As a guidance and enhanced regulations on the compliance audit activities of personal information protection, the Cyberspace Administration of China issued "Administrative Measures for the Personal Information Protection Compliance Audit (Comment Draft)” and the annex of "Reference Points for Compliance Audit of Personal Information Protection" for public comments.
 
Avista extracted some key provisions, with additional interpretation in terms of internal control, to provide personal information processors a better understanding for the regulatory requirements of the personal information protection-related compliance audit.
 
<a href="../../../../../uploads/Highlights_of_the_Compliance_Audit_Requirement_in_the_Administrative_Measures_for_the_Personal_Information_Protection_Compliance_Audit_Comment_Draft_4a2daaddc3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the report now</a>
<a href="../../../../../uploads/Highlights_of_the_Compliance_Audit_Requirement_in_the_Administrative_Measures_for_the_Personal_Information_Protection_Compliance_Audit_Comment_Draft_4a2daaddc3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="../../../../../uploads/Screenshot_2023_11_10_at_2_57_02_PM_69620af56e.png" width="500" /></a>

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Highlights of the Compliance Audit Requirement in the “Administrative Measures for the Personal Information Protection Compliance Audit (Comment Draft)”

In October 2023, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited issued a guidance letter on the "Disclosure of the Basis of Consideration and Business Valuations in Notifiable Transactions”. The guidance letter emphasizes the need for listed companies to provide adequate explanation of the basis for determining the consideration of the transaction by disclosing sufficient and objective information in the disclosure documents, and provides guidance on the recommended disclosures.
 
<a href="../../../../../uploads/HK_Ex_Guidance_Letter_on_Disclosure_of_the_Basis_of_Consideration_and_Business_Valuation_in_Notifiable_Transactions_ab6483414a.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the report now</a>
 
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HKEx Guidance Letter on Disclosure of the Basis of Consideration and Business Valuation in Notifiable Transactions

On August 21, 2023, the Ministry of Finance officially released the "Interim Provisions on Accounting Treatment of Enterprise Data Resources" ("Provisions"), which will be implemented from January 1, 2024. In response to this, under the guidance of the Ministry of Finance, the China Appraisal Society issued the "Guidelines on Data Assets Valuation" ("Guidelines") on September 8, 2023, which will be implemented from October 1, 2023. Against this backdrop, the valuation of data assets faces new challenges, and data assets’ valuation has become an indispensable and crucial link in promoting data capitalization and the development of the data assets market.
 
<a href="../../../../uploads/Overview_of_Data_Assets_Valuation_Methods_bab064ce42.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the report now</a>
 
<a href="../../../../uploads/Overview_of_Data_Assets_Valuation_Methods_bab064ce42.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="../../../../uploads/Screenshot_2023_10_31_at_10_44_12_AM_4443d8773f.png" width="500" height="709" /></a>

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Overview of Data Assets Valuation Methods

In July 2023, the Securities and Futures Commissions ("SFC") and the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council ("AFRC") issued the first joint statement highlighting common regulatory concerns regarding loans, advances and prepayments arrangements for listed issuers.
 
Listed companies are advised to consider the Statement as an official guideline and evaluate their internal controls and implement necessary enhancements to align with the recommended practices.  
 
<a href="../../../../../uploads/AVISTA_Insights_20230731_83e33f2d49.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the summary of the Statement now</a>
 
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Summary of SFC and AFRC Joint Statement on Loans, Advances and Prepayments Arrangements

In recent years, HKEx has increasingly prioritized Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors. The consultation paper released in April showcases HKEx's commitment to enhancing the quality of ESG disclosures made by listed companies.
 
What strategies should companies adopt to establish a robust ESG governance framework and effectively adapt to future regulatory requirements concerning ESG compliance?
 
Find the answer now
<a href="../../../../../uploads/AVISTA_insight_July_2023_EN_20230705_compressed_1_2f38ab9a22.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="../../../../../uploads/EN_cover_3b83b9146f.png" alt="" width="400" height="565" /></a>

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Pathway for Establishing an Effective ESG Governance System

Original article (only available in Chinese) : <a href="https://finance.mingpao.com/fin/daily/20230404/1680511326790/%E5%85%A8%E7%90%83%E7%B6%A0%E8%89%B2%E7%B6%93%E6%BF%9F%E7%9A%84%E9%87%8D%E8%A6%81%E6%8E%A8%E6%89%8B-%E7%A2%B3%E4%BF%A1%E7%94%A8%E4%BA%A4%E6%98%93">全球綠色經濟的重要推手：碳信用交易 | 明報</a>
 
<img src="../../../../../uploads/174384169_l_normal_none_resize_b4d0ecd2e0.jpg" alt="" width="1100" height="436" />
 Climate change is a major challenge that the world is facing today. The Emissions Trading System (ETS) provides a market mechanism for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by enabling companies to offset their carbon emissions generated from operations by purchasing carbon credits while offering economic incentives. Carbon markets can be divided into mandatory and voluntary markets. Mandatory markets achieve emission reduction targets through government-imposed caps, with regulated companies participating in carbon quota trading. Banks and other institutions can provide liquidity and hedge against the risk of rising carbon prices. The voluntary market consists of carbon offset project developers, carbon credit buyers, exchanges, brokers, and investors. Regulatory trends such as the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the rise of corporate social responsibility have driven the soaring demand for carbon credits. For example, Tesla generated a profit of USD 1.78 billion in 2022 by selling carbon credits in California's mandatory market. Market interest in voluntary carbon trading is also growing, with the London Stock Exchange launching a voluntary carbon market to help projects raise funds, enabling investors to obtain carbon credits or cash dividends from sales.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;"> The Current State of Carbon Markets</h2>
 Driven by strong efforts from countries worldwide, the total carbon emissions covered by the global mandatory carbon market have grown from 2.1 billion to 8.9 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) in the past 17 years, with the voluntary carbon market reaching a transaction value of USD 2 billion in 2021. China's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 has greatly accelerated its carbon market development. In 2021, China launched a national carbon market covering over 4 billion tonnes of carbon emissions, making it the world's largest ETS in terms of emissions coverage. Additionally, the People's Bank of China recently announced its support for the China Beijing Green Exchange to develop China Certified Emissions Reduction (CCER) trading, promote the creation of more carbon financial products, reduce green premiums, and drive the green transition. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange's one-stop international voluntary carbon market, Core Climate, launched in 2022, has also made a strong start, providing significant momentum to voluntary carbon trading in the Asia-Pacific region. Leveraging its strategic gateway advantage, Hong Kong can formulate policies, cultivate carbon credit ecosystems, promote climate investment growth, and seize green finance development opportunities in China, such as cooperating with the Guangzhou Futures Exchange to develop green financial products and enhance its competitiveness in the international carbon market.
 
<h6 style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.hkex.com.hk/Join-Our-Market/Sustainable-Finance/Core-Climate?sc_lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="../../../../../uploads/core_climate_991dea5aae.jpg" alt="" width="1100" height="807" /></a></h6>
<h6 style="text-align: justify;">HKEx luanched a one-stop international voluntary carbon market, Core Climate in 2022</h6>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;"> The Investment Appeal of Carbon Credits</h2>
 As an emerging asset, carbon credits have already demonstrated their investment potential. In addition to optimistic expected returns, carbon allowances generally have lower correlations with traditional assets, making them an effective tool for diversifying investment portfolios and hedging against climate transition-related investment losses. Among these, Carbon futures exchange-traded funds (ETF) offer investors with carbon credit-related investment opportunities, such as Hong Kong’s CICC Carbon Futures ETF (03060). This fund tracks the ICE EUA Carbon Futures Index of the Eurex Exchange and has achieved an annualized return of 41.5% over the past 8 years. In the bond market, the Hong Kong government recently announced the successful issuance of HKD 800 million in tokenized green bonds, the world's first tokenized green bonds issued by a government, providing diversified financing solutions for decarbonization projects. Policy support and market demand have also given rise to innovative companies based on carbon credits, such as Carbon Streaming Corporation, which plans to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in the United States, using an innovative business model to provide project financing for carbon offset developers and profit from carbon credits. The emergence of these companies and schemes provides more investment and financing opportunities, contributing to the development of climate finance and building a more comprehensive carbon credit ecosystem.
 
Carbon credits play a vital role in the development of the green economy. As the ETS and carbon markets mature, carbon credits will be able to offer investors with more efficient financing and monetization channels. In the future, with the increasing collaboration among carbon market participants and the growth of financing solutions, the supply and demand of carbon credits will further converge, promoting their development and application, ultimately advancing the global market economy towards a sustainable "carbon-centric" era.
 
<a href="../../../../../uploads/20230404_ESG_2_c518884afb.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="../../../../../uploads/20230404_ESG_2_ade6ba4120.jpg" alt="" width="1100" height="427" /></a>

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AVISTA [Ming Pao Column] Series: Carbon Credit Trading - A Key Driver for the Global Green Economy

<h4 style="text-align: justify;">Original article (only available in Chinses):  <a href="https://finance.mingpao.com/fin/specialpage1675936435843/20230314/1678703213637/%e5%a6%82%e4%bd%95%e5%88%a9%e7%94%a8%e5%a4%a7%e6%95%b8%e6%93%9a%e5%8f%8a%e4%ba%ba%e5%b7%a5%e6%99%ba%e8%83%bd%e7%ad%89%e5%b7%a5%e5%85%b7%e5%8d%94%e5%8a%a9%e8%a9%95%e4%bc%b0%e4%bc%81%e6%a5%adesg%e8%a1%a8%e7%8f%be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">如何利用大數據及人工智能等工具協助評估企業ESG表現 | 明報</a></h4>
 
In light of the heightened focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in the corporate landscape, poor performance and negative news will have a significant impact on corporate development. Therefore, assessing the development potential of a company should not rely solely on financial metrics but should also consider ESG performance. Over the past ten years, factors such as climate change and sustainability risks have increasingly emerged as key factors for investors in their asset allocation decisions. The market believes that strong ESG performance can facilitate consistent profit growth, sustain competitive advantage, and enable long-term sustainable development. Moreover, it allows organizations to proactively identify and manage risks through forward-looking strategies, mitigating investment losses attributable to inadequate ESG performance or negative news. As a practical tool for investors, ESG ratings offer a convenient and accessible means to gauge a target company's ESG performance. By referring to these ratings, investors can rapidly and directly comprehend a firm's ESG maturity and discern its significant risk exposures.
 
ESG ratings are crucial in evaluating a company's sustainability performance, but their effectiveness is compromised by several data quality and methodology issues. The effectiveness of ESG ratings is hampered by limitations in data sources and the lack of standardized evaluation methods, leading to varying institutional judgments and interpretations that can cause fundamental problems. Firstly, current ESG ratings suffer from a lack of unified standards, with different rating agencies like MSCI ESG, DJSI, Hang Seng Sustainable Development Enterprise Index, and Sustainalytics establishing their research and analysis frameworks. This results in inconsistencies in rating indicators and increases sustainable investment risks. Additionally, most ratings consider the performance of the three ESG pillars and use their average value or predetermined weight to aggregate them into an overall score. This approach may offset positive and negative impacts, dilute rating information, and failing to analyze a company's performance in different aspects. In some cases, strong social and governance performance may overshadow severe environmental risks, providing little assistance to investors seeking to mitigate potential ESG risks. Furthermore, The effectiveness of ESG ratings hinges on the reliability of external information collected. Nevertheless, internal corporate information such as ESG reports and company documents may contain misleading claims, resulting in biased rating results.
 
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;"> </h3>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Potential and Practical Applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data</h2>
Big data and AI technology can effectively address the challenges posed by ESG ratings. Investors can use AI to mine and filter ESG information from multiple data sources (such as news, social media, government reports, NGO analysis reports, etc.) and previous records according to their investment strategies and areas of interest. Natural language processing technology can be used to analyze unstructured data and comprehensively evaluate a company's ESG performance while filtering out greenwashing noise. Massive data collection significantly improves benchmark analysis credibility, allowing investors to gain insight into the target company's ESG performance relative to industry peers, especially during major ESG events. This enables timely and accurate assessments through quick data collection and analysis.
 
ESG data provider Arabesque AI uses AI engines and ESG data analysis methods to help asset managers automate the integration of multiple financial and non-financial dimensions and preferences, generating highly customized active investment strategies and thematic investment portfolios, including mitigating ESG risks, seizing transition opportunities, and aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. On the other hand, the screening process for the first "Top 100 Carbon Neutral Hong Kong Listed Companies" by the Greater Bay Area Carbon Neutrality Symposium (“大灣區碳中和論壇”) leveraged the AI ESG report analysis engine technology developed by the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute(“香港應用科技研究院”). With this technology, data from over 2,000 listed companies' ESG reports was processed in under two hours, during which the engine automatically extracted and analyzed key information, enhancing efficiency while also reducing manual costs. In the future, the application of big data and AI technology will bring infinite opportunities for sustainable investment, helping investors comprehensively understand the target company's performance in ESG aspects, reducing investment and greenwashing risks.
 
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