IN BRIEF (Page 8)

Sustainable development

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Financial Research Institute of the People's Bank of China have issued a report on the sustainable development strategy of China's banking sector.

The report offers guidance methods for the banking sector's sustainable development from several angles such as risk control, customer market segmentation and changes in the external environment. It also analyzes the Concept of Scientific Development and sustainable development, environmental protection and sustainable development, and environmental protection and economic development.

A sustainable development strategy needs the joint efforts of the government, enterprises, social groups and the public, says Dermot O'Gorman, WWF China's chief representative.

BMW China Culture trek

To help preserve the memory of China's vanishing cultural heritage and provide financial support, a cultural journey organized by BMW China and BMW Brilliance, in cooperation with the Chinese National Academy of Arts and Protection Center of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China, set out from Beijing recently.

The 2008 BMW China Culture Journey is traveling along the famous Grand Canal, considered the North-South traffic artery of China, to explore roots of Chinese civilization and donate money to protect the cultural heritages along the way.

Computers fight poverty

The Green Computer Poverty-Alleviation initiative, held by the China Rural Infoplatform Office of the Association of Poverty-Alleviation and Development and Sohu.com, has begun in Beijing.

Children in Hebei and Qinghai, together with people at the kickoff ceremony in Beijing via video, requested the donation of underutilized computers for poverty-alleviation and to protect the environment. The official website of the initiative was also launched the same time.

HKEx establishes CSR group

The Board of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEx) has established a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) committee chaired by the chief executive to oversee the further development of CSR within the company, and has retained the Business Environment Council (BEC) as its CSR consultant.

In April 2008, the BEC was commissioned to conduct a review of HKEx's CSR measures and make a green audit of its operations to identify areas where HKEx could improve its existing operations in relation to their environmental and social impact, and to suggest additional CSR initiatives for HKEx's consideration.

(China Daily 10/27/2008 page8)