Recently, the second session of the "Let'S talk!" series was successfully held. The event featured Dr David von Eiff, Director of Global Industry Standards from the CFA Institute. He engaged in an in-depth discussion with faculty and students on the topic of "The Importance of ESG" through a public lecture, enhancing the students' understanding of ESG and sustainable development.
Professor Jing Dai, the Director of the Center for Responsible Business and Innovation (CRBI), also provided a brief introduction to CRBI and its "Let'S talk!" series. She mentioned that CRBI is dedicated to research, teaching and exchange activities related to responsible business models and sustainable innovation, empowering stakeholders to advocate for environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. The "Let'S talk!" series launched by CRBI aims to raise public awareness of ESG and promote long-term engagement in sustainable development.
Following that, Dr Xiaolan Zheng, the Head of the Department of Finance, Accounting and Economics, Associate professor in Finance delivered a welcome speech. She stated, "We continuously invite industry experts to share their insights, hoping to provide our students with a more comprehensive understanding of the sector within their existing knowledge framework." Meanwhile, NUBS China will also introduce new modules in Programming and Model construction, as well as launch new modules on Sustainable finance and ESG, further nurturing students' practical skills and theoretical proficiency..
In the keynote speech, Dr David von Eiff began by analyzing the definition of ESG, exploring the relationship between the ESG framework and sustainability. He stated, "Firstly, sustainability is an emerging field, with the goal of achieving sustainable development, and ESG offers a set of guidelines to direct the achievement of these goals." Furthermore, he delved into the differences between responsible investment and sustainable investment, studying how to define sustainability within different global regulatory frameworks. Additionally, he emphasised the necessity of quantitative and qualitative indicators, discussing the differences between various international frameworks, and how these affect people's understanding and implementation of sustainability.
In order to further enhance students' understanding of ESG, he divided the students into four groups for an in-depth discussion on ESG case studies, encouraging them to brainstorm ideas through team discussions, form unique insights and select group representatives to share their findings. The venue was infused with an enthusiastic atmosphere as students eagerly engaged in group interactions, generously sharing their thoughts.
In the subsequent interactive session, Dr Eiff divided the students into six teams for a live quiz, an engaging format that unfolded into a knowledge competition centred around the theme of ESG. Each team nominated a representative to answer the questions and the team with the most correct answers emerged victorious. The winners received exquisite prizes provided by CRBI as a reward. After revealing each answer, Dr Eiff also presented related charts and data, offering a thorough analysis and clear explanation of the logic behind each answer.
The event's raffle segment was hosted by Dr Keying Zhu, Teaching Fellow in Accounting at NUBS China. Students won exquisite prizes prepared by CRBI in a fun random draw, adding excitement to the event.
The "Let'S talk!" series provided participants with an interactive and communicative platform to collectively explore innovative solutions for sustainable development. It also deepened the students' understanding of ESG and sustainable development, encouraging them to promote and implement sustainable practices in their everyday lives.