{"id":6044,"date":"2025-03-31T16:51:32","date_gmt":"2025-03-31T08:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/?p=6044"},"modified":"2025-06-17T14:58:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T06:58:35","slug":"qa-with-slgp-programme-director","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/2025\/03\/31\/qa-with-slgp-programme-director\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&#038;A with Dr. Margaret Burnett, SLGP&#8217;s Programme Director"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6044\" class=\"elementor elementor-6044\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-531a05d elementor-section-height-min-height elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-items-middle\" data-id=\"531a05d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e91273a\" data-id=\"e91273a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9d9d004 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9d9d004\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Q&#038;A with Dr. Margaret Burnett, SLGP&#8217;s Programme Director<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-48b38b2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"48b38b2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-555924a\" data-id=\"555924a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd8eb3a elementor-aspect-ratio-169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"cd8eb3a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;169&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-fit-aspect-ratio elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<iframe class=\"elementor-video-iframe\" allowfullscreen title=\"youtube Video Player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZUBLsoP6wzE?feature=oembed&amp;start&amp;end&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;loop=0&amp;controls=1&amp;mute=0&amp;rel=0&amp;modestbranding=0\"><\/iframe>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cc6f022 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cc6f022\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3c891f7\" data-id=\"3c891f7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d333c44 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d333c44\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;\">The demand for sustainability professionals keeps growing! There\u2019s increasing pressure on individuals to make decisions and act, both individually and collectively to make the urgent change our society and planet needs. No matter where your training and expertise lies, you can advance policy, build capacity, mobilize and empower for sustainable development.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Aptos; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-HK;\">The SLGP supports the skills development that people need to thrive in the sustainable economy, such as renewable energy, smart food systems, diversity and inclusion, biodiversity, resource-efficient cities, addressing poverty, and management for healthy ecosystems, as well as disclosure requirements that will influence corporate decision-making on climate change.<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Aptos; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-HK;\">In the programme we have in-depth discussions on current issues and discuss how sustainability-based learning must be central to how we make decisions, how we think, act, and discharge our responsibilities toward one another and the planet. Common question about the SLG programme &#8220;Do you teach ESG&#8221;?<\/span><\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;\"><u>Sustainability vs ESG<\/u><\/span><\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">ESG, or the environment, social and governance aspects of a company\u2019s performance, is being scrutinized, and raised the question \u201cIs ESG here to stay or on its way out?\u201d\u00a0 If you look at the headlines you may conclude ESG practices are on their way out, especially with the political backlash in the US.\u00a0 Reports on clean energy funds having underperformed, investors pulling out more from ESG funds than they put in (during 2023), and some indicating that support of ESG funds comes with significant financial risk. The fallout has seen some big players withdrawing from significant alliances for climate change and ESG more broadly.<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">However, is there risk in ignoring ESG principles and values, or what it set out to achieve at the start? Many frameworks start with the aim of pushing for more contribution to sustainable development, for holding organizations accountable for their negative impacts on the environment, and society. The principles of ESG have been around a lot longer than the early 2000s when the \u201cWho Cares Wins 2004-2008\u201d report kicked this all off.\u00a0 From improving labour conditions, access to education, addressing pollution, there has been plenty of pressure on companies for more just and sustainable business practices.<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">So, in essence it is not new.\u00a0 The attempts to hold companies accountable through regulation or by voluntary standards and guidelines have shown that governments, investors and consumers recognize the power of corporate entities to shape the world. Repeatedly, this power has come under scrutiny, and some argue that ESG set out to engage companies on the pressing issues of their impacts on the environment, their role in driving climate change and recognition of their responsibility to their stakeholders. However, the interpretation and use of ESG is open to subjectivity and this arguably has helped to further confusion and misuse.<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">ESG is essentially an investment principle that integrates the environment, social and governance issues into the investing process.\u00a0 It has become a tool for measuring a company\u2019s performance against the same environmental, social and governance issues with the assumption being companies that manage their ESG risks, make better investments. Therefore, it is important to recognize that ESG is a specific framework used to assess the ESG performance of companies, investments and projects, whereas sustainability is a broader set of values and principles that aim to balance economic, social and environmental aspects for societal, and planetary long-term well-being.<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">The future or implications of ESG, much like other tools, if we\u2019re not viewing ESG from a more integrated manner then the concept will be lost, and especially if we\u2019re not continuously re-examining the tool(s). The danger of greenwashing is that legitimate funds, investments, and businesses are in jeopardy of having their good work tarnished. It has now become critical for investors and business to join the watchdogs, activists, and proponents to call out those undercutting the value of what ESG has and can achieve. Particularly concerning is the on-going offsetting of poor and bad investments with \u201cdoing good projects\u201d aimed more at optics and PR. This undermines any progress that has been made.<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">Understanding where it came from, it\u2019s purpose and objectives, gives us insights as to how the term has been used, misused and perhaps abused. It\u2019s not in anyone\u2019s interest, let alone the company\u2019s self-interest to have ESG\u2019s aim be that of marketing or differentiation or only a risk management exercise.\u00a0 It certainly was not intended as a means to create new financial tools without a purpose of betterment.<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">Join us in the classroom and discuss meaningful questions: Can the current version of ESG keep pushing organizations up the learning curve or is it time for ESG 2.0 or ESG++. Because as we move forward let\u2019s ask, where in ESG does humanity and well-being fit?\u00a0 For example, the whole health approach given that we very recently experienced a pandemic, and how about recognizing the UNEP Frontiers series which is examining zoonotic diseases.\u00a0 Are there any remnants of \u201cBuild back better?\u201d How might we evolve this ESG tool from doing less bad i.e., mitigation, to positive or regenerative investments i.e., the real\u00a0<em style=\"font-size: 18px;\">impact<\/em>\u00a0of ESG capital.\u00a0 Can ESG evolve to accommodate, how business activities are addressing, and improving, those material issues it affects by the nature of its business? Rather than solely focussing on how material issues impact the organization\u2019s ability to operate can we get the company to look at how it causes the underlying material issues in the first place?<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">What might be the next steps? Given that accountability is the legal or ethical responsibility to provide an account or reckoning of the actions for which one is held responsible and differs from responsibility, accountability refers to one\u2019s duty to explain, justify, or report on his or her actions.\u00a0 Corporate accountability need not be restricted to the traditional fiduciary model, nor only to the relationship between corporate management and shareholders. Companies enter contracts (both explicit and implicit) with other stakeholder groups as a matter of everyday business, and these contractual arrangements can serve as the basis for accountability relationships. \u00a0For example, a company that receives an environmental permit and approvals from regulators to operate its facility can be held accountable by the regulators on whether the terms of the approval are being met. Proponents of social contract theory often argue that corporations are given a \u2018license to operate\u2019 by society in exchange for good behaviour, and so the company is to be held accountable to society for their performance. Today, \u2018good behaviour\u2019 is far beyond \u201cbeing in compliance\u201d with the expectations that a company, and its shareholders are actively improving, developing breakthrough projects and championing positive impacts.<\/p><p style=\"font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">Is the company and the board treating ESG, and more broadly, sustainability as a strategic imperative? By following the materiality assessment of ESG issues and providing disclosures in ESG reports, it is assumed to be an indication of a business taking sustainability seriously.\u00a0 However, by the more commonly understood definition of ESG, this may not necessarily be the case.\u00a0 ESG assessment needs to be more than achieving a credit score for a well-run business to be able to capture capital.\u00a0 ESG 2.0 must now become the tool that moves organizations toward contributing to sustainability.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The demand for sustainability professionals keeps growing! There\u2019s increasing pressure on individuals to make decisions and act, both individually and collectively to make the urgent change our society and planet needs. No matter where your training and expertise lies, you can advance policy, build capacity, mobilize and empower for sustainable development. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6045,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6044"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6044"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6044\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6386,"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6044\/revisions\/6386"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ccsg.hku.hk\/slgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}