Beijing, China—The Paulson Institute today co-hosted, together with the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, the third annual meeting of its CEO Council for Sustainable Urbanization. Council members concluded a successful second year of collaborative projects to reduce energy and resource use in China and build more sustainable cities amid China’s historic urbanization. Additionally, the Council ratified an agenda for its work in the year ahead and welcomed new member Wanxiang CEO Lu Weiding.
During today’s meeting, the CEOs continued work on issues at the heart of the Council’s mission, which is to harness the collective impact of leading U.S. and Chinese corporations to find concrete, sustainable solutions to urbanization challenges in China. Over the past year, the Council has broadened its focus beyond Landmark Buildings to work together on projects that integrate green technologies and products into large-scale, regional developments. The Council also launched green supply chain initiatives, focusing on reducing energy use in the member companies’ global supply networks and managing forestry resources sustainably to avoid deforestation, which contributes to climate change.
“This year, the United States and China have shown real leadership in reaching a historic agreement to transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient economies, which will require businesses to do their part to drive decarbonization. I am pleased to see our U.S. and Chinese CEO Council members coming together to demonstrate leadership in this way. Through our efforts we can help build business ties between the U.S. and China – and contribute to solving environmental and sustainability challenges,” said Henry M. Paulson, Jr., chairman of the Paulson Institute.
Currently, Council members are working together on a number of integrated Sustainable Cities projects proposed by China State Construction and Engineering Corp., CDB Capital, and IBM, ranging from full-scale green townships to suburban developments and potential low-carbon projects in the city of Zhangjiakou. At the meeting, China Development Bank and Honeywell signed an MOU agreeing to work together on deploying green technologies into CDB Capital’s projects.
The Council’s foundation-laying work this year on green supply chains included best practice sharing by Council members as a first step toward member companies committing to improve their own practices going forward. Walmart highlighted its work to help suppliers in China maximize energy and resource efficiency and hosted a visit for Council representatives to a supplier’s factory in Shenzhen to see this work in action. Apple and Vanke shared with the Council their work, respectively, around sourcing and usage of forestry materials for their paper and timber products. Further, the Council released white papers exploring challenges, opportunities, and models on both resource efficiency and forestry products.
“This Council brings together U.S. and Chinese companies to work together with the government to solve environmental and development challenges, and such collaboration will make a significant contribution to helping to achieve our sustainable urbanization goals,” said CCIEE Chairman Zeng Peiyan.
The CEO Council is co-convened by the Paulson Institute, chaired by Henry M. Paulson, Jr., and China Center for International Economic Exchanges, chaired by former Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan.
A detailed list of year-two accomplishments can be found here.
CEO Council Members:
Mary Barra, Chief Executive Officer, General Motors
Carlos Brito, Chief Executive Officer, Anheuser-Busch InBev
Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Apple
Chen Dongsheng, Chairman, Taikang Life Insurance
David M. Cote, Chairman and CEO, Honeywell
Guan Qing, Chairman, China State Construction Engineering Corporation
Mark S. Hoplamazian, President, CEO and Director, Hyatt Hotels Corp.
Huang Nubo, Chairman, Beijing Zhongkun Investment Group
Li Dongsheng, Chairman, TCL
Liang Xinjun, Vice Chairman and CEO, Fosun Group
Andrew N. Liveris, Chairman, President, and CEO, Dow Chemical Company
Lu Weiding, CEO, Wanxiang Group
Jack Ma Yun, Chairman, Alibaba Group
Doug McMillon, President and CEO, Walmart
Virginia M. Rometty, Chairman, President, and CEO, IBM
Shu Yinbiao, Chairman, State Grid Corporation of China
Wang Shi, Chairman, China Vanke
Zheng Zhijie, Vice Chairman and Executive Director, China Development Bank
About the Paulson Institute
The Paulson Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit “think and do” tank grounded in the principle that today’s most pressing economic and environmental challenges can be solved only if the United States and China work in complementary ways. Our mission is to strengthen U.S.-China relations and to advance sustainable economic growth and environmental protection in both countries. Our programs focus on advancing the transition to more sustainable, low-carbon economic models in China and the United States through industrial transformation, sustainable urbanization programs, and environmental conservation. We also promote bilateral cross-border investment that will help create jobs and strengthen U.S.-China relations. Our Think Tank publishes prescriptive and analytical papers from leading scholars and practitioners on the most important macroeconomic and structural reform issues facing China today. Founded in 2011 by Henry M. Paulson, Jr., the 74th Secretary of the Treasury and former Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs, the Institute is based in Chicago and has offices in Washington, San Francisco, and Beijing.
About China Center for International Economic Exchanges
Founded by Zeng Peiyan, former Vice Premier of the State Council, China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE) is a comprehensive association with the mission of promoting international economic research and exchanges and providing consulting service. CCIEE attracts experienced economic researchers and has close connection with economic research resources in various fields. It operates under the guidance and supervision of the National Development and Reform Commission in terms of its business scope and is registered in the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The main scope of business and services of the CCIEE is to study economic issues, to conduct economic exchanges domestically and internationally, to promote economic cooperation domestically and internationally, and to provide consulting services.