Cultivating Change: Attracting and Retaining Sustainability and ESG Talent through University Education

Nadira is responsible for sustainability at Jardine Matheson, a diversified Asia-focused investment group. She has extensive experience as a researcher, consultant and a sustainability lead working across a wide variety of industries to drive systemic change for a more sustainable future. Nadira holds a doctoral degree in Asian and International Studies and a Master of Social Science in Development Studies during which her research focused on the role of the business sector in building international sustainability norms, institutions and global governance.

Currently the Programme Director for the Master of Social Sciences in Sustainability Leadership and Governance, University of Hong Kong, Margaret has 30 years of experience in sustainability. Her professional experience crosses the private, public and NGO sectors. Margaret developed and has grown this taught Master programme to be a uniquely placed learning experience for professionals wishing to expand their sustainability credentials. She teaches business ethics, stakeholder engagement, ESG disclosure frameworks, sustainability strategy, circularity in the value chain, principles for corporate sustainability. Has also, developed and delivered sustainability leadership training modules, partnered with international NGO to deliver experiential learning for corporate leadership development and executive training. She is often a guest speaker, and partners with organizations in Hong Kong such as HKIA, Swire group, HSH, Gammon, ACM, Green Island Cement, ReThink, EcoMatcher, Zerofood Print Asia, Canadian Chamber, to provide support to their in-house sustainability initiatives.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

To see the private sector, take a more active role in shaping Hong Kong into the vibrant, model of sustainability promoting sustainable living (more holistic approaches), where innovation, collaboration and ecological awareness support a resilient community and a high quality of living for everyone. To see our leaders ensure us a city that integrates nature into its urban fabric (“healthy city” vision), a commitment (shared by all) to community well-being as well as economic prosperity that can be experienced by all. To see both the private and public sector prioritizing investment in people and ensuring access to common goods and services for all.

Paddy has spent 20 years in the executive search and recruitment sectors with experience of working across multiple markets in the APAC region. At Acre he has overall responsibility for the growth and leadership of the APAC business.

A prominent voice on Asia’s sustainability talent landscape, he has extensive relationships across the finance and commercial sectors, while also supporting the not-for-profit and NGO sectors. He specializes in both technical and thematic sustainability hiring.

Originally from Scotland, Paddy holds a BSc (Hons) in Geography from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025

1. Hong Kong to position itself as one of the key carbon markets hubs in Asia.
2. To leverage China’s leadership in low carbon technology and products and act as a gateway in bringing that technology to the rest of the world.
3. To utilise the updated mandatory climate disclosure rules to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an ESG reporting hub.

With more than 25 years in business, and the last 15 as a senior Learning and Development (L&D) professional, Mark Cosgrove works with organizations to drive business excellence at all levels. Mark is an expert at developing and leading training interventions that help firms grow business; and grow leaders. As a Master Trainer, specializing in experiential training and coaching, Mark has delivered training that drives employee and leader engagement.

Working in Hong Kong and Singapore for 16 years, Mark has worked with the major industries who make these hubs their home base; including Shipping and Logistics, Law, Banking & Finance, Engineering & Construction, FMCG, Civil Service, as well as Hotels & Hospitality. As a softs skills trainer Mark has trained programs in Sales and Sales Leadership, Communications, and Leaders.

In addition to designing and delivering training to clients, Mark is a Master Trainer and has trained and certified more than 250 trainers globally and designed the trainer certification curriculum for two different global training organizations.

Experiential training shifts attitudes and beliefs; teaches and upgrades skills; and drives habit acquisition that improves the ability for participants to add value to their organizations. We take participants on a journey where they examine their status quo, set goals, and identify barriers before making and executing a plan to improve. By understanding self-limiting beliefs, as well as their current business reality, the participants can acquire the skills to bridge the gap between where they are today and where they see themselves

My Sustainability Goals in 2025

1. Green/digital workforce development. Recognizing that aspects of current tech is (at the moment) quite impactful on the environment, I think that HK could (and should) lead the way on helping more towards a low-carbon tech economy. With the level of highly educated workers in HK, this should be an easy win.
2. Sustainability literacy. My feeling is that we need to know more about what sustainability is (and isn’t) and what it costs us (and what are the risks of not dealing with it).
3. For sustainability i also include think it has to include how we interact with and manage workers (at all levels) it’s not sustainable if we burn people out. It’s not sustainable if we force return to office for no good reason etc. A “resilient and sustainable future” has to include how we manage people!