On October 10, the 2025 plenary meeting of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/Technical Committee (TC) 322 on Sustainable Finance officially commenced at the Yuexiu International Congress Center in Guangzhou.
The event aims to advance green and low-carbon initiatives to empower the global economy while highlighting China's significant role in sustainable development and standardization.
Representatives from various ISO members, domestic experts and scholars, leaders from prominent enterprises, and standardization members engaged in in-depth dialogues centered around the theme "Advancing Global Standards for a Digital, Sustainable, and Low-Carbon Future."
During the meeting, the China National Institute of Standardization released the international version of the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Standardization Blue Book 2024.
This blue book systematically elucidates the theoretical essence and evolutionary logic of the ESG concept, based on global trends in ESG development and governance reforms, and proposes a top-level architectural design for China's ESG standardization with a strategic vision.
In the keynote speech session, representatives from ISO, the China Association for Standardization, and enterprise leaders discussed the progress in formulating international standards for sustainable finance, the role of green and low-carbon initiatives in promoting global sustainable finance, and practices in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Together, they explored innovative paths for international cooperation and development.
During the roundtable forum, representatives from ISO, domestic experts, and leaders from major enterprises gathered to address issues such as the construction of green finance standards, the transformation and development of financial institutions, and innovative product practices. These discussions generated forward-looking ideas for the core development directions of financial institutions.
By leading the compilation of ISO international standards for the carbon market, Guangzhou aims to incorporate the "Guangzhou Solution" into global standards.
Reporter | Chen Jinxia
Photo | Guangzhou Municipal Administration for Market Supervision
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
