An Innovation-centric Approach to ESG Practices to Create Business Value

Dr. Toa Charm, a leading figure in Asia’s innovation and technology space. With over 30 years of experience, he currently serves as Associate Professor at CUHK Business School and advises numerous startups and organizations. He is the Founding Chairman of the Data & AI Literacy Association, actively driving AI and data literacy, digital transformation, corporate innovation, and startup cultivation across the region.

Ms Ho has been working in supply chain and international logistics arena since 90’s responsible to introduce and manage Asia Pacific supply chain management for leading multinational companies. She leads the companies to drive continuous adjustment on supply chain management in order to meet different market needs and channels needs for driving the company’s growth. Ms Ho current position is the Principal Consultant for GS1 Hong Kong, a worldwide supply chain standards body, leading the professional services team to provide supply chain and logistics management trainings, manage APEC, ADB or local government supply chain initiatives as well as provide business consultation services. Ms Ho is also a Part-time lecturer for Hong Kong University and Vocation Training Council on International Logistics & Supply Chain Management.

Since 90s, Ms Ho has set up Asia Pacific supply chain function for various multi-national corporations. She has introduced supply chain strategies from network balancing, production optimization, value-added logistics and efficient consumer response to corporations. Ms Ho is currently leading GS1 professional services team, has trained over 1000 trainees over years, spoke over hundreds events on modern logistics and supply chain for government, industry associations or companies, managed over hundreds of projects from government to individual company across countries.

Ms Ho obtained Master Degree in Industrial Logistics, Degree in Management, SCOR-P, CSCP Certification, PMP, Registered Lean Master, Certified Agile Leader, Certified ESG Planner, MIT AI Supply Chain Management Certification, Design Thinking Certification, Accredited Global Traceability Auditor, Authorized Global Traceability Global Trainer. Ms Ho is also core members of ECR Hong Kong Advisory Board, Food & Beverage Industry Advisory Board, Apparel and Textile Industry Advisory Group, Government’s Trade Consultation Group and Consumer Liaison Group, Food Safety Consortium, Trade Advisor for Trade Industry Department (SUCCESS) and Trade Advisor for Trade Development Council (SME)

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

Achieve Carbon Neutrality
Aim to continue embrace the industry to lift up the awareness on ESG and the ways to improve reduction on green house gas emissions along the supply chain.

Improve resource efficiency

Aim to continue improve company’s operations in order to achieve waste reduction, energy saving, water usage and raw material consumption.

Enhance Supply Chain Sustainability
Aim to continue support company to achieve end-to-end supply chain visibility including traceability adoption, upstream downstream integration and establish ethical sourcing and sustainable practices.

Dr Ying Huang assumed the role of Chief Technology Officer at ASTRI in September 2024. A visionary technologist with over 30 years’ experience in ICT, AI, data analytics and decision sciences,

Dr Huang is renowned for driving innovation and commercialisation. His illustrious career spans major multinational corporations across the United States and China, where he has shaped research strategies and pioneered advancements in cutting-edge technologies.

Dr Huang’s professional journey includes significant tenures in Beijing, Shanghai and New York, where he held leadership roles at esteemed organisations such as Lenovo Research, IBM Research and Philips Research, accumulating rich experiences and connections.

Dr Huang’s contributions have garnered numerous accolades, including Lenovo Leadership Awards, IBM Outstanding Research Awards. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed academic journals and holds dozens of patents in both the United States and China. His contributions have earned him the title of Professor-Grade Senior Engineer in China.

He serves as a Guest Professor at the College of Software and Microelectronics at Peking University, and has held prominent positions such as the founding Vice Chair of the International Alliance on SparkLink, an emerging short-range communication technology, and a Board member of the Green Computing Consortium.

Dr Huang holds a PhD in Operations Research from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in Applied Mathematics from Fudan University.

Harry Liu has a robust background with Fortune 100 companies such as Nike, IBM, and AIG. With over 30 years of experience in strategic planning, project management, and compliance, Harry has witnessed the evolution of corporate responsibility into ESG. His global expertise spans Southeast Asia, North America, and beyond, enabling him to provide tailored ESG solutions for SMEs.

Yuan Xu is an associate professor in the Department of Geography and Resource Management and leads the Environmental Policy and Governance Programme in the Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability as well as the Center for Uban Innovation in the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has published widely on energy and environmental policy, governance and strategy, and technological and industrial development, covering fossil fuels and renewables. He has been the President of the Professional Association for China’s Environment (PACE) since 2022. He is also a co-founder and currently the secretary general of the Chinese Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (CAERE). Before joining CUHK in August 2010, he received a Ph.D. degree in public policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University and was a postdoctoral research associate in the Industrial Performance Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also holds an M.S. degree in climatology, a B.S. degree in atmospheric sciences and a bachelor’s degree in economics, all from Peking University.