At the ESG Innovation Annual Meeting (2026) and the second ESG Expo held on September 19, Peng Huagang, President of the China Enterprise Reform and Development Society and former Member of the Party Committee and Secretary-General of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, highlighted a significant shift in China's approach to ESG.

Peng noted in his speech that ESG has become a new cornerstone for global corporate competition and collaboration. He emphasized that national policies continue to strengthen the strategic focus on ESG, with the regulatory framework being refined at an accelerated pace. This evolution is evident across multiple fronts, from mandatory sustainability disclosure guidelines for listed companies to the deepening of green finance reform pilot zones, and from the binding targets of the "dual carbon" goals to the broader development of a green, low-carbon industrial system. According to Peng, China's ESG governance is transitioning from a policy-driven model to a more institutionalized foundation.

Peng further observed that over the past year, Chinese enterprises have demonstrated deep and broad progress in their ESG practices. The coverage of sustainability information disclosure has risen significantly, low-carbon transitions are being implemented across industries, and the synergistic effects along the supply chain are becoming increasingly pronounced. Concurrently, an ESG evaluation system with distinctive Chinese characteristics is being developed at a quicker pace.

He concluded that China's ESG development is now entering a new phase, moving decisively from a "compliance-driven" approach to a "value-led" strategy. This transformation, he stated, is contributing Chinese solutions and insights to the global sustainable development agenda.