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Deacons commit to environmental and social sustainability and this fundamental belief drives us forward. We bear the responsibility, leveraging our knowledge and skills, to make a difference for both our clients and the wider community. We are determined to shape the future where economic, ecological and social developments flourish together for the good of everyone.
It’s not about what you do as a business, it’s about how you do your business.
At Deacons, we are committed to partnering with our clients on all aspects of ESG considerations, from integrating sustainability best practices to investing in corporate governance with our unparalleled legal and business knowledge. As part of the city’s social fabric, we also proactively invest in the long-standing relationship with the community to secure a more sustainable future with all stakeholders.
Lilian Chiang
Senior Partner
Management Committee
Head of Property
To facilitate Hong Kong’s ‘Climate Action Plan 2050’ of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, regulations have been introduced to close the gaps and ensure that there are adequate disclosures and accountability regarding ESG matters. We help our international and local clients to stay aligned with the latest developments as they continue to incorporate and implement ESG strategies in various facets of their business operations.
Our clients rely on our team of cross-functional and experienced lawyers on matters ranging from green tenancy and lease agreements, to construction of smart buildings and green energy projects, trademark and patent registration, equity, diversity and inclusion, green bonds, sustainability linked loans, ESG-themed private funds, anti-money laundering, regulatory compliance, data protection and cybersecurity amongst others.
We are committed to implementing environmentally sustainable business practices to improve our environmental performance and drive change for better business and better lives.
Green financing initiatives at both Governmental and private sector level continue to offer significant opportunities for Hong Kong and its financial services industry. We intend to remain at the forefront of the dynamically evolving legal and regulatory landscape of green finance.
We represent financial institutions across a broad range of green initiatives touching both private and public markets and act for a large number of SFC authorised ESG funds.
Jeremy Lam
Partner, Head of Financial Services
Green Sustainability Initiatives
We strive to promote sustainability and its impacts on the environment from all dimensions, ranging from our recognised sustainability initiatives of green office operations in Hong Kong office to donations to green related projects.
Our firm is moving towards the direction of a ‘paperless office’ via a centralised electronic filing system with QR-code assisted and multi-language Optical Character Recognition capabilities to reduce carbon footprint.
Our commitment and dedication to use minimal physical paper are proven by 52% and 46% drop of black and white printing and colour printing respectively in March 2023 compared to those of October 2021. In addition, in 2021 and 2022 we have recycled more than 25,000kg paper in total, which is equivalent to saving 123,956kg CO2 and 5,000 trees!
We look forward to continuing to implement further best sustainability practices for a sustainable future.
“Social” plays a critical role in shaping the story of the companies about their positive impact on the world and the communities in which they operate. It’s our mission to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment where you feel you can bring your authentic selves to work. By bringing together different views and experiences, we generate creative ideas and provide our clients with the most innovative solutions.
Our strength is who our people are.
A strong “Social” strategy can unlock a company’s competitive advantages and transform how it is perceived by stakeholders.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is at the soul of a company’s social strategy. Committing to DEI and ensuring an equitable playing field for all our employees is not a novel approach for Deacons – it is actually an integral part of our culture as illustrated by the large number of women in our partnership and management – a situation which has naturally evolved over many years. We live this throughout the firm and intend to keep it that way.
Cynthia Chung
Management Committee
Partner, Head of Corporate Commercial
Deacons’ 170th anniversary video series: Diversity and inclusion
Good governance is the codification of sound ethical standards. We see a dramatic expansion of what the public believes good governance should consist of and take into account. We are committed to be the advocate for companies to foster better governance in our healthy market.
Limited snapshots of company performance no longer fit the bill in an age of disruption.
Companies nowadays need all hands on deck to navigate good governance practices, moving from ticking the box to doing the hard work to engrain such practices as a genuine part of their systems and culture. This will ultimately be reflected in third parties’ perceptions of management, bridging the trust gap and driving investment.
Ronny Chow
Partner, Head of Corporate Finance
14th Annual Investment Products and Regulatory Forum in May 2023
We are delighted to bring back our 14th Annual Investment Products and Regulatory Forum in-person this May which gathered our clients and industry contacts for discussions on key legal and regulatory issues as well as ESG related matters impacting Hong Kong’s fund management industry.
Our partner, Joyce Li, moderated a lively panel discussion on the roadahead for ESG regulations, ESG products and opportunities, and the risk of greenwashing. The interactive session covers insights and thoughts on the importance of developing sound governance, frameworks and infrastructure to implement and adhere to growing and evolving ESG regulations; the SFC’s role in shaping ESG regulations and standards, what are the SFC’s priorities in the near term and what to expect in terms of ESG regulations; how asset owners select their investments and external managers in order to meet their own sustainable investment goals; the current ESG product landscape, trends, demand and growth opportunities; the SFC’s monitoring and enforcement approach with respect to the Fund Manager Code of Conduct requirements on the management and disclosure of climate-related risks and ESG product disclosures; and breaking down the types of greenwashing and tips on mitigating such risks.
Our ESG Roundtable – Embrace Equity was held in April 2023
Our ESG Roundtable – Embrace Equity was held in April 2023 on “Equity isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every Firm’s DNA”. Our Senior Partner Lilian Chiang delivered an opening speech on why just offering equal opportunities in the workplace is not enough; the difference between equality and equity; and the importance to go beyond equal opportunities to embrace the concept of “equity” – recognising individuals’ different circumstances and talents, and giving them the support and resources to bring the best out of each individual.
This is followed by an interactive roundtable discussion led by Susan Sayers, General Manager, Regional General Counsel of HSBC; Fiona Nott, CEO of The Women’s Foundation; and our partners Cynthia Chung and Taylor Hui.
Watch this space and we will announce further ESG initiatives soon!
Deacons In-house Corporate Counsel Forum 2022
As Hong Kong’s longest-established local law firm, we have an unparalleled understanding of the Hong Kong market. In an era where climate change and social issues are a key focus area for businesses and investors alike, we support our clients in the areas of climate change and environmental regulation, energy transition and compliance, safeguarding of business and individual rights, sustainable finance and investment as well as stakeholder/ corporate governance.
Our In-House Corporate Counsel Forum 2022 generated interesting discussions on several hot-button ESG topics such as how to integrate ESG into company’s corporate sustainability framework; best practices for building ESG investor frameworks as well as good corporate governance; key legal considerations for addressing the “S” and the “G”; navigating existing financial services regulatory frameworks and what investors look for; best practices and how to position oneself as an ESG leader for advocating change.
We are committed to making a positive impact to the communities where we live and work. We aim to utilize our expertise and resources to promote the well-being of our communities. Our work mainly focuses on pro bono work and social mobility.
Caring Company since 2011
Our Corporate Responsibility
