for real asset acquisitions and asset management throughout Asia Pacific. Keilem holds a BA in Architecture from Yale University and a MS in Real Estate from New York University. She is also the founder of the non-profit organisations Eco Marine and Exchange and Empower.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

In 2024, I hope to continue and deepen collaboration with our stakeholders to take action to make on the ground change.

Karen spearheads the development and execution of  strategies that promote sustainable operations within the Cathay group, driving the organization towards its goals of sustainability leadership. She focuses on facilitating resource circularity, reducing waste, and leading Cathay’s sustainability communications and disclosures. Prior to joining Cathay, Karen worked in ESG advisory, serving both corporate and non-profit clients. She is passionate about creating eco-conscious travel experiences and driving systemic changes to enhance sustainability in the industry, embodying the ethos of “greener together.”

Alfred Weston has worked for the Swire Group since 2011. He spent six years at Swire Pacific Offshore, mainly located in Singapore and Angola, three years at Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong, and three years with John Swire & Sons in Papua New Guinea, before joining New Life Plastics in September 2022.

New Life Plastics aspires to be a catalyst for change in the plastic bottle circular economy in Hong Kong. It is the first recycling facility of its kind in Hong Kong and is focused on recycling PET beverage bottles to a food-grade standard; this enables bottles collected in Hong Kong to be remade back into beverage bottles, closing the bottle-to-bottle loop.

My Sustainability Goal for 2024:

To improve the bottle-to-bottle recycling rate in Hong Kong.