POLIcies

ESG Investment Policy

This document sets out the guiding principles of HKUST’s ESG policy, as applied to its Long-Term Investment Pool. HKUST adopted a Net-Zero Carbon Investment Strategy that will gradually remove investments in fossil fuels from “in-scope assets” and allocate around 5 per cent of our investments to companies that offer climate solutions by end of 2025.  This will be accomplished by partnering with investment managers for whom ESG considerations are integral to and manifested throughout their investment process.

HKUST Sustainable Catering Policy

HKUST’s goal is to create food and dining facilities and services that provide clean, healthy, environmentally responsible food and surroundings, reflecting our campus sustainability vision and mission. To this end, HKUST has adopted the following Sustainable Catering Policy, which applies equally to HKUST managed caterers and caterers who supply services for one-time events on campus.

 

GUIDELINES

HKUST Sustainable Events Guidelines

Events are one of the key areas with great opportunities for waste reduction. Examples are Congregation, student society promotion period, orientation camps, large dinners and receptions, and Open Day (Information Day). These Sustainable Events Guidelines suggest ways for staff, faculty, and students to organize and manage the events more sustainably through collective efforts by the departments, offices and student bodies across the campus.

HKUST Sustainable Printing Guidelines

The sustainable printing guidelines are intended to help our community improve sustainability performance in striving for this vision.

HKUST Staff Mobile Computing Guidelines

These guidelines serve as recommendations and considerations on mobile computing capabilities for HKUST staff. The term “mobile computing” encompasses the devices, network connectivity, and cloud services that enable users to perform their duties while not based in one fixed location. For the purpose of this guideline, we consider “mobile computing” is switching from using a desktop PC towards a laptop as a first step.

HKUST Sustainable Office Standards & Guidelines

Based on the premise that many small actions lead to big changes, this document provide a clear set of Standards and Guidelines are intended to provide simple, yet meaningful rules and direction for individuals and teams at HKUST to improve the sustainable performance of their spheres of influence on campus.

HKUST Operational Guidelines on Sustainable Purchasing

The work that occurs in offices at HKUST is critical to the performance of our university, especially in meeting the needs of our teaching and learning community. At the same time, the decisions made on a daily basis can make a huge difference in ability of HKUST to maintaining a more healthy, vibrant, and sustainable campus. The operational guidelines highlight the approach towards purchasing decisions that can result in our positive and desired outcomes towards sustainability.

HKUST High Performance Building Standards & Guidelines

To work towards the sustainability vision, HKUST has developed the Smart and Sustainable Campus principles, which are:

• Emphasize flexibility in spaces;

• Anticipate future energy needs and opportunities;

• Maximize potential for metering, monitoring, and sensors;

• Embrace the benefits of the surroundings;

• Design for social interaction;

• Integrate potential for student experimentation, research, and exploration.

HKUST Second-Hand Goods Purchasing & Reimbursement Guidelines

These guidelines serve as the guide to staff for knowing the additional limits and supplementary documentation required for second-hand goods purchases. Also, for each step in the purchasing process in the document, the document contains links to the relevant supporting documents.

 

Guidelines on Special Leave for Participating in Volunteering Service and/or Wellness / Diversity and Equal Opportunities Initiatives

The University recognizes the benefits of volunteering service, wellness / diversity & equal opportunities initiatives to both the community and staff members. The provision of paid special leave offers an opportunity for staff members to contribute to the community and to promote their well-being through participating in volunteering service and/or wellness / diversity & equal opportunities initiatives during normal work time, leading to enhancement of employee engagement in the HKUST Community