Tag: Environmental

Adani Ports secures top position for its climate actions and environmental performance

Bengaluru, 12 February 2024: Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) has secured top position for its climate actions and environmental performance in assessments done by four global rating agencies. The CDP assigned leadership band “A-“ to APSEZ, recognising the company’s efforts in implementing the current best practices to tackle climate change risks and opportunities. Around 23,000 companies, worth over half of the global listed market cap, participated in the assessment performed by the CDP on behalf of the investors representing an AUM of over USD136 trillion. APSEZ received the highest rating of “A” for its emission reduction initiatives, climate governance and risk management processes. Notably, a handful of companies make it to the leadership band every year.

Adani Representative Image

APSEZ has also secured the top position in the environmental dimension of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) 2023 among the 324 leading players in the Global Transportation and Transportation Infrastructure sector, which includes marine ports, shipping, air, road and rail transport, logistics, mass transit system and other transportation businesses. The environmental pillar provides 56% weight for climate indicators and strategy, with APSEZ improving its score for the third consecutive year to achieve the top position. On the overall ESG assessment, APSEZ with 96 percentile score stands among the top 15 leading companies in the sector globally and is apparently the only port operator to feature on the list.

The Sustainalytics Low Carbon Transition Rating has also assigned APSEZ the top rank in the ports sector during their January 2024 update. The indicator measures the alignment of the projected emissions of the company with the global net zero target. While Sustainalytics found the company’s current projected emissions in line for a 1.7oC rise in global temperature, APSEZ has already announced its commitment to reach net zero by 2040, a decade earlier than the requirement for the global GHG emissions to hit net zero to keep to 1.5oC. On the overall environmental dimension covering biodiversity & land use, emission and pollution control and waste management, Sustainalytics has assigned a low to negligible risk rating to APSEZ on account of a strong risk management framework that the company has implemented.

APSEZ has also received an ‘Advanced’ rating in the last Energy Transition Rating from Moody’s, reflecting its leadership position. Furthermore, Moody’s evaluated APSEZ on an environmental, social and governance basis in 2022, wherein the Company secured first rank in the Transport & Logistics sector and ninth across all sectors/ industries in the Global Emerging Markets. In India, APSEZ was ranked 1st on ESG performance across all the sectors. There were 4,885 companies globally that were evaluated by the rating agencies on a range of ESG indicators, policies, processes, and systems. The next assessment by Moody’s is likely this year.

HKUST’s Innovative Business Education Prepares Students for a Cross-disciplinary and Sustainable Future

India: The School of Business and Management of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST Business School) strives to incubate interdisciplinary business leaders for a sustainable future.

New program filling the gap of sustainable and green finance skills

Being in the forefront of cross-disciplinary education for sustainable development, the HKUST Business School will open admissions for a brand-new program” BSc in Sustainable and Green Finance” (BSc SGFN) in September 2022.

The program is designed to fill the global talent gap for top-level green and sustainable finance experts. Aiming to nurture leaders and managers in Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), impact investment, financing of sustainable projects and development of green products, students have to study a wide range of subjects across multiple disciplines – including climate and ESG, finance and risk management, statistics and programming, big data, operations management, public policy, among others.

Dual degree pathway for cross-disciplinary talent training

Cross-disciplinary business education_HKUST -

The global pandemic opens up a new avenue for innovative curriculum in the ever-changing business environment. The HKUST Business School will open admissions for its interdisciplinary dual degree 4+1 pathway – “BSc in Risk Management and Business Intelligence” (BSc RMBI) and “MSc in Financial Technology” (MSc FinTech) this coming September.

The new dual degree pathway allows motivated BSc RMBI students to pursue more in-depth exposure and development in FinTech. Selected undergraduate students will start taking MSc FinTech courses in their Year 4 and be admitted to the postgraduate program as full-time students in the following year. Students in this 4+1 pathway will complete both degrees in five years and might save up to 40% MSc tuition fee.

New extended major options for undergraduates

New technology and knowledge are emerging at an unprecedented pace in this digital era. To allow students to finish their studies within a four-year timeframe with a well-defined study pathway, the HKUST Business School will introduce new extended major options for undergraduates, covering emerging areas in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Media and Creative Art (DMCA) in September 2021 and September 2022, respectively.

The AI extended major enables students to learn fundamental knowledge in calculus, statistics and programming through cross-disciplinary seminars, a design thinking course and a capstone project. The 20+ credits extended major is suitable for students who want to pursue solid knowledge in business disciplines and innovative AI applications.

For creative talents, the DMCA extended major provides an integrated training of creative and digital media. This 15+ credits extended major offers a wide array of electives ranging from game programming, enjoyment of classical music, information systems and business protections for innovations, to marketing and visual communication.

More details about studying at the HKUST Business School is available at

http://undergrad.bm.ust.hk. For admission enquiries, please contact bmadmit@ust.hk.
The HKUST student startup “Planeteers HK” is one of our success stories. Co-founded by four HKUST Indian students, this startup has gained increasing recognition for its award-winning vegan and biodegradable edible cutlery. Their innovative fight against the city’s mounting waste and pollution crisis testifies HKUST Business School’s entrepreneurial spirit that makes a positive impact on business and society.

Anti-Covid19 measures on campus

The HKUST is resuming on-campus teaching and research collaboration in September 2021, and all students, faculty and staff members are required to get vaccinated or undergo testing every two weeks. To facilitate this policy, the university has arranged and will continue to arrange on-campus vaccination for both new and existing university members. Meanwhile, other preventive measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and regular spraying of antimicrobial coating on campus are still in place.

About the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Established in 1991, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (www.hkust.edu.hk) is a world-class research university that focuses on science, technology, and business as well as humanities and social science. In just over 25 years, this young and high-achieving University has risen with miraculous speed to take its place among the world’s elite institutions, climbing to the peaks of international esteem and receiving numerous honors and accolades. HKUST offers an international campus as well as a holistic and interdisciplinary pedagogy to nurture well-rounded graduates with global vision, strong entrepreneurial spirit, and innovative thinking.

The top-ranking HKUST Business School (www.bm.ust.hk) endeavours to give students a world-class business education with global exposure. We offer diverse program choices, ample opportunities for learning outside the classroom, such as corporate projects and internship programs, and strong career and alumni networks. Our curriculum is designed to provide the greatest possible flexibility to accommodate our students’ academic strengths and interests.