“CarbonSmart” Helps Businesses Shape a Low-Carbon Future

To encourage local enterprises to enhance energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and create synergy between businesses and environmental industries, the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) together with the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI), Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC), and Business Environment Council (BEC) today (21 March 2012) launched the “CarbonSmart” programme.

With funding support from the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) of the HKSAR Government, CarbonSmart features a pilot scheme under which around 200 companies from office-based operations, retail, catering and other industry sectors will receive subsidy of up to HK$30,000 to conduct carbon audit.

Mr Edward Yau, Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR Government, was the guest-of-honour at the launch, accompanied by officiating guests Mr Clement Chen, Chairman of HKPC; Mr Daniel Cheng, Deputy Chairman of FHKI; Miss Shirley Yuen, CEO of HKGCC; Ms Agnes Li, CEO of BEC; Mr Edward Leung, Chairman of Energy Conservation Projects Vetting Subcommittee, ECF; and Mrs Agnes Mak, Executive Director of HKPC.

Mr Chen said, “Hong Kong has close to 300,000 companies in the commercial and industrial sectors. They account for almost half of the city’s total energy consumption. Many of them have already started actions in energy saving and emission reduction to shoulder their environmental and social responsibility. If more businesses join the line, Hong Kong will definitely get closer towards attaining its carbon intensity reduction target.”

He said, “HKPC and our industry partners jointly launch the CarbonSmart programme to encourage businesses to conduct carbon audit and engage in carbon reduction. Contributing towards a low-carbon Hong Kong, CarbonSmart can also promote collaboration between businesses and the environmental service sector.”

Apart from the pilot audit scheme, the 30-month CarbonSmart programme also includes building a business carbon emission repository, production of a carbon management guide, a website and telephone helpdesk, assistance to companies in identifying suitable environmental service providers, seminars and workshops.

For more information about the programme, please contact Mr Gary Tam of HKPC at tel.: (852) 2788 6296 or email: garytam@hkpc.org. For other media enquiries, please contact Mr Felix Chan of HKPC’s Corporate Communications Division at tel.: (852) 2788 5036 or email: felixchan@hkpc.org

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Mr Jonathan Ho
General Manager
Corporate Communications Division
Hong Kong Productivity Council
Tel: (852) 2788 6390
Fax: (852) 2788 5056
Email: jonathanho@hkpc.org
Website: www.hkpc.org


21 March 2012

Mr Clement Chen, Chairman of HKPC, spoke on behalf of the programme organizers

Mr Edward Yau, Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR Government, gave opening address

Mr Edward Yau, Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR Government (fourth from left), was the guest-of-honour at the launch, accompanied by officiating guests Mr Clement Chen, Chairman of HKPC (first from left); Mr Daniel Cheng, Deputy Chairman of FHKI (third from left); Miss Shirley Yuen, CEO of HKGCC (second from left); Ms Agnes Li, CEO of BEC (second from right); Mr Edward Leung, Chairman of Energy Conservation Projects Vetting Subcommittee, ECF (first from right); and Mrs Agnes Mak, Executive Director of HKPC.