On January 10, 2022, Hurun Research Institute initially issued 2021 Hurun China Private Companies SDG Readiness 100, listing 100 Chinese private enterprises that were mostly aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN. GEM, abreast with BYD and Tencent, ranked the 8th.

Source: 2021 Hurun China Private Companies SDG Readiness 100

The Hurun officially revealed the reason of including GEM into the ranking list: GEM is the Asia-Pacific Regional Center of the UNEP Basel Convention, the demonstration enterprise of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the demonstration base of National Circular Economy Education. By 2020, GEM had built 16 resource recycling plants in 11 provinces and cities across China, covering 9 million km2, established the cooperative relations in waste treatment with nearly 500 million people, and treated over 5 million tons of wastes in total annually.

In 2020, GEM invested over 350 million yuan into environmental protection, and implemented 53 projects of environmental protection facility construction and upgrading modification; the recycled quantity of electronic wastes increased by 33% on a year-on-year basis, accounting for 10% of the total quantity of wastes in China. Simultaneously, compared with 2019, the number of safety accidents and that of work-related injuries of GEM fell by 33% and 52% respectively in 2020. Moreover, GEM invested in South Africa, Indonesia and South Korea, created the green industrial mode matching the “Belt and Road” initiative for Chinese enterprises, and proactively participated in new energy industry cooperation.

“The reference meaning of this list is that it is the first report focusing on the sustainable development achievements of private enterprises in China.” Mr. Rupert Hoogewerf, the chairman and chief researcher of Hurun Report, said, “Carbon neutrality and sustainable development have attracted global attention. Against this background, the Hurun Research Institute has produced 2021 Hurun China Private Companies SDG Readiness 100, hoping that the list can offer insight for Chinese private enterprises, such as which firms have done better in the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations, and also to encourage more enterprises to develop sustainably.”

According to the list, the survey scope spans companies in the “Hurun China 500 Most Valuable Private Companies”, i.e. the most 500 valuable private companies in China. Sources included public information on enterprises and industries, such as annual firm reports and ESG reports (environmental, social and governance), CSR reports (corporate social responsibility) and SDG reports (sustainable development goals).