The programme is designed to fully prepare students for ESG Certified Professional Examination. It covers key aspects of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting requirements offered by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Case studies of ESG reporting and applications of generative AI for ESG reporting will be examined.
 

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of the programme, students should be able to

1. explain ESG reporting requirements under the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority guidelines;
2. analyse ESG KPIs under the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Securities and the Futures Commission ESG reporting guidance;
3. assess ESG and climate-related risks under local and global context; and
4. apply generative AI for ESG reporting.

Application Code	2280-FN121A	Apply Online Now
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Syllabus

1. Corporate Governance Code and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting related Listing Rules and ESG-related Guidelines by the Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing Limited (HKEx)

• HKEx mandatory disclosure requirements in the Corporate Governance Code
• Principles of good corporate governance, code provisions, and recommended best practices
• Codes Provisions on Chairman and Chief Executive and Management functions
• Directors’ responsibilities, delegation, and board proceedings
• Audit committee, internal control and risk management
• Level and make-up of remuneration and disclosure
• Shareholders engagement

2. ESG Reporting Principles and Reporting Boundary

• Reporting principles – (1) Materiality; (2) Quantitative; (3) Balance & (4) Consistency
• Governance Structure
• Reporting boundary
• “Comply or explain” provisions
• Subject areas, aspects, general disclosures & key performance indicators (KPIs)

 

3. Materiality Assessment and ESG Mandatory Disclosure Requirements

• Internal & external materiality assessment
• Materiality matrix
• Disclosure of ESG targets
• Report of the “comply or explain” provisions
• Writing ESG Reports and ESG report flowchart
• Materiality table by industry and aspect

 

4. ESG Reporting Guidance on Subject Area A: Environmental KPIs

• Environmental: (1) emissions; (2) use of resources; (3) the environment & natural resources & (4) climate change
• Emissions factors and emissions data 
• Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – scope 1, scope 2 & scope 3
• GHG emissions from stationary combustion sources; GHG emissions from mobile combustion sources for road, air and water transport; GHG removals from newly planted trees
• Total hazardous waste produced and intensity: data collection, calculation, and explanation(s) for non- or partial-disclosure and targets for reduction of emissions
• Use of resources: (1) direct/indirect energy consumption; (2) water consumption; (3) energy use efficiency target(s)
• Significant impacts of activities on the environment and natural resources and the actions taken to manage them
• Significant climate-related issues
• Physical risks and transition risks of climate change

 

5. ESG Reporting Guidance on Subject Area B: Social KPIs

• Social: (1) employment; (2) health & safety; (3) development & training; (4) labour standards; (5) supply chain management; (6) product responsibility; (7) anti-corruption and (8) community investment
• Total workforce by gender, employment type, age group, and geographical region
• Number and rate of work-related fatalities, lost days due to work injury
• Occupational health and safety measures
• Percentage of employees trained by gender and employee category, average training hours completed per employee by gender and employee category
• Fundamental human rights, child and forced labour, and employment practices
• General supply chain management strategy, supply chain environmental & social risk assessment and green procurement
• Consumer protection measures, consumer satisfaction
• Intellectual property rights, quality management & consumer privacy
• Preventive measures, whistle-blowing procedures, and anti-corruption training
• Development of local communities

 

6. Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) – Climate Risk Management in Banking

• Overview of climate-related issues under supervisory policy manual GS-1
• Responsibilities of the board and senior management of authorised institutions 
• Setting of climate goals, actions and risk appetite
• Strategic assessment and stakeholder engagement
• Risk identification and measurement
• Scenario analysis and stress testing
• Monitoring and reporting of exposure of operation to climate-related risks
• Control and mitigation in various measures
• Climate-related disclosure in banking under TCFD’s recommendations

 

7. Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) ESG Fund and Investment Reporting Requirements

• Application of the climate-related risk requirements under the Fund Manager Code of Conduct (FMCC)
• Taxonomy issue under the Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group
• Climate-related data availability
• Disclosure of GHG emissions
• Disclosure of ESG and climate-related risks in investment and risk management processes
• Guidelines of ESG fund disclosure
• ESG focus of the fund, ESG investment strategy, asset allocation, reference ESG benchmarks & risks of ESG investment strategy

 

8. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 – IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standard General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information

• Conceptual Foundation: Fair presentation, Materiality, Reporting entity, and Connected information
• Core Content: Governance, Strategy, Risk Management and Metrics and Target
• General Requirements: Sources of guidance, Location of disclosures, Timing of reporting, Comparative information, and Statement of compliance
• Judgements, Uncertainties, Errors and Illustrative Guidance

 

9. IFRS S2 – IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standard Climate-Related Disclosures

• Objective and Scope
• Core Content: Governance, Strategy, Risk Management and Metrics and Target
• Illustrative Guidance and Examples
• Industry-based Guidance on Implementing IFRS S2

 

10. Implementation Guidance for Climate Disclosures under HKEx ESG reporting framework and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

• Reporting on TCFD recommendations - Guidance on Climate Disclosures under HKEx
• Implementation Guidance for Climate Disclosures under HKEx ESG reporting framework:
  • Climate-related disclosure requirements and implementation reliefs
  • Governance: (1) Skills and competencies, (2) Processes and frequency, (3) Roles and responsibilities of the board, (4) Progress monitoring, (5) Roles and responsibilities of management, and (6) Overview of tools and application to climate-related risks
  • Strategy: (1) Climate-related risks and opportunities, (2) Business model and value chain, (3) Climate resilience, (4) Financial position, financial performance and cash flows, (5) Strategy and decision-making
  • Risk Management: (1) Risk identification, (2) Risk assessment, (3) Risk prioritissation, (4) Risk management, and (5) Risk integration
  • Metrics and Targets: (1) Greenhouse gas emissions (Scope1, 2, and 3), (2) Cross-industry metrics, (3) Internal carbon prices, (4) Remuneration, (5) Industry-based metrics, and (6) Climate-related targets & Illustrative cases

 

11. Science Based Targets initiatives (SBTi) and Guidance Letter (HKEx-GL86-16) by IPO Vetting Team of HKEx

• Key components of the science-based net-zero standard: (1) near-term targets, (2) long-term targets, (3) neutralise residual emissions and (4) beyond value chain mitigation
• Key criteria for near and long-term science-based targets
• ESG-related sections in the Guidance Letter

 

12. Generative AI for ESG Reporting

• Fundamentals of generative AI
• ESG KPI calculation and benchmarking
• Scope 3 emissions reporting and AI
• Natural language processing for ESG data, image and visual analysis
• Applications of generative AI for ESG reporting

 

Assessment and award

A "Certificate for Module (ESG Certified Professional Examination Preparatory Programme)" will be awarded within the HKU system through HKU SPACE to students who have satisfied the following criteria:

• Achieve at least 70% attendance of the programme; and
• Pass all the assessments

Type of Assessment	Description	Weighting
Coursework	Individual case study essay (1,200 words)	30%
Examination	Mock ESG Certified Professional Examination (1.5 hours, 60 multiple choice questions)	70%

Course Fee

• Course Fee : HK$9000 per programme

Applicants shall hold a bachelor’s degree awarded by a recognised institution. If the degree or equivalent qualification is from an institution where the language of teaching and assessment is not English, applicants shall provide evidence of English proficiency, such as:

1. an overall band of 6.0 or above with no subtests lower than 5.5 in the IELTS; or
2. a score of 550 or above in the paper-based TOEFL, or a score of 213 or above in the computer-based TOEFL, or a score of 80 or above on the internet-based TOEFL; or
3. HKALE Use of English at Grade E or above; or
4. HKDSE Examination English Language at Level 3 or above; or
5. equivalent qualifications.

Applicants must check with the Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies (CHKLC) that they meet CHKLC requirements to take the ESG Certified Professional Examination. 

Applicants with other qualifications will be considered on individual merit.

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Enrolment Method Payment Method

The programme is offered in collaboration with the Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies.

About the Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies (CHKLC)

Established in September 2002, the CHKLC is committed to representing Hong Kong listed companies in its strive to attain a sound listing environment for companies and raise the overall quality of the stock market. Listed company members of CHKLC come from a wide range of business and industry background and include local blue chips, large H-shares and Red Chips as well as medium and small sized companies and GEM stocks. Its members’ market capitalization exceeds 33% of that of the whole market, giving CHKLC a unique mandate to represent listed companies’ interests on important market matters.

The ESG Certified Professional Examination is a market-focused and professionally oriented examination designed for those interested in pursuing certified proficiency in ESG in Hong Kong for performing ESG-related job duties. The Exam’s syllabus is based on HKEx's regulatory materials, with a focus on HKEx ESG reporting requirements and compliance. The syllabus also includes public information from the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). An individual who passes the Exam will be awarded the status of ESGCP by CHKLC after completing the registration with the Institute of ESG Certified Professional.