ESG Achievement Awards 2024/2025 Winners Announced

Celebrating 26 Visionary Leadership in Sustainability

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 18 December 2025 - The Institute of ESG & Benchmark (IESGB) hosted the ESG Achievement Awards 2024/2025 Presentation Ceremony and Luncheon, where it unveiled this year's winners. Co-organised by the Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia (IFTA) and continuously supported by ESG Data Sponsor Hang Seng Indexes Limited (HSIL), this year's Awards celebrated the exceptional contributions of 26 organisations and individuals across nine categories, recognising their outstanding achievements in sustainable development, social responsibility, and corporate governance.

Celebrating its fifth edition, the ESG Achievement Awards is one of the most recognized platforms in Hong Kong for organizations of all types—from listed and private companies to NGOs and non-profits organizations —to showcase their commitment to sustainability. This year's awards continued to draw keen participation from a diverse range of sectors and sizes, reflecting growing engagement and leadership in ESG practices. This year's ESG Achievement Awards, under the theme "Future-Forward Visionaries: Technology Driving Sustainable Transformation," spotlight how technology is revolutionizing corporate responsibility. As industry leaders increasingly focus on the positive impact of ESG on financial performance and reputation, the Awards will showcase how innovative tools are central to building sustainable value. We honor those organizations that apply technology with curiosity and strategic vision to meet environmental and social objectives, guided by a deep understanding of their stakeholders.

Mr. Arthur Lee Hok-yin, JP, Commissioner for Climate Change highlighted in his speech technology's transformative role across sectors in carbon reduction. Property developers use AI-powered systems to optimize energy use in buildings. Green fintech pioneers use blockchain for supply chain transparency and AI to direct capital to genuinely sustainable projects. Logistics companies use smart platforms and predictive analytics to eliminate emissions. He said, "We are sending a message to the world that Hong Kong is not just a financial gateway, but a green gateway—a hub where technology and sustainability converge to build a future that is prosperous, inclusive, and resilient."

Mr Paul Pong, Co-founder of IESGB said, "This year, we celebrate under the theme: "Future-Forward Visionaries: Technology Driving Sustainable Transformation." We're not just here to honour excellent ESG practices, but to spotlight the powerful force behind them: technology. From AI to data analytics, we're seeing technology accelerate ESG impact across every industry, turning ambition into tangible change."

"IESGB is dedicated to upholding ESG standards and nurturing the next generation of ESG professionals." Mr Wilson Kwok, Co-founder of IESGB commented, "We invite all awardees to collaborate with us in building a robust ESG ecosystem. Together, we can share insights, innovate solutions, and drive meaningful change in our communities and industries."

Mr Vincent Pang, Chairman of the Awards' Jury Panel mentioned, "Our group of jurors grew this year, and we are so appreciative of our returning judges, as well as those who joined us for the first time. This year, we reviewed innovative case studies that leverage cutting-edge technology and strategic ingenuity to solve complex environmental and social challenges. These projects are a masterclass in leadership, proving that integrating sustainability is the definitive blueprint for building resilient, valuable, and conscientious organizations."

This year, we are proud to confer two honorary Awards. The Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare Association Limited (AKA) is recognised as the Honorary ESG Pioneering Organisation, while Mr. Ricky Wong, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Wheelock Properties Limited, is bestowed with the Honorary ESG Iconic Star. IESGB selected AKA for its enduring role as a cornerstone of the community, dedicated to enriching lives through comprehensive support in housing, healthcare, and education. This award celebrates its profound social impact and its commitment to sustainable community initiatives. Meanwhile, Mr. Wong has demonstrated a profound commitment to social mobility and education, consistently leveraging his influence to create opportunities for the younger generation. His advocacy extends beyond corporate initiatives, as he actively engages in mentorship and shares his own professional journey to inspire youth to discover their unique paths and potential.

IESGB drives innovation in ESG commitment and delivery. Our annual Achievement Awards connect sector leaders to pioneer new standards, share best practices, and achieve measurable impact. We welcome greater engagement in the coming year and will continue to partner with companies and NGOs to advance ESG values across the community.

Results of the ESG Achievement Awards 2024/2025:

(Sorted alphabetically by organization or individual)

Honorary ESG Pioneering Organisation
Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare Association Limited
Honorary ESG Iconic Star
Mr Ricky Wong Wheelock
Outstanding Sustainable Dividend Awards
Far East Consortium International Limited
KLN Logistics Group Limited
Sino Land Company Limited
Techtronic Industries Company Limited
ESG Benchmark Awards
Henderson Land Development Company Limited	Diamond
Sino Land Company Limited	Diamond
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited	Diamond
Kerry Properties Limited	Gold
China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd.	Silver
KLN Logistics Group Limited	Silver
Kuaishou Technology	Silver
Techtronic Industries Company Limited	Silver
ESG Benchmark Awards
Outstanding Performance in Environmental Responsibility
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
Outstanding Performance in Social Responsibility
Sino Land Company Limited
Outstanding Performance in ESG Governance
Henderson Land Development Company Limited
Outstanding ESG Awards (Listed Company)
China Overseas Grand Oceans Group Co., Ltd.	Diamond
Henderson Land Development Company Limited	Diamond
Far East Consortium International Limited	Platinum
KE Holdings Inc.	Platinum
Tam Jai International Co. Limited	Platinum
North Asia Strategic Holdings Limited	Gold
Qilu Expressway Company Limited	Gold
Outstanding ESG Awards (Non-Listed Company)
Chinachem Group	Diamond
K. Wah Construction Materials	Diamond
CTF Life	Platinum
Crown Gas Stoves (Holdings) Company Limited	Gold
Outstanding ESG Awards (NGO/NPO)
Ocean Park Corporation	Diamond
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals	Diamond
Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong	Platinum
The Harbour School	Platinum
Outstanding ESG Product and Service Awards
Sun Life Asset Management (HK) Limited	Distinction
Outstanding Fund Manager's Choice Awards
Henderson Land Development Company Limited	Distinction
Best Sustainable Vision Awards
Chinachem Group	Distinction
Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong	Distinction
Far East Consortium International Limited	Distinction
Sino Land Company Limited	Distinction
ESG Innovative Project Awards
Henderson Land Development Company Limited	Distinction
Jiangmen Laboratory of Carbon Science and Technology	Distinction
Sino Land Company Limited	Distinction
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals	Distinction
ESG Talent Development Awards
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals	Distinction
ESG Elite Awards
Mr. Rafi Cristobal The Harbour School	Distinction

For more information on the ESG Achievement Awards 2024/2025, please visit www.iesgbawards.org.

Hashtag: #IESGB

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Honorary ESG Pioneering Organisation
Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare Association Limited
Honorary ESG Iconic Star
Mr Ricky Wong Wheelock
Outstanding Sustainable Dividend Awards
Far East Consortium International Limited
KLN Logistics Group Limited
Sino Land Company Limited
Techtronic Industries Company Limited
ESG Benchmark Awards
Henderson Land Development Company Limited	Diamond
Sino Land Company Limited	Diamond
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited	Diamond
Kerry Properties Limited	Gold
China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd.	Silver
KLN Logistics Group Limited	Silver
Kuaishou Technology	Silver
Techtronic Industries Company Limited	Silver
ESG Benchmark Awards
Outstanding Performance in Environmental Responsibility
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
Outstanding Performance in Social Responsibility
Sino Land Company Limited
Outstanding Performance in ESG Governance
Henderson Land Development Company Limited
Outstanding ESG Awards (Listed Company)
China Overseas Grand Oceans Group Co., Ltd.	Diamond
Henderson Land Development Company Limited	Diamond
Far East Consortium International Limited	Platinum
KE Holdings Inc.	Platinum
Tam Jai International Co. Limited	Platinum
North Asia Strategic Holdings Limited	Gold
Qilu Expressway Company Limited	Gold
Outstanding ESG Awards (Non-Listed Company)
Chinachem Group	Diamond
K. Wah Construction Materials	Diamond
CTF Life	Platinum
Crown Gas Stoves (Holdings) Company Limited	Gold
Outstanding ESG Awards (NGO/NPO)
Ocean Park Corporation	Diamond
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals	Diamond
Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong	Platinum
The Harbour School	Platinum
Outstanding ESG Product and Service Awards
Sun Life Asset Management (HK) Limited	Distinction
Outstanding Fund Manager's Choice Awards
Henderson Land Development Company Limited	Distinction
Best Sustainable Vision Awards
Chinachem Group	Distinction
Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong	Distinction
Far East Consortium International Limited	Distinction
Sino Land Company Limited	Distinction
ESG Innovative Project Awards
Henderson Land Development Company Limited	Distinction
Jiangmen Laboratory of Carbon Science and Technology	Distinction
Sino Land Company Limited	Distinction
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals	Distinction
ESG Talent Development Awards
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals	Distinction
ESG Elite Awards
Mr. Rafi Cristobal The Harbour School	Distinction

Hashtag: #IESGB

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About IESGB

Institute of ESG & Benchmark (IESGB) is a non-profit organization established in 2020. Its endeavors are to elevate stakeholders' awareness and knowledge towards Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) in all industry sectors. By organising Environment, Social and Governance relevant training, events and providing Certified ESG courses, IESGB hopes to lead and strengthen the ESG standards and development across Hong Kong.

** The press release content is from Media OutReach Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Chemically defined medium removes animal serum and human platelet supplements as Malaysia and Singapore strengthen advanced therapy capabilities

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 4 August 2026 -Singapore is estimated to record approximately 19,290 new cancer cases in 2024, underscoring the growing demand for advanced treatment options and the manufacturing systems needed to produce them consistently. As cell therapies move from research towards clinical use, the reliability of every raw material used in production becomes increasingly important.

AuctuCel Pte Ltd, a Singapore biotechnology company specialising in AI-powered bioprocess technologies, today announced the launch of AuctuPrime, a next-generation chemically defined cell culture medium developed in collaboration with Sperikon. The formulation is designed to remove dependence on both animal serum and donor-derived human platelet supplements during cell therapy manufacturing.

The launch comes as both markets continue to deepen their advanced therapy ecosystems. The Singapore Economic Development Board reported that the country saw a fourfold increase in locally incorporated biotechnology companies since 2015. In Malaysia, the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency issued updated cell and gene therapy product guidance in September 2025, including revised Good Manufacturing Practice requirements. As more research moves towards clinical translation, the reliability and traceability of manufacturing inputs are receiving greater attention.

A less visible bottleneck in cell therapy

Cell therapies are advancing across cancer, autoimmune disease and regenerative medicine, but manufacturing remains one of the major barriers to wider clinical and commercial adoption. Many conventional culture processes still use animal serum or platelet-derived supplements from human donors. These biological materials can vary between batches and may introduce additional sourcing, testing and documentation requirements.

AuctuPrime replaces these supplements with a fully chemically defined formulation. By giving researchers and manufacturers clearer control over what enters the process, it is intended to provide a more reproducible foundation for scale-up from laboratory research to clinical and commercial manufacturing.

The formulation is designed to support:

* Elimination of animal serum and human platelet supplements

* Reduced batch-to-batch variability in the culture process

* Lower dependence on donor-derived biological raw materials

* Greater supply chain resilience through chemically defined inputs

* More consistent scale-up and technology transfer across manufacturing stages

* A xeno-free approach for regenerative medicine and cell therapy workflowsWhy the manufacturing medium matters to patients

"Culture medium is not the therapy itself, but it can influence how reliably cells are produced. By removing animal serum and human platelet supplements, AuctuPrime gives researchers and manufacturers greater control over the process, helping to reduce variability and prepare for larger-scale production." said Dr Zach Pang, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of AuctuCel.

Supporting Singapore's advanced therapy ecosystem

Singapore is strengthening its position as a regional hub for advanced therapies, supported by its universities, hospitals, research institutions and biotechnology companies. These organisations are building capabilities that connect early-stage research with regulated manufacturing and future clinical applications. Chemically defined media can support this progress by reducing reliance on variable biological inputs and enabling processes to be reproduced more consistently across local research and manufacturing facilities.

"Singapore's continued progress in regenerative medicine will depend not only on scientific breakthroughs, but also on the ability to manufacture therapies safely, consistently and at scale. AuctuPrime represents an important step towards building a more reproducible manufacturing platform and can support local research and industry teams as they prepare for future clinical and commercial demand," said Dr Chee Wai Fhu, Chief Executive Officer of AuctuCel.

For the wider region, stronger manufacturing foundations also matter for healthcare resilience. Cell therapies are complex products with demanding quality requirements, and the ability to manufacture them consistently will shape how quickly promising research can progress towards clinical use.

"The future of regenerative medicine depends not only on scientific breakthroughs, but on our ability to manufacture these therapies safely, consistently and at scale," said Dr Chee Wai Fhu, Chief Executive Officer of AuctuCel. "AuctuPrime is an important step towards a more reproducible manufacturing platform. By removing dependence on animal serum and human platelet supplements, we hope to help researchers and manufacturers build processes that are better prepared for future clinical and commercial demand."

Regional collaboration behind the launch

AuctuPrime was developed through a collaboration between AuctuCel and Sperikon, combining AuctuCel's bioprocess and culture media expertise with Sperikon's experience in regenerative medicine and cell therapy development.

Behind every cell therapy breakthrough is a production process that must work repeatedly, not only once. Improving that process is one of the practical steps needed to bring the next generation of therapies closer to the patients who may benefit from them.

Notes to editors

A chemically defined medium is a formulation in which the components and their concentrations are known and controlled. In this context, xeno-free means the formulation does not rely on animal-derived materials. AuctuPrime is a manufacturing input used during cell culture and is not itself a cell therapy product.

Hashtag: #AuctuCel

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About AuctuCel

AuctuCel is a Singapore-based biotechnology company spun out of A*STAR’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute. The company develops AI-powered bioprocess technologies and ready-to-use culture media solutions that help biotechnology and cell therapy companies improve manufacturing consistency, productivity and scalability. By combining advanced modelling, scientific expertise and bioprocess innovation, AuctuCel supports the translation of research into commercially viable biomanufacturing. The company has active operations and partnerships across Singapore, Malaysia and the wider Asian region.

About Sperikon

Sperikon is a biotechnology company focused on regenerative medicine, cell culture technologies and translational research. The company works with academic institutions and industry partners to develop scalable solutions that support the clinical and commercial adoption of advanced cell therapies. Through its collaboration with AuctuCel, Sperikon contributes to the development of next-generation chemically defined manufacturing platforms.

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AuctuCel Team Photo with Products