Workshop A
Beyond the Pearl: Sustainable Aquaculture for Coastal Resilience in Hong Kong
10 Sep (Thur) Day 1 : 12:00 – 13:15
What if a pearl oyster could offer far more than beautiful pearls, creating benefits for both people and the planet?
Co-hosted by Prudence Foundation, Prudential Hong Kong, and A Plastic Ocean Foundation, using the pearl oyster as a powerful example, this session explores how sustainable aquaculture can support water quality improvement, biodiversity recovery, climate adaptation, and community resilience.
Drawing on Hong Kong’s coastal heritage, the living shoreline initiative at Tai O, local marine fish farms, and international case studies, the session will explore how bivalves such as pearl oysters improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, support climate adaptation, bolster food system resilience, and contribute to sustainable local livelihoods. The session will also examine how cross-sector partnerships can move beyond isolated environmental projects to create integrated solutions that deliver environmental, social, and economic outcomes while empowering communities to remain stewards of their own natural and cultural assets.
Each participant will create a bespoke Hong Kong-cultivated pearl bracelet to take home, a meaningful reminder of how nature, communities, and sustainable aquaculture can thrive together. In addition, each participant will have the opportunity to adopt an Akoya pearl oyster from a local farm, supporting the purification of an estimated 36,000 litres of seawater over six months while helping to improve the health of Hong Kong’s coastal marine environment.
Session Learnings:
- Explore the full lifecycle of a pearl oyster and understand how its ecological functions extend far beyond pearl production, supporting healthy and resilient marine ecosystems
- Understand how bivalves can serve as nature-based infrastructure through water filtration, biodiversity enhancement, shoreline protection, and ecosystem restoration
- Examine how sustainable aquaculture can create multiple forms of value simultaneously, including environmental restoration, local livelihoods, food system resilience, and circular blue economy opportunities
- Learn how the Tai O Living Shoreline Initiative is applying nature-based solutions to strengthen climate resilience while preserving local community identity and cultural heritage
- Discover how corporates, non-profits, and local communities can collaborate to unlock greater sustainability impact through integrated, systems-based approaches
Post-Event Actions
- Apply systems thinking to identify sustainability solutions that generate multiple environmental, social, and economic benefits
- Explore opportunities to integrate nature-based solutions into climate adaptation, biodiversity, and resilience strategies
- Build partnerships across sectors to address complex sustainability challenges that no single organisation can solve alone
- Incorporate local knowledge, cultural heritage, and community participation into sustainability and resilience programmes
- Support sustainable business models and local producers that contribute to ecosystem restoration, community resilience, and long-term shared value
Speakers
Diana Guzmán
Group Chief Sustainability Officer and Chair of the Prudence Foundation
Prudential Plc
Diana Guzmán
Prudential Plc
Group Chief Sustainability Officer and Chair of the Prudence Foundation
Diana Guzmán is a global sustainability leader and the Group Chief Sustainability Officer and Chair of the Prudence Foundation at Prudential Plc, where she directs the Group’s sustainability strategy across 24 markets and leads a multinational team to embed sustainability into core business decisions and long-term value creation — spanning inclusive products, responsible investment, climate and nature, and stewardship of a USD 16+ million philanthropic portfolio to maximise social impact.
A champion of financial innovation for inclusive and sustainable growth, Diana has spent her career at the intersection of public and private capital, policy and markets. She previously headed the Sustainable Development Investment Partnership (SDIP) and Development Finance at the World Economic Forum, where she mobilised private capital for emerging markets and shaped global initiatives on blended finance, just transition and SDG investment pathways.
Earlier, Diana served as Director at CDP, the global environmental disclosure system, working with listed companies, institutional investors and municipalities to measure and manage environmental risks and opportunities, influencing corporate strategies and investment decisions across Southern Europe and the Middle East. Before that, she worked in the carbon markets, originating and trading greenhouse gas emission reductions from clean technologies across China, Southeast Asia and North Africa. She has also chaired the OECD’s Building Inclusive Markets Working Group on Blended Finance, helping shape policy guidance and market standards to unlock capital for underserved communities.
Born and raised in Mexico, Diana holds an MBA from London Business School, where she was awarded the Future Global Leader scholarship, and a BA in Financial Management (summa cum laude) from the Monterrey Institute of Technology. She also holds a Diploma in ESG Analysis and Investments from POLIMI Graduate School of Management and CFA Society Italy, and a Diploma in Chinese Mandarin from Beijing Normal University. Recognised as one of “30 Changemakers: people changing the world” and a member of W50: The Next Generation of Leading Women, she continues to advocate for the role of sustainability, diversity and financial innovation in shaping a resilient future. She is fluent in Spanish, English and Italian, and speaks elementary Chinese and French.
Woody Fan
Person-in-charge
Fishermen Fish Farming
Woody Fan
Fishermen Fish Farming
Person-in-charge
Growing up in a Sai Kung fishing family, Woody manages a floating fish farm in Sham Wan, dedicating his work to local pearl cultivation and marine conservation. He actively leads eco-tours and educational workshops for schools, NGOs, and corporate partners to promote sustainable aquaculture and heritage preservation. By bridging traditional local wisdom with hands-on engagement, Woody inspires the public to appreciate the rich marine biodiversity and cultural legacy of Hong Kong’s waters.
Speaking at 2026 sessions:
Day 1
Beyond the Pearl: Sustainable Aquaculture for Coastal Resilience in Hong Kong
Edison Liu
Head of Education Department
A Plastic Ocean Foundation
Edison Liu
A Plastic Ocean Foundation
Head of Education Department
Since joining A Plastic Ocean Foundation (APO) in 2019, Edison has been a seasoned trainer and educator specializing in community engagement, public outreach, and program leadership. As a scuba diver, he serves as a core coordinator for APO’s “Ghostnet Hunters” team, actively leading underwater cleanup initiatives and marine conservation activities to translate frontline action into impactful educational experiences.
Speaking at 2026 sessions:
Day 1
Beyond the Pearl: Sustainable Aquaculture for Coastal Resilience in Hong KongWith thanks to
Prudential Hong Kong Limited
Prudential has been serving the people of Hong Kong since 1964, offering a broad range of health protection, wealth and retirement planning solutions, as well as general insurance and employee benefits services. supporting over 1.41 million customers in Hong Kong. Beyond Hong Kong, Prudential also serves the Macau community through its branch, providing health insurance and financial solutions and completing its footprint in the Greater Bay Area.
At Prudential, our mission is to be the most trusted partner and protector for this generation and generations to come. We boast a strong multi-channel distribution network with the largest agency force in Hong Kong with 19,000 financial consultants. Customers can also access our life insurance products through Standard Chartered Hong Kong and over 160 intermediary partners in our brokerage channel.
Prudential has always been at the forefront of digital innovation. Our omni-channel strategy offers timely, easy-to-access, tailored insurance products plus other value-added services. To date, we have almost 360 industry-leading partners in the Prudential ecosystem, empowering our customers to manage their health and wellbeing.
Our sustainability goals for 2026:
Our sustainability ambition is to work towards creating a sustainable, inclusive, and responsible future for our customers, people, shareholders, and communities. We achieve this by making health and financial security accessible for everyone, adopting an inclusive approach to investment practices, and maintaining a sustainable business.
Legal Name: Prudential Hong Kong Limited
