Sustainable HKMA

We promote and integrate sustainability considerations into our decisions, operations and practices.  We seek to make contributions to society by leveraging the HKMA’s position as a central banking institution and a responsible corporate citizen.

Governance

The Green and Sustainability Steering Committee (GSSC) is chaired by the Chief Executive of HKMA with three Deputy Chief Executives serving as standing members and relevant Executive Directors attending on a need basis. It steers and co-ordinates all sustainability work across the different functional areas of the HKMA, including guiding the development of vision, strategies and policies concerning corporate sustainability and social responsibility matters.

At the operational level, the Executive Director (Corporate Services) guides the implementation of sustainability activities related to corporate operations, staff well-being and community engagement, and reports regularly to the GSSC. The Administration Section acts as a coordinator and central hub for execution, communications and reporting of corporate sustainability initiatives.

In addition, two working groups, comprising members from different departments, provide another layer of support. They are the Focus Group on Green Office, a forum to propose ideas to green the workplace; and the Committee on Volunteering Services, which aims to foster a culture of volunteerism among staff.

Our Approach to a Sustainable Organisation

Our sustainability strategy is structured around the three pillars of Environment, People and Social Responsibility, with the directions under each pillar set out in the diagram below:

Furthermore, we recognise the importance of cultivating a culture of sustainability, and through ongoing awareness and action campaigns, inspire action among staff. You can find more details about our strategy in leading environmental stewardship and supporting staff’s well-being and the community on this webpage.

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  • Protecting our Environment

    Under the HKMA’s Sustainable Finance Action Agenda unveiled in October 2024, we have committed to achieving net zero in our corporate operations by 2030. To this end, we have drawn up a roadmap to guide our net zero transition pathway. We plan to completely eliminate Scope 1 emissions through transitioning all our existing cars to electric vehicles, and to reduce Scope 2 emissions by implementing various decarbonisation strategies within our operations. We will also endeavour to mitigate our Scope 3 emissions, as far as practicable, from various sources, such as our supply chain, waste generation and business air travel. Additionally, we have been exploring the use of carbon insetting tools to reduce Scope 2 and 3 emissions within our value chain and assessing the use of carbon offsets for emissions that are challenging to abate.

    To deliver on our commitments, our priority is to manage the environmental impact of our operations responsibly, including:

    • Incorporating environmental considerations in designing, operating and maintaining our office premises and data centres, with a view to obtaining relevant green accreditations from authoritative certification bodies;
    • Switching all petrol cars to electric vehicles to achieve full green mobility;
    • Boosting energy efficiency by conducting regular reviews of energy consumption and energy-saving practices;
    • Building a digitally empowered workplace to enhance virtual collaboration within the organisation, and adopting eco-friendly business practices;
    • Advocating a green culture within the organisation, promoting the four ‘R’ principles of refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle to minimise waste generation and manage waste disposal; and
    • Taking into account the factors of sustainability and environmental friendliness in our procurement practices, in addition to aligning with the green specifications on the Government’s Green Procurement List.

    As we take measures to reduce our carbon footprint, we calculate and report our corporate emissions, using the GHG Protocol1, in our annual sustainability reports. All our disclosed performance data are independently validated by a third party. 

    On risk management, we continuously review the actual and potential implications of various climate-related risks that may affect the maintenance of the HKMA’s premises and operational ability of the organisation. To address these risks while ensuring business continuity, we have integrated various measures into the office design to mitigate potential physical hazards and other emergencies. In addition, we regularly update our business contingency plans and conduct drills on activation of back-up facilities to ensure that staff are familiar with the business contingency measures.

    Find out more about our environmental sustainability strategies and performance on pages 49 to 52 of the Sustainability Report 2024.

    Catalysing transition

    The HKMA has been taking the lead in fuelling the low-carbon transition in the marketplace, and advocating measures that enhance operational efficiency and minimise resource consumption for the HKMA, the financial industry and the economy:

    • Enabling electronic submissions of reports and regulatory data by banks to the HKMA, and disseminating information to banks electronically;
    • Recirculating coins through the Coin Collection Programme; and
    • Encouraging the public to adopt electronic payments, by promoting the use of the Faster Payment System and Stored Value Facilities, in particular, giving out electronic lai sees and using good-as-new banknotes during the Chinese New Year.

     


    1 The GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard

  • Caring for Our People

    Our staff are valuable assets of the HKMA.  We promote work-life balance and seek to foster a healthy and inclusive workplace that enhances staff’s well-being.  We value every employee’s opinion and provide various communication tools for staff to offer their advice and express concerns.

    Wellness Office

    Wellness Office

    Our office features an open layout that increases capacity and space efficiency. Measures to improve staff health and productivity are also implemented.

    Staff well-being

    Staff well-being

    Championing both physical and mental health, we organise seminars on healthy lifestyles, stress management and workplace safety, arrange medical check-ups, flu vaccinations and fitness activities, as well as sponsor personal counselling services.

    Training and Development

    Training and Development

    We offer both vertical (job-specific) and horizontal (general) skills training to develop our staff’s capabilities to meet operational needs and career progression, and to enhance their adaptability to new challenges.

    Equal Opportunities and Diversity

    Equal Opportunities and Diversity

    We value diversity in our workforce. We believe that everyone should be able to work in an environment free of discrimination, harassment, vilification, and victimisation.

  • Supporting our Community

    In fulfilling our social responsibility, we look beyond the immediate corporate boundaries to upstream and downstream sectors to broaden our impacts. 

    Volunteer and Charitable Activities

    We are committed to giving back to the communities by encouraging our staff to participate in volunteer and charity work. We partner with various community organisations to address community causes. Examples of how our staff bring positive impact to our communities can be found on pages 62 of the Sustainability Report 2024.

    Managing supply chain

    We source goods and services from suppliers that uphold sustainability values. In selecting suppliers, we consider, among other things, a supplier’s track record in complying with labour and health and safety regulations. We engage with social enterprises, including them on our list of local vendors.

    Community Engagement and Public Education

    We actively run various community engagement and education initiatives through different communication channels and multiple media to promote smart and responsible use of banking and financial services. We also seek to help the public, particularly the young generation, to learn about developments and career opportunities in the financial industry in Hong Kong.

    Advocating Financial Inclusion

    To promote financial inclusion in Hong Kong, we work closely with the banking industry to enhance access to basic banking services by different segments of society. 

    Find out more about the principles and recommended good practices set out in the industry guidelines for banks on banking services for people with physical, visual, hearing and intellectual impairments, and dementia on the webpage of the Hong Kong Association of Banks.

Accreditations and Awards
Gold certification from LEED for Interior Design and Construction for part of the premises Caring Organisation for the 18th consecutive year as of 2024

Gold rating under BEAM Plus Interiors for part of the premises

Gold certification
from LEED for Interior Design and Construction for part of the premises

Caring Organisation for the 18th consecutive year as of 2024

Gold rating
under BEAM Plus Interiors for part of the premises

Gold certification from LEED for Interior Design and Construction for part of the premises Platinum rating for the backup data centre under BEAM Plus Existing Data Centres

Gold rating for the production data centre under BEAM Plus Existing Data Centres

Platinum rating for the backup data centre under BEAM Plus Existing Data Centres

Bronze Award, Non-profit Making and Charitable Organisations Category, Hong Kong Management Association’s Best Annual Reports Awards 2024 ESG Special Mention, Public Sector Category, the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Best Corporate Governance and ESG Awards 2024

Bronze Award, Non-profit Making and Charitable Organisations Category, Hong Kong Management Association’s Best Annual Reports Awards 2024

ESG Special Mention, Public Sector Category, the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Best Corporate Governance and ESG Awards 2024

Last revision date : 23 June 2025