Around 500 government officials, business executives and academics from China and Europe gathered in the western German city of Mainz on Friday for the Third Sino-European Corporate ESG Best Practice Conference to discuss how deeper cooperation can support sustainable economic growth.
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Group photo of selected attendees at the conference.
Hosted by the Chinese Consulate General in Frankfurt and jointly organized with authorities from Germany and China, the conference brought together participants from China, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg and several other countries under the theme "From Vision to Practice: Empowering Sustainable Growth Through Collaboration."
Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), delivered a video address.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Huang Yiyang, Chinese Consul General in Frankfurt, said Chinese and European businesses are increasingly recognizing that the development of green industries depends on sustainable investment, market demand and commercially viable business models.
Huang said the conference seeks to move ESG beyond broad principles by emphasizing practical implementation and commercialization, arguing that the long-term value of ESG lies in creating sustainable business opportunities rather than merely serving as a compliance exercise.
Michael Ebling, Economic Affairs Minister of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, said environmental responsibility and economic competitiveness should be viewed as mutually reinforcing rather than conflicting goals.
"Those who use resources efficiently, drive innovation and plan for the long term create the foundation for sustainable growth," Ebling said. He added that Europe and China continue to deepen economic ties while confronting shared global challenges, making dialogue and practical cooperation increasingly important.
This year's event received nearly 140 ESG case submissions from more than 120 organizations, according to the conference jury, reflecting continued growth in participation compared with previous editions.
Awards were presented to companies from a wide range of industries, including Sinopec, Hithium, Global New Material International, Tencent Holdings, Henkel, Veolia, Boehringer Ingelheim and Pirelli, recognizing achievements in areas such as environmental protection, technological innovation, digital transformation, education and training, and zero-carbon industrial parks.
The conference also featured a panel discussion with representatives from German industry organizations, GIZ, BMW Group and Chery Automobile, as well as four parallel forums covering artificial intelligence, life sciences, energy applications and zero-carbon industrial parks.
A parallel event, "Ping-Pong Bridge," explored opportunities to expand cooperation in sports, people-to-people exchanges and business ties between China and Germany.
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