Corporate Updates
4 Feb 2021
Everbright Environment Holds 2021 Annual Working Conference
On 1 February, China Everbright Environment Group Limited ("Everbright Environment" or the "Company") held its 2021 annual working conference at its headquarters in Shenzhen. With the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and following the spirit emphasised at the 5th plenary session of the 19th Party Central Committee, the Central Economic Work Conference, and the annual working conference of China Everbright Group Ltd. ("Everbright Group"), Everbright Environment reviewed its working results of 2020, analysed the current economic situation, and assigned tasks for 2021, with an aim to step out of its comfort zone, tackle challenges for new prospects, and embark on the road toward high-quality sustainable development. Mr. Fu Wanjun, Deputy General Manager of Everbright Group, attended the conference virtually and delivered a speech. Mr. Wang Tianyi, Chairman of the board of directors and CEO of Everbright Environment, made remarks at the conference. Mr. Raymond Wong, CFO of Everbright Environment, also attended the conference virtually, while Mr. Hu Yanguo, Mr. Qian Xiaodong, Mr. An Xuesong, Ms. Li Chunju and Mr. Yang Shiqiao, Deputy General Managers of Everbright Environment, joined the conference at the Company's headquarters in Shenzhen.
The conference started with the delivering and studying of the spirit of Everbright Group's 2021 Annual Working Conference. Mr. Li Xiaopeng, Chairman of Everbright Group, noted at the conference that this year marks the acceleration phase of Everbright Group's first step in its "two-step" strategy, and is considered a crucial year to implement China's 14th Five-Year Plan and step up to the next level. In brief, it is of great importance to do an outstanding job in all endeavors this year. Mr. Li also said that Everbright Environment is a leading player in China's environmental protection industry and has become the largest waste-to-energy enterprise worldwide. The Company is now marching towards becoming the world's leading environmental enterprise through effective execution of its strategies. There is no limitation to the scope of Everbright Environment in further developing its strengths, especially in the aspects of developing projects with the "Everbright" characteristics that could benefit people's livelihood, protect the environment and provide a better living environment. Mr. Wu Lijun fully recognised Everbright Environment for its continued efforts to develop a deeper, broader and more solid industry chain, and solidify its leading position in the traditional waste-to-energy sector while creating multiple growth streams. He also expressed his appreciation of Everbright Environment's efforts to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and poverty, as well as to actively serve the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, all of which exceeded the goals set for the Company. The meeting also reiterated Everbright Group's further expectations for Everbright Environment, which requires the Company to make steady progress, focus on management improvement, highlight technological innovation, facilitate economic circulation, and achieve high-quality development, by sticking to its goal of becoming a world-leading player, carrying out structural adjustments, and creating a second growth stream.
Mr. Fu Wanjun, Deputy General Manager of Everbright Group, indicated that, in 2020, Everbright Environment sustained good momentum in its development, won the battles in three fields, namely the pandemic prevention and control, business growth and industry position. The Company implemented effective measures to cope with impacts brought by the pandemic with remarkable results, significantly improved its management proficiency and efficiency, and robustly promoted its innovation and transformation, all of which have strengthened the Company's foundation for high-quality development and demonstrated its responsibility as a sizable enterprise directly under the central government of China. In 2021, Everbright Environment shall follow the deployment set at the annual working conference of Everbright Group, further enhance its sense of responsibility, and properly plan and implement relevant measures, so as to continuously promote the high-quality development of the Company and make greater contributions to the implementation of Everbright Group's livelihood strategies. First, the Company shall further solidify and expand its industry chain, and explore business synergies; second, it shall further optimise its industrial structure layout; third, it shall further enhance its capability of utilising and allocating funds; fourth, the Company shall pay more attention to technological innovation; and fifth, it shall continuously improve its capabilities of corporate governance and operational management, so as to guarantee a sustained growth.
In his speech, Mr. Wang Tianyi reviewed the highlights of Everbright Environment's efforts made in 2020. He noted that Everbright Environment closely followed the national strategies, grasped the market pulse, reinforced its leading position, cultivated new businesses, and propelled itself toward strategic transformation, during a unique year of 2020. Through exceptional determination, capability and perseverance, the Company overcame various difficulties and consequently garnered remarkable achievements.
1 On pandemic prevention and control
Everbright Environment achieved "zero infection" within tens of thousands of people in the workplace. More than 200 projects across over 100 cities were in full operation, with over 10,000 employees remaining in their positions. The Company made donations amounting to more than RMB3.5 million. This fully demonstrated Everbright Environment's steadfast approach to fulfilling its responsibilities as an enterprise directly under the central government, as well as its dedication as a corporate environmental protection volunteer.
2 On business operation
Everbright Environment has achieved the "two largest" and "two best", backed by steady growth of its business performance indicators and continued enhancement of its business scale, receiving compliments both locally and abroad. The Company has ranked first place in the Top 50 Environmental Protection Enterprises in China for two consecutive years, first place in the Top 10 Influential Solid Waste Treatment Enterprises in China for ten consecutive years, and also first place for two consecutive years among more than 100 listed companies involved in environmental protection in China in terms of revenues and profit. In addition, the Company has been awarded the Most Honored Company in Asia for four consecutive years, shortlisted among the Top 10 Firms with Highest Corporate Governance Index Scores for the first time, awarded the Outstanding Enterprise Award in Response to Climate Change by CDP, and shortlisted in the "Leadership" band in CDP's assessment system.
3 On strategic transformation
Everbright Environment has been striving to promote its development layout with a focus on the areas of environment, resources and energy. While focusing on expanding its traditional business with high quality, the Company has been carefully cultivating new business streams in areas, such as environmental remediation, waste sorting, resource recycling, energy-saving lighting, as well as the development of consumer-centric products. In the meantime, the Company also strives to diversify its financing channels.
4 On technological innovation
Everbright Environment has substantially completed its "Four-in-One" research and development system deployment, with platforms in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Nanjing and Qingdao cities. The Company keeps the largest number of patents across companies under Everbright Group, as well as having obtained the largest number of patents in the waste-to-energy field worldwide. It has achieved major scientific and technological breakthroughs, and garnered various provincial and ministerial scientific and technological honors.
Mr. Wang Tianyi analysed the current opportunities and challenges for the Company, combined with his analysis of the local and international economic situations, trends of the environmental protection industry, and policies and regulations under the new normal. He said that, during the 14th Five-year Plan period, China will embark on its new journey toward building a comprehensive and modern socialist country. As such, Everbright Environment is bound to face profound overhauls. Amid increasing instability and uncertainty, the Company must bravely step out of its comfort zone and implement a "stepping out" strategy – that is, stepping out of the growth mode that relies on heavy assets, focuses only on markets in the Mainland, relies on the municipal business market, and emphasises on industries that prioritise market size. The Company should be bold enough to break out of the shackles, change along with the society, and follow the trends to establish a new development pattern and embark on a new journey toward sustainable development.
Mr. Wang Tianyi stressed that Everbright Environment should abide by Xi Jinping's Socialist Thought with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Plenary Sessions of the 19th Central Committee, and the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference. Meanwhile, the Company shall thoroughly undertake the Group's "Four-Three-Three" strategic deployment and the general requirements of "Pursuing Progress while Ensuring Stability, improving Management Proficiency, Emphasising Innovation and Transformation as Engines, Facilitating Economic Circulation, and Pursuing High-quality Development". With value creation as the core, Everbright Environment will continue to deepen its implementation of the "Three-Five-Eight-Seven" development strategy, strictly carry on with its pandemic prevention and control work, maintain the innovative and vigorous strengthening of its position as an industry leader, proactively develop new businesses, ensure a steady and sustainable growth in its operating performance, aim for the goal of becoming a world-leading player, vigorously push forward structural reforms, and establish a second growth stream. Eventually, Everbright Environment aims to become one of the world-class ecological and environmental enterprises, and stride towards its global leadership goals.
Mr. Wang Tianyi proposed three major expectations for Everbright Environment for 2021:
1 To deeply implement the "Three-Five-Eight-Seven" strategy and push the Company's development to a new level
Everbright Environment shall focus on three major fields, namely environment, resources and energy. It shall strengthen five major development capabilities, including market expansion, engineering construction, project operation, equipment manufacturing, and technological innovation. The Company shall also reinforce its eight sectors, namely environment energy, greentech, environmental water, equipment manufacturing, eco-recycling, greenergy, envirotech, and environmental planning. In the meantime, it shall underpin its seven major capabilities to safeguard its development, including finance, bidding and procurement, budget, safety and environmental management, talent, efficiency, and corporate culture.
2 To Stay vigilant and persist in pandemic prevention and control
Everbright Environment shall continue to implement its "daily reporting" and "zero reporting" practices, maintain pandemic prevention and control within in its office and plant areas, actively encourage cadres and employees to stay at the places where their workplaces are located during the Chinese New Year holidays, and strictly accomplish all pandemic prevention requirements, so as to ensure zero infection across the Company.
3 To reinforce bottom-line mentality and be fully prepared for inspection and supervision
Everbright Environment must firmly guard its moral high ground, follow all laws and disciplines, put entrepreneurship at the forefront, further strengthen its discipline inspection and supervision work, unswervingly deepen its fight against corruption, and establish a clean and forthright work environment. All of these should provide strong support for the Company's high-quality and sustainable development.
During the meeting, Mr. Wang Tianyi signed pledges of work responsibility for 2021 with heads of the Company's eight major sectors, including environment energy, greentech, environmental water, equipment manufacturing, eco-recycling, greenergy, envirotech and environmental planning.