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Message from BEC Chairman Mr Kevin O'Brien
I am proud to be the Chairman of Business Environment Council (“BEC”) starting April 2022, with 2022 being a special year for the organisation as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.
With a mission to advocate environmental protection amongst our members and the broader community, BEC has excelled in research and advocacy of green buildings, waste management, decarbonisation and other important aspects of creating a sustainable world over the past three decades, thanks to the strong leadership of our management team. BEC’s success was complemented by a significant growth in membership base – total membership has now reached a record high of over 220 members from a wide range of industries in the business sector.
As BEC is turning a new page supported by its three-decade foundation, the next few years are crucial for Hong Kong as the city strives to reach its interim decarbonisation targets by 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. BEC will work closer than ever with our members and other stakeholders to take actions on Hong Kong’s climate change issues. I look forward to leading the organisation to reach new heights by further strengthening our ties with the Government, the private sector, and all local and overseas partners.
I wish BEC every success in driving business ambition into action to co-create a net-zero Hong Kong in the future, with its 30 years of environmental excellence.
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Message from BEC Immediate Past Chairman Mr Richard Lancaster
Congratulations to Business Environment Council (“BEC”) on its 30th anniversary.
Over the past three decades, BEC has been working with our members and the wider business community to promote environmental excellence and mainstream corporate sustainability. Along the way, we achieved a number of firsts in green building development, policy advocacy and capacity building in Hong Kong. Some examples include the development of the first accredited certificate-issuing body for indoor air quality solutions in 2007, the BEC Building became the first commercial building in Hong Kong to achieve the Platinum rating of Provisional Assessment under the BEAM Plus Existing Buildings (version 1.2) in 2014, and more recently the launch of the BEC Low Carbon Charter in March 2019, which is the first charter in Hong Kong specifically responding to the goals of the Paris Agreement.
It is impossible to achieve all these milestones on our own. On this auspicious occasion, I want to pay tribute to BEC’s many stakeholders. Our Founding Members who had the vision to lay the foundation for BEC; our current members numbering over 200, our partners in Government, the business sector, academia, consulate generals and international organisations and our staff who have supported BEC’s objectives since day one. BEC will continue to work closely with our members and partners for a net-zero, liveable and sustainable future, and will remain a driving force during this green transformation.
I wish BEC every success and look forward to its future endeavours scaling new heights in the years to come.
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Message from BEC Chief Executive Officer Mr Simon Ng
I am honoured to be appointed Chief Executive Officer of Business Environment Council (“BEC”) in the special year of 2022 which marks the 30th anniversary of the organisation.
As the new CEO, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all past Chairmen and Board of Directors for laying a solid foundation for BEC, which has enabled us to continue our growth and development in striving for environmental excellence in Hong Kong. My gratitude also goes to our diligent and professional staff who plays a pivotal role in BEC’s success over the past three decades. Their unique insights and constructive ideas, coupled with the strong leadership of our senior management team, steer BEC forward despite the ever-changing socio-economic landscape in Hong Kong and around the world. We have shown remarkable resilience amid the pandemic and managed to turn this unprecedented challenge into opportunities. Strict social distancing measures could not stop us from cementing our relationships with the Government, foreign consulates, business chambers and, most importantly, our members, who have always supported us. The relationships with our stakeholders are stronger than ever.
There is a Chinese saying “三十而立”, which means “one should be independent and steadfast at the age of 30”. BEC is essentially a grown-up entering its prime now. At this exceptional occasion of BEC’s 30th anniversary, I vow to work closely with our Board of Directors and stakeholders to extend BEC’s 30 years of environmental excellence on the net-zero journey. BEC, Happy Birthday!
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BEC Celebrates 30 Years of Environmental Excellence at 30th Anniversary Ceremony
9 November 2022
BEC held its 30th Anniversary Ceremony on 9 November to celebrate the organisation’s 30 years of environmental excellence. We were honoured to have Miss Diane Wong, Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, as the Guest of Honour of the Ceremony. Over 200 government officials, business leaders and professionals, BEC Members, partners and staff gathered to witness BEC’s important milestone of 30th anniversary by recognising the organisation’s past accomplishments and embracing the exciting opportunities ahead.
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BEC Publishes 30th Anniversary Commemorative Booklet
26 October 2022
Find out BEC’s interesting stories and significant milestones in our 30th Anniversary Commemorative Booklet now! BEC’s Chairman, CEO and key stakeholders also expressed their heartfelt congratulations upon our 30 years of environmental excellence in this specially designed booklet.
BEC Organises 30th Anniversary Media Luncheon
19 August 2022
To celebrate our 30 years of environmental excellence, we organised BEC 30th Anniversary Media Luncheon, in which our Chairman Mr Kevin O’Brien talked about BEC’s insights on net-zero carbon economy and our CEO Mr Simon Ng highlighted how BEC drives business ambition into action for a net-zero Hong Kong.
Our Director – Operations Ir C.F. Leung, Assistant Director – Communications Ms Maggie Lam and Head of Policy & Research Mr Merlin Lao also joined the luncheon and shared with media friends on BEC’s key projects and developments.
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BEC EnviroSeries Conference Drives Business Ambition into Action for a Net-zero Hong Kong
17 June 2022
BEC successfully held its well-received EnviroSeries Conference themed “Driving Business Ambition into Action for a Net-Zero Hong Kong” on 17 June with the participation of over 1,200 government representatives, consulate generals, business leaders, entrepreneurs, industry experts, and academics around the world. During the conference, all the guests celebrated BEC’s 30th anniversary together wishing the organisation reaching new heights on the journey of striving towards environmental excellence for Hong Kong.
BEC Receives Accreditation as WELL PTO and Achieves WELL HSR for its Building
29 March 2022
BEC is proud to announce its accreditation as a WELL Performance Testing Organisation (“WELL PTO”) and being the first Hong Kong-based non-profit organisation offering the service.
“BEC is very pleased to receive the WELL Performance Testing Organisation accreditation. By integrating the WELL rating to our portfolio, BEC is well-positioned to help companies and organisations benchmark their building’s performance against global standards for health and well-being, in so doing further enhancing their business performance,” said Mr Simon Ng, Chief Executive Officer of BEC.
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BEC Announces 30th Anniversary Logo
3 January 2022
We are proud to unveil our official 30th anniversary logo to kick-start our celebration.
BEC could never go this far without strong supports from our members. The three lines below “30 Years” represent BEC members which have always been a solid foundation for our success. Focusing on climate change, circular economy and sustainable living environment, BEC will keep up the momentum of our 30-year journey towards the shared vision of creating a sustainable future.
A special thanks to the winning designer Mr Tuba Lee!
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Click HERE to learn more.
BEC 30th Anniversary - Congratulatory Messages
23 August 2022
BEC is grateful for the strong support from the Government, the business sector, and all local and overseas partners over the past 30 years. Looking forward, BEC will continue to work closely with various important stakeholders to drive the net-zero transformation of Hong Kong and extend our 30 years of environmental excellence!
BEC 30th Anniversary - BEC Milestones
1 August 2022
To commemorate BEC’s 30th Anniversary, we have compiled a video showcasing our important milestones. Watch the video now to learn about BEC’s story and celebrate what we have achieved over the past three decades.
BEC 30th Anniversary - Chairman Dialogue
25 July 2022
To commemorate BEC’s 30th Anniversary, BEC Chairman Mr Kevin O’Brien and Immediate Past Chairman Mr Richard Lancaster have engaged in a dialogue to share BEC’s mission and vision and its unique advantages.
BEC 30th Anniversary - CEO Interview
4 July 2022
To commemorate BEC’s 30th Anniversary, our CEO Mr Simon Ng has shared with us his thoughts on our key success in these 30 years, his insights on BEC’s future new heights, and how he was inspired to become an advocator in climate change, environmental protection and sustainable development.
The Untold Story of BEC Building
28 February 2022
BEC Building, formally known as Jockey Club Environmental Building, is a distinctive icon of BEC. The cylindrical building, inspired by the traditional Hakka Tulou, has been standing in the tranquil district of Kowloon Tong since 1996. BEC has taken our 30th anniversary as the exclusive opportunity to unwind some key historical materials and discover BEC’s sustainability journey since the early history of our building. Read our cover story in the February e-Newsletter to learn more!