Biodiversity, which refers to the variety of living species on Earth – plants, animals and micro-organisms – and the ecosystems they form, has become a hot topic across the globe. Conserving biodiversity is critical to maintaining a sustainable ecosystem for all species including humans. In the business environment, companies are able to contribute by setting strategies that help biodiversity conservation. In this Leadership Networking Series, our speakers will share their insights on the 23 targets by 2030 set in UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15), the relations between biodiversity and the Hong Kong business sector, as well as the strategies and challenges related to biodiversity of companies in Hong Kong.
Speakers
Mr Mark Harper Mr Mark Harper has worked for around 20 years in the field of corporate sustainability. As Group Head of Sustainability at Swire, Mr Harper is responsible for managing the Group Sustainable Development Office, and leading on the design, execution and performance monitoring of global corporate strategy for sustainability for the Swire Group, and acting as the lead change agent in driving improved sustainability performance and best practices, with a view to further embed sustainability into overall business strategy for Swire. Prior to taking up the Group Head of Sustainability role, Mr Harper had worked at John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd. for over six years, where he was responsible for managing the Group’s ESG disclosures as well as advising operating companies on their own ESG submissions. In addition to his work on ESG ratings, Mr Harper was also responsible for advising the Group on policy and strategy development, particularly in the areas of climate resilience, biodiversity and sustainable waste management. He also sits on the Board of Business Environment Council, the Executive Committee of the Drink Without Waste working group, and is Vice Chair of the Environment and Energy Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. Mr Harper has extensive experience of ESG disclosure standards such as GRI and the Hong Kong Exchange ESG Reporting Guide, as well as conducting sector focused benchmarking studies, corporate environmental management, as well as organising hands-on corporate citizenship and CSR training programmes. Before joining John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd., Mr Harper worked in a number of senior management roles at high profile NGOs including the Earthwatch Institute, Fauna & Flora International, China Water Risk, and Business Environment Council, where he was responsible for managing the organisations advisory services on ESG reporting and corporate sustainability strategy development.
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Dr David Baker Dr David Baker is the Chief Scientist and Co-founder of Archireef. He is also an Associate Professor of Ecology and Biodiversity at the University of Hong Kong, as well as a multi-disciplinary marine ecologist with a focus on coral reef species. Being a practitioner of Science Communication, Dr Baker frequently participates and supports science public outreach events, spreading the awareness of ecosystem conservation beyond the classroom. His most recent appearance on CBS News brought international attention to the coral reefs in Hong Kong and discussed how innovation saves the environment.
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Ms Melanie Kwok Melanie is the Assistant General Manager (Sustainability) and the Head of Sustainability of Sino Group. She oversees a range of sustainability projects related to ESG. Being a specialist in the realm of Sustainable Development for nearly 20 years, Melanie has also gained extensive experiences in Sustainable Tourism and Stakeholder Engagement. Melanie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Management from the Imperial College London, a Master Degree of Science in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Master Degree in Sustainable Business from the University of Cambridge. She is also a certified Sustainable Tourism Professional by Global Sustainable Tourism Council. |
Programme
Time |
Activity |
4:30 – 4:45p.m. |
Sharing by Mr Mark Harper, Group Head of Sustainability, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd. |
4:45 – 5:00p.m. |
Sharing by Dr David Baker, Chief Scientist and Co-founder, Archireef |
5:00 – 5:15p.m. |
Sharing by Ms Melanie Kwok, Assistant General Manager (Sustainability), Sino Group |
5:15 – 5:30p.m. |
Q&A |
5:30 – 6:00p.m. |
Networking |
Successful registrants will be notified separately. For enquiries, please contact us at event@bec.org.hk or 2784 3958