Thread Content
Expert Seminar on Promoting Environmental Information Disclosure by Chinese Enterprises Held in Beijing People’s Daily Online, Beijing, January 21 (Reporter Peng Bo) – The “Expert and Media Seminar on Promoting Environmental Information Disclosure by Chinese Enterprises,” organized by the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, was held in Beijing on the afternoon of January 17. Experts from relevant institutions such as the Development Research Center of the State Council, the Legislation Department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University, and Tsinghua University, as well as representatives from various media outlets, were invited to attend the meeting. The disclosure of corporate environmental information refers to the practice whereby companies make public to society, through environmental reports and other means, information regarding the environmental impacts generated by those companies as well as information related to their environmental practices. It is understood that the disclosure of corporate environmental information has been institutionalized through policies and regulations in some developed countries; many multinational companies prepare and publish their own environmental reports annually, as an important means for them to fulfill their social responsibilities and enhance their environmental image. At present, the disclosure of environmental information by enterprises in our country is just in its infancy, and many theoretical and practical issues remain to be further studied and improved. The Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences plans to establish a study group on the disclosure of corporate environmental information. On the one hand, organize experts from various fields for academic exchanges and research collaborations ; On the other hand, it is planned to organize experts to compile the \"Guidelines for Compiling Environmental Reports by Chinese Enterprises\". I hope to make explorations in the field of practicing the disclosure of corporate environmental information. At this conference, experts generally agreed that **a leading role should be played in the institutionalization of the disclosure of corporate environmental information**, and they called on Chinese enterprises to raise their awareness and take on social responsibilities bravely. The disclosure of corporate environmental information not only addresses information asymmetry but also helps to fully leverage the role of public oversight. Moreover, through the implementation of such disclosure, companies can greatly enhance their awareness, effectively improve their business practices, and reduce their negative impact on the environment. January 21, 2008 Source: People’s Net Environmental Protection Section