Readers of this journal will be well aware that in recent years the work of governance professionals has been diversifying from traditional practice areas such as regulatory compliance and board support to a myriad of applied governance topics, including sustainability as a foremost topic with business relevance. As a consequence, our Institute’s work has also been diversifying and a clear demonstration of this is the much greater focus given to sustainability issues.

The latest innovation in this space was the launch of the HKCGI Sustainability Governance Academy (the Academy) on 31 July at the HKEX Connect Hall and this month’s CGj updates us on the significance of this new venture. Our cover story reviews the launch of the Academy and the Climate-related Disclosure Update seminar that preceded it. I will not steal any thunder from those articles, but I would like to put both of these events into the context of our Institute’s strategy for the years ahead.

Our Institute is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and over the last three quarters of a century it has gained increasing recognition, not only as the key provider of expertise, skills and knowledge to those seeking the Chartered Secretary and Chartered Governance Professional qualification in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, but also as the natural professional home for practitioners involved in many different areas relevant to good governance.

The recent launch of the Academy and that of our recurring ESG Reporting Certification Course (Certification Course) in February 2023 are good examples of this at work in the sustainability space. Over 1,300 people have completed the Certification Course and registration for the fifth cohort of participants started on 1 August this year.

The launch of the Academy takes the next logical step – it provides a collaborative platform for practitioners to share knowledge, network and engage in creative problem-solving. In an area of practice as complex and fast moving as sustainability, this is crucial. It is not just a matter of staying up to date with the latest regulations and stakeholder expectations, it is also about bringing together individual capabilities and building the synergies needed to successfully address the complex challenges involved.

A similar dynamic can also be seen in other areas of governance-related practice. Our Institute has for a number of years, for example, been facilitating networking and knowledge sharing in anti–money laundering and counter–financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). This has included the launch of our AML/CFT Charter bringing together key players in this area of practice. In March this year, our AML/CFT Certification Course got underway and the first cohort of participants completed the course in May.

The launch of the Academy is therefore both an innovation and a logical extension of the role that our Institute has been fulfilling for many years. It demonstrates the potential we have not only as a key provider of skills and knowledge, but also as a hub for the enhancement of networking and collaboration among our wider professional community. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead in developing our full potential in this regard – watch this space!