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【Media Interview】Don't Let ESG Become a "Costly PR Stunt" — PolyU Professor Urges SMEs to Turn Compliance Costs into Returns Through AI
Prof. Wu Qiang, Associate Dean (Research) and PhD Programme Director at the School of Accounting and Finance, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, was recently interviewed by Sing Tao Daily to share his views on how enterprises can avoid ESG becoming a superficial PR exercise — or worse, drifting into "greenwashing" controversy.
Prof. Wu pointed out that when companies rely solely on external processes and surface-level data without genuine internal follow-through, their disclosures amount to little more than a promise unbacked by substance. He stressed that ESG should not be treated as mere packaging, but fully integrated with core business strategy so it can translate into tangible commercial returns and long-term competitiveness. For SMEs with limited resources, he suggested starting with a "small and focused" approach — prioritising data that is highly relevant and easily quantifiable to their own operations, rather than chasing every metric at once. He also highlighted how AI can help enterprises shift ESG practice from "after-the-fact reporting" to "forward-looking decision-making," reducing the administrative burden of report preparation while more precisely identifying high-emission areas and potential supply chain disruptions. Citing enforcement cases against firms in the US, he cautioned that the real danger for enterprises pursuing ESG is not moving too slowly, but making promises that outpace their actual capabilities — commitments must always be backed by verifiable data.
Online coverage: Sing Tao Daily - [Link]
【媒體專訪】拒讓ESG淪為「燒錢公關騷」 理大教授倡中小企善用AI 化合規成本為回報
香港理工大學會計及金融學院副院長（研究）兼博士課程主任吳強教授日前接受《星島日報》專訪，分享企業如何避免ESG淪為表面工夫，甚至因盲目跟風而陷入「漂綠」爭議。
吳教授指出，若企業只顧及外部流程和底層數據的支持，而未落實於企業內部，這樣的承諾就只會構成「漂綠」。他強調，ESG絕非單純裝飾，若能與核心業務策略徹底融合，絕對可轉化為實質的商業回報及長遠競爭力。對於資源有限的中小企，他建議採取「小切口」策略，優先運用與自身業務高度相關、且易量化的具體數據，循序漸進地累積供應鏈及投資者的信任。他亦提到，AI的真正價值在於協助企業由「事後匯報」走向「前瞻決策」，既可降低ESG報告編製的行政成本，亦能精準識別高排放環節及供應鏈潛在的中斷風險。吳教授並引述美國監管機構的執法案例提醒，企業推動ESG最忌的並非步伐慢，而是承諾超出自身能力——理應先把話說清，再把數據做實。
完整報導: 星島日報 - [Link]
| Research Centre for Environmental, Social, and Governance Advancement |
