Session Overview
As Hong Kong accelerates its sustainability transformation, this timely roundtable brought together 70 key stakeholders, including sustainability learners, corporate leaders, and prominent educators to address the critical challenge of building sustainability capacity across the workforce by fostering a dynamic dialogue on how sustainability education—from K-12 to professional development—can better align with evolving industry needs in Hong Kong.
Session Objectives
- To understand the evolving sustainability skill requirements from the multiple perspectives of industry, education, and governance
- To identify the key gaps in current capacity-building approaches across the entire learning journey (K-12, tertiary, and professional development)
- To facilitate the discovery of emerging best practices in sustainability education and corporate training
- To build and strengthen connections across the sustainability talent ecosystem to foster future collaboration
Key Discussion Points & Highlights
The host speakers, Mr. Anthony Cheung, Ms. Serena Mak, Prof. Amos Tai and Mr. David Ting, facilitated a vibrant conversation spanning the entire educational lifecycle, from foundational learning to professional application:
Empowering the Next Generation (K-12): Overcoming Barriers in K12 Sustainability Education
- Guests from various Sponsoring Bodies shared their experiences and challenges in integrating sustainability into the K-12 curriculum.
- Catherine Sing from HK Electric presented a powerful case study with their UNSDG Action Planner and “17 Sustainable Moves” program, co-created with Friends of the Earth (HK), offering a tangible, practical tool for K-12 students.
- Best practices were shared from institutions like The ISF Academy, showcasing how sustainability can be woven into a school’s core ethos and daily operations.
Universities in Action: Advancing Sustainability Skills for Tomorrow’s Workforce
- Prof. Amos Tai from CUHK introduced the important frameworks of education for sustainable development and triple bottom line approaches taught by universities
- Dr. Vivian Chu and Dr. Janet Chan from HKU provided a look into their diverse range of sustainability-focused programs, highlighting different academic approaches.
- Prof. Arthur Lau from HKUST prompted a deeper reflection by discussing the fundamental question of “what is education in sustainability?”, urging a move beyond technical skills to foster a mindset of critical thinking and systems change.
Upskilling for the Green Economy: Capacity Building for Practitioners and Corporates
- There was a clear call from industry for graduates who possess not only theoretical knowledge but also practical, data-driven skills in areas like GHG accounting, climate risk analysis, and sustainable finance.
- Professionals shared their own career journeys, emphasizing the need for continuous upskilling and the challenge of keeping pace with a rapidly evolving regulatory and technological landscape.
Key Outcomes & Learnings
- The Importance of a “Whole Journey” Approach: A key takeaway was that building sustainability capacity is not just a university or corporate training issue. It requires a cohesive, lifelong learning journey that begins in K-12 and continues throughout a professional’s career.
- Value of Practical Tools: The HK Electric and Friends of the Earth (HK) “UNSDG Action Planner” was highlighted as a best-practice example of a concrete tool that can be deployed to effectively engage young learners and translate complex concepts into actionable steps.
- Bridging Theory and Practice: The session reinforced the urgent need for greater collaboration between academia and industry. This includes co-creating curricula, expanding internship opportunities, and creating platforms for ongoing dialogue to ensure educational outcomes meet real-world demands.
- Beyond Technical Skills: Participants recognized that effective sustainability leadership requires a blend of “hard” skills (e.g., data analysis) and “soft” skills (e.g., communication, influence, systems thinking).
Post-Event Actions
- Foster cross-sector collaboration between K-12 schools, universities, and industry partners to co-develop targeted capacity-building programmes and practical tools that bridge the gap between education and professional practice.
- Promote industry-leading professional certifications, such as the EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA) and EFFAS Climate Risk Analyst (ECRA), to strengthen professional knowledge and equip the workforce with verifiable, in-demand sustainability skills.
- Continue and expand collaboration on the SDG Action Planner. Building on the successful partnership between HK Electric and Friends of the Earth (HK), explore opportunities to promote the guide to other stakeholders, such as the elderly, to foster intergenerational learning and broader community engagement.