1st RCESGA ESG Leadership Talk Successfully Held
The Research Centre for ESG Advancement (RCESGA) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) successfully hosted the inaugural RCESGA ESG Leadership Talk on Friday, 11 September 2026, at M1603, Li Ka Shing Tower.
Established on 1 January 2026, RCESGA marked the Talk as its first public flagship event since inception, and the official launch of the ESG Leadership Talk Series — an interdisciplinary platform engaging faculty and students across the University.
The event was organised by RCESGA and School of Accounting and Finance (AF), with support from the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) and Faculty of Business (FB).
The Talk featured Dr SHEN Peng, Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Chief Executive Officer of Waterdrop Inc. (NYSE: WDH), as the keynote speaker. An Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award 2024 recipient, Dr Shen has long been committed to advancing inclusive insurance and healthcare services through technology.
Dr Tai-fai LAM, Chairman of the Council, President Prof. Jin-Guang TENG and Deputy President and Provost Prof. Wing-tak WONG were among the senior PolyU leaders in attendance. Prof. Wong delivered the welcoming remarks on behalf of the University. He said that, at PolyU, an innovative world-class university with a strong commitment to social responsibility, higher education plays a vital role in preparing future leaders to address pressing global challenges—from sustainable development and social equity to ethical governance. He added that ESG is no longer a corporate consideration alone; it is central to how the University educates, conducts research, and serves society. He expressed his support and encouragement for RCESGA and the Talk series.
In his address, “Technology Empowers Inclusive Protection: A Review of Waterdrop’s Decade-long Exploration as a Social Enterprise,” Dr Shen shared his entrepreneurial journey, the opportunities brought by the age of artificial intelligence (AI), and Waterdrop’s experience in advancing inclusive protection and fulfilling social responsibility. He reflected that Waterdrop was founded out of a concern for real social needs and the practical challenges facing people’s daily lives, with the aim of enabling more families to access affordable protection through innovative technology. He emphasised that true inclusiveness lies not only in providing services, but also in recognising the different circumstances and needs of different families, and offering more targeted support accordingly. Dr Shen also observed that AI can help improve operational efficiency and reduce information loss in communication, yet in understanding social realities, building trust, and demonstrating empathy, human interaction remains an irreplaceable core value in real-world service delivery.
During the Q&A session, faculty and students actively raised questions on the future development of ESG, the application of AI, corporate social responsibility, and youth entrepreneurship, and engaged in an in-depth exchange with Dr Shen. The discussion was lively and warmly received.
The ESG Leadership Talk Series offered PolyU faculty and students a valuable opportunity to engage directly with industry leaders. Building on the success of the inaugural session, RCESGA will continue to organise future talks featuring leading practitioners and thought leaders from diverse sectors. PolyU faculty members and students are encouraged to stay tuned for upcoming events.
首屆 RCESGA ESG 領航者分享講座圓滿舉行
香港理工大學（理大）環境，社會，和治理促進研究中心（RCESGA）於2026年9月11日（星期五）在理大成功舉辦首屆 「RCESGA ESG 領航者分享講座」（RCESGA ESG Leadership Talk）。
RCESGA 於2026年1月1日成立，是次講座為中心成立後舉辦的首個活動，標誌着此向全校師生開放的跨學科知識交流平台「ESG領航者分享講座」（ESG Leadership Talk）正式啟動。
活動由 RCESGA 与會計與金融學院（AF）主辦，並獲香港理工大學高等研究院（PAIR）、理大商學院（FB）全力支持，共同推動 ESG 知識交流與跨學科合作。
是次講座邀請了水滴公司（Waterdrop Inc.，NYSE: WDH）創始人、董事長兼首席執行官沈鵬博士（Dr SHEN Peng）擔任主講嘉賓。沈博士為理大校友及「2024年傑出理大校友獎」得主，長期致力運用科技創新，推動普惠保險及醫療健康服務發展，在金融科技與健康保障領域具有深遠影響力。
校董會主席林大輝博士、理大校長滕錦光教授及常務及學務副校長黃永德教授等親臨出席，支持是次活動。黃永德教授代表大學致歡迎辭，指出 ESG 已深度融入理大的教學、研究與社會服務。他亦強調，理大作為具強烈社會責任感的世界級創新型大學，高等教育在培養未來領袖應對可持續發展、社會公平與道德治理等全球挑戰中扮演重要角色，並對 RCESGA的工作及「ESG領航者分享講座」系列予以支持與鼓勵。
沈博士以「科技助力普惠保障：水滴十年社會企業探索的復盤」為題發表演講，分享其創業歷程、人工智能時代帶來的機遇，以及企業在推動普惠保障與履行社會責任方面的實踐經驗。他回顧創辦水滴的初心，源於對社會真實需求與民生痛點的關注，希望透過創新科技讓更多家庭獲得可負擔的保障服務。他強調，真正的普惠不僅在於提供服務，更在於確實看見不同家庭的處境與差異，理解其實際需要，從而提供更具針對性的支援。沈博士亦指出，人工智能有助提升工作效率及降低資訊傳遞過程中的損耗，但在理解社會現況、建立信任以及展現同理心方面，人與人之間的互動仍是現實服務場景中難以被取代的核心價值。在問答環節，參與師生踴躍就 ESG未來發展、人工智能應用、企業社會責任及青年創業等議題提問，與沈博士深入交流，現場討論氣氛熱烈。
「ESG 領航者分享講座」系列為理大師生提供與業界領袖直接交流的機會，RCESGA 將繼續舉辦更多場次，歡迎理大師生關注和支持。
