On the afternoon of 13th December 2025, the 3rd 2025 Forum on "Responsibility, Innovation and Sustainable Development" hosted by the School of Business Administration (SBA) of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (ZUEL) was grandly held at Zhexiao Lecture Hall of Wenhui Building on Shouyi Campus. The forum invited well-known experts, scholars and alumni from the business and academic circles to deliver keynote speeches.
Guests in attendance included Professor Gao Minghua, Director of the Corporate Governance and Enterprise Development Research Center of Beijing Normal University; Professor Liu Yifang, Director of the Sustainable Standards Research Center of the School of Economics of Central University of Finance and Economics; Zhang Yan, Deputy Party Secretary and Director of Hubei United Investment Group Co., Ltd.; He Changfu, General Manager of Hubei Carbon Emission Trading Center; Ma Qian, Deputy General Manager of Mareon Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.; Zhang Wei, ESG Sustainable Development Director of GEM Co., Ltd.; Professor Wu Haitao, Dean of the SBA and Director of the MBA Education Center of ZUEL; Yu Xiaopeng from the SBA; Professor Du Peng, Vice Dean of the SBA and Deputy Director of the MBA Education Center; the person in charge of Hubei Listed Company Guidance Center; and over 100 other guests including alumni. Yu Xiaopeng hosted the opening ceremony.
Opening ceremony host – Yu Xiaopeng from the SBA
In his speech, the person in charge of Hubei Listed Company Guidance Center mentioned that promoting enterprises to improve ESG standards is an inherent need to strengthen the capital market. He emphasized building a positive cycle of value standards, market function expansion and development goal integration, and encouraged enterprises to pursue responsibility, innovation and sustainable development.
Professor Wu Haitao released the ZUEL MBA Education ESG Report (2025). Focusing on three core dimensions – "green business development", "mutual benefit empowerment" and "scientific governance" – he introduced the SBA's key progress in discipline construction, talent cultivation, internationalization and sustainable development over the past year. He noted that the SBA's unique "integration of economics, management, law and technology" training model breaks traditional disciplinary barriers, forming a distinctive "business DNA".
Professor Wu Haitao releasing the ZUEL MBA Education ESG Report
The keynote speech session was hosted by Professor Wu Haitao. Professor Gao Minghua emphasized that corporate governance is the core of enterprise sustainable development in ESG. Professor Liu Yifang shared specific paths for enterprises to carry out ESG practices around sustainable information disclosure. Zhang Yan introduced Hubei United Investment Group's practical exploration in implementing ESG concepts.
Professor Gao Minghua delivering a keynote speech on corporate governance and ESG
Professor Liu Yifang delivering a speech on sustainable information disclosure
Zhang Yan sharing ESG practice experience of Hubei United Investment Group
The enterprise ESG innovation and practice session was hosted by Professor Du Peng. He Changfu focused on Hubei's carbon market and green finance development, emphasizing green development as the highlight of modernization. Ma Qian introduced how Mareon, a century-old brand, explores sustainable development through ESG. Zhang Wei detailed GEM's development into a leading waste recycling company and its ESG governance structure.
Professor Du Peng hosting the enterprise ESG practice session
He Changfu sharing Hubei's carbon market practice
Ma Qian introducing ESG practice of Mareon Pharmaceutical
Zhang Wei sharing GEM’s ESG sustainable development experience
At the end of the forum, Professor Du Peng expressed sincere thanks to all guests and alumni. He stated that the forum had built a high-quality communication platform for universities and enterprises to practice ESG concepts. The SBA will take this forum as an opportunity to deepen industry-university-research integration, explore ESG practice paths with alumni and partners, and contribute to high-quality economic and social development.
