From countries advancing 'dual carbon' goals to international carbon trading markets, more organisations are turning their attention to their environmental performance. Green transformation has become a fundamental requirement for high-quality development, with ESG (environmental, social and governance) serving as a crucial guide for this transition.
How can enterprises anchor ESG values to drive sustainable economic and social transformation? On 23 August, this question was explored at the launch of KPMG China's 'Our Impact Plan' report, which was held outdoors for the first time on a lawn in the Futian District, Shenzhen. The event featured keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, and presentations of results, reflecting on KPMG China's achievements in the ESG field over the past five years. It also brought together government, social organisations, enterprises, and partners to focus on ESG trends and discuss new paths for sustainable development.
KPMG China continues to deepen its commitment to sustainable development
Honson To, Chairman of KPMG Asia Pacific and China, said, "This year marks the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets' concept and the fifth anniversary of the 'Our Impact Plan'. Hosting this event in the embrace of nature is highly significant. Looking back at our ESG reports over the past five years, we can see a clear reflection of how our environmental, social, and governance efforts have aligned with the country's development. This publication not only summarises our steadfast commitments and investments in ESG but also reflects our determination to deepen ESG practices and empower clients and society in order to propel sustainable development."
Climate change is one of the core drivers of future economic development. Jacky Zou, Chairman-elect of KPMG China, said, "At the national level, the 'dual carbon goals' are driving new economic momentum and reshaping the country's economic development landscape and ecosystems. For enterprises, a high-standard ESG management system is essential for achieving sustainable development and seizing economic transformation opportunities. KPMG China has released the 'Our Impact Plan' report for five consecutive years, aiming to set an example and accumulate more cases of ESG information disclosure that align with corporate needs, with a view to promoting the widespread implementation of ESG principles."
Strategic ESG actions, especially after the mandatory disclosure of future ESG reports, will deeply impact the business layout of companies. From the perspective of sustainable growth, enterprises need to develop a more comprehensive ESG action roadmap that focuses on the present while looking ahead to future milestones and promoting continuous action. Tracy Yang, Head of Corporate Affairs, KPMG China, emphasised, "As an organisation committed to sustainable development, KPMG China continuously explores feasible ESG solutions. We believe that true progress comes from aligning corporate responsibility and national vision through ESG strategies, creating lasting and profound impacts. Companies should not only focus on healthy growth but also leverage the development opportunities presented by national long-term goals to enhance leadership in sustainable business ecosystems."
The 'Our Impact Plan' report released by KPMG China marks a first for the firm by moving the launch event outdoors to a lawn in the Futian District of Shenzhen in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, conveying our strong commitment to sustainable development and showcasing the beautiful vision of coexistence and shared prosperity between humanity and nature. It also highlights the significant progress and outstanding achievements KPMG China has made across four pillars: Governance, People, Planet, and Prosperity. Wilson Pang, Head of Our Impact Plan, KPMG China, stated, "These four pillars complement each other and form the backbone of KPMG China's ESG ethos. Through its governance principles, KPMG China has established a comprehensive ESG governance framework; and the firm's people-centred approach highlights its core values. Meanwhile, our efforts to care for the planet reflect our deep commitment to environmental sustainability; and achieving prosperity is at the heart of KPMG China's ESG mission, pushing us to deliver impactful outcomes."
Meeting quantified targets and co-constructing ecosystems
During the launch of the 'Our Impact Plan' report, KPMG China provided a professional overview, showcasing the highlights and flagship projects of the programme, along with a retrospective of the firm's five-year journey and future outlook. Wilson Pang emphasised that this year marks a significant milestone for KPMG China in promoting the programme, marking the firm's evolution from a mere participant to a leader and initiator, and from academic practice to emphasising sustainable development, technological innovation, and the development of new quality productive forces.
KPMG China has been recognised in the '2025 Typical Case in the Business Community to Conserve Biodiversity' and the '2025 Corporate Green Transformation and ESG Practice Cases', reflecting recognition of the firm's efforts in biodiversity protection.
KPMG China continues to collaborate with the Mangrove Conservation Foundation (MCF) to initiate the 'Green Bay Area Pioneer Action – Habitat Enhancement of Futian Mangrove Ecological Park' project, which was launched in September 2024. We also partnered with multiple organisations to jointly launch the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ESG Biodiversity Corporate Recognition Award, with the goal of encouraging corporate participation in ecological protection. At the release of this year's 'Our Impact Plan', KPMG China officially launched the China Biodiversity Recognition Award to promote the integration of environmental and ecological protection with technological innovation at both the national and regional levels.
KPMG China has purchased 100% renewable electricity for four consecutive years, and KAMPUS (KPMG China's Hongqiao office) has received LEED Platinum certification. Additionally, 90% of our office floor area is located in buildings with green and/or wellness-related certifications.
We rolled out the new 'Protect the Future – Action for the Planet' ('Protect the Future') volunteer programme to encourage more employees to engage in volunteer service.
Upholding one of KPMG's values, 'For Better – We do what matters,' we continuously invest in our communities. During the year, over 1,500 KPMG volunteers have participated in various corporate social responsibility activities organised by the firm, contributing over 15,800 total volunteer hours and reaching over 98,000 beneficiaries directly.
KPMG China is also leveraging AI applications to provide comprehensive deployment and application solutions to enterprises.
This year's event also marks the first time we are launching the report outdoors, demonstrating KPMG China's commitment to promoting sustainable business structures and protecting natural ecosystems.
From the perspective of ecological co-construction, guests engaged in deep discussions during the roundtable forum on the day of the launch discussing the theme 'Harnessing the Power of Society to Build a New Paradigm for Biodiversity Protection'. The event also focused on the collaborative achievements of the 'Our Impact Plan', and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ESG Biodiversity Corporate Recognition Award.
Wilson Pang said, "As the global economy becomes increasingly interconnected and the impact of climate change deepens, China is actively advancing the green transformation in areas such as green energy, carbon emissions management, and the green transition of traditional enterprises, achieving significant results in various areas. As a professional services firm, KPMG China closely follows national strategic plans and continuously strengthens collaboration with various stakeholders. Over the past five years, the firm has evolved from initially exploring carbon accounting and supply chain reviews to our current stage, in which we are establishing a comprehensive ESG service system covering all business areas, transitioning from a 'reporter' and 'participant' role to a 'promoter' and now to a 'leader'."
The true value of ESG lies in harnessing professional skills to transform sustainable concepts into daily practices for enterprises. The 'Our Impact Plan' report is not only KPMG China's annual ESG report but also a commitment to forward-looking action. In light of the firm's journey towards net-zero by 2030, KPMG China is actively exploring management methods for carbon reduction and low-carbon practices, and we are striving to provide better insights and practical results for more market participants.
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About KPMG
KPMG in China has offices located in 31 cities with over 14, 000 partners and staff, in Beijing, Changchun, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Dongguan, Foshan, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Hefei, Jinan, Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Taiyuan, Tianjin, Wuhan, Wuxi, Xiamen, Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR. It started operations in Hong Kong in 1945. In 1992, KPMG became the first international accounting network to be granted a joint venture licence in the Chinese Mainland. In 2012, KPMG became the first among the "Big Four" in the Chinese Mainland to convert from a joint venture to a special general partnership.
KPMG is a global organisation of independent professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. KPMG is the brand under which the member firms of KPMG International Limited ("KPMG International") operate and provide professional services. "KPMG" is used to refer to individual member firms within the KPMG organization or to one or more member firms collectively.
KPMG firms operate in 142 countries and territories with more than 275,000 partners and employees working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. Each KPMG member firm is responsible for its own obligations and liabilities.
Celebrating 80 years in Hong Kong
In 2025, KPMG marks "80 Years of Trust" in Hong Kong. Established in 1945, we were the first international accounting firm to set up operations in the city. Over the past eight decades, we've woven ourselves into the fabric of Hong Kong, working closely with the government, regulators, and the business community to help establish Hong Kong as one of the world's leading business and financial centres. This close collaboration has enabled us to build lasting trust with our clients and the local community – a core value celebrated in our anniversary theme: "80 Years of Trust".
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