Zhitong Finance App News. Recently, Sindh Group (00242) released the “2023 Sustainability Report”. This is the 10th sustainability report published by Sindh Group to outline the Group's philosophy and commitment to sustainable development and clearly disclose its sustainability initiatives and performance over the past year.

Established in 1972 and headquartered in Hong Kong, Shun Tak Group has now developed into a leading integrated enterprise and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Hong Kong stock code: 242) in 1973. Its core business includes real estate, hospitality, tourism and investment. In 2023, the group received the “Hong Kong ESG Award” from the Hong Kong Federation of Chinese Manufacturers in recognition of its environmental, social and corporate governance efforts.

According to the ESG report, the board of directors is the highest decision-making body of the Sindh Group. Through top-down decisions, it guides strategic development, risk management, sustainability, and overall finance and operations. At the same time, the group uses different communication channels to maintain communication with stakeholders to increase their participation. In 2023, Sindh Group used a three-step process to identify, rank and verify 18 issues critical to the group and its stakeholders.

Implement energy saving and water savings to reduce carbon footprint

In terms of energy efficiency, Shun Tak Group is actively taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint, from improving air circulation and cooling systems to adopting advanced energy-saving technology. Among them, in 2023, the solar power generation system on the roof of the jet aircraft shipyard produced 315,860 kilowatt-hours of electricity. The group's electricity consumption intensity in 2023 was 0.07 thousand kWh/m2, a 15% reduction from 2017 levels.

In terms of water resources management, Shun Tak Group has implemented measures such as optimizing water pressure, reducing leakage, and installing water saving devices. In 2023, the group's total water consumption was 854,553 cubic meters, and the water consumption intensity was 0.57 cubic meters/square meter, a decrease of 33% compared to 2017.

At the same time, the Group is committed to responsible waste management and minimizes waste generation by following a three-step approach: reduction, reuse and recycling. In 2023, the group recycled 396.8 tons of paper, and the waste generation intensity was 0.03 tons/square meter, a decrease of 37% compared to 2018 levels.

During the reporting period, the carbon emission intensity from the property business, hotel and leisure business, and transportation business was 0.039 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per square meter, 0.034 tonnes of carbon dioxide eq/number of nights stayed by guests, and 0.092 tonnes of carbon dioxide eq/passenger turnover, respectively.

Pay attention to employee training and education to ensure the health and safety of employees

Sindh Group provides employees with equal, diverse and inclusive workspaces, and provides employees with personalized training as needed to support their growth. In 2023, the total number of employees in the group was 3,339, of which 58% were male employees, 42% were female employees, and 6.3%, 17.9%, and 75.8% of senior employees, middle level employees, and ordinary employees respectively.

The Group's Property Management Division sees training and education as an important tool to keep employees up to date with the latest occupational safety and health industry standards and best practices. Continued training can improve the understanding and proficiency of its employees in areas such as hazard identification, risk assessment, and control measures, thereby creating a safer and more efficient working environment. In 2023, the Department of Property Management and the properties it manages held a series of occupational safety and health training courses and activities. The total number of employee training hours exceeded 24,000 hours and the total number of occupational safety and health training hours exceeded 3,700 hours.

Furthermore, the group introduced the ISO 45001:2018 standard and will continue to implement an occupational health and safety management system in 2023. The Group not only complies with regulations relating to occupational safety and health, but also continuously assesses and responds to potential risks throughout the entire business operation process.

Adhere to sustainable procurement and prioritize environmentally and safety-responsible suppliers

In terms of supply chain management, Sindh Group actively communicates with suppliers to promote and implement sustainable development in the supply chain. In 2023, 82% of the Group's suppliers were located in Hong Kong and Macau, the regions where most of its business operations were located, while the remaining 18% were located in other regions.

The Group adheres to its “Sustainable Procurement Policy” and “Supplier Code of Conduct”, actively encourages suppliers to provide reliable sustainable products, such as packaging materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and products certified by Fair Trade; and strives to promote equal treatment and respect for intellectual property rights in the supply chain to ensure that suppliers at different levels are treated fairly and equally during screening. Furthermore, Sindh Group prioritizes suppliers and contractors that can prove their environmental and safety responsibility, whether certified or otherwise, to achieve a sustainable culture throughout the supply chain.

Looking ahead, Sindh Group said it will work hard in the field of sustainable development and closely link its corporate image with sustainable development in order to bring positive changes to the environment and the community.

(Link ESG researcher Deng Shixia)