GPP Academy – How Business and Biodiversity Connect

How does biodiversity impact your business? This thought-provoking question was at the heart of a recent session hosted by Swire Properties as part of the Green Performance Pledge (GPP) Workshop, designed to inspire tenants to embrace sustainable practices and take meaningful action for the environment.

The workshop kicked off with an insightful presentation by Janice Lo, Founder and Creative Director of Outdoor Wildlife Learning HK (OWLHK). Janice delved into the critical role nature plays in both environmental and economic stability. She engaged participants on the fundamentals of biodiversity, highlighting how it supports our everyday lives – providing essential resources and regulating natural systems. She also emphasised the cultural enrichment biodiversity offers through recreational activities that promote human health and wellbeing.

Drawing on examples from Hong Kong, Janice warned of the escalating threats to biodiversity caused by human actions such as poaching and pollution. She made it clear: while nature can survive without people, humanity cannot thrive without a healthy environment.

Building on this, Patrick Ho, Swire Properties' Head of Sustainable Development, outlined the Company's approach to addressing key challenges. He discussed global efforts to protect biodiversity, referencing international initiatives such as the United Nations’ Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the more recently introduced Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). Patrick shared that Swire Properties was an early adopter of the TNFD framework, helping to shape how businesses manage nature-related risks and opportunities. He provided an overview of TNFD’s structure, using Swire Properties as an example of how potential risks and opportunities along the value chain can be assessed.

Patrick also showcased the Company’s biodiversity initiatives, particularly its biophilic design in and around Taikoo Square. By planting over 260 native and exotic plant species, the project draws inspiration from Hong Kong’s traditional biodiversity hotspots, also known as the “feng shui woodlands”, to create vibrant habitats and food sources for birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The design components form a green corridor for these creatures as they move between the areas within Taikoo Place and the neighbouring Mount Parker and Quarry Bay Park. This initiative also serves as a nature-based solution for improving the microclimate, increasing rainwater retention and enhancing district-level air quality.

After the presentations, came the highlight of the day in the form of a guided tour of Taikoo Square led by OWLHK. Participants were introduced to a diverse range of native plants and learnt about their traditional uses, sparking curiosity and many questions. The tour demonstrated how planting vegetation in a way that mimics natural ecosystems creates rich, layered landscapes that provide wildlife with shelter and food, allowing different species to thrive.

The event was a great success, inspiring conversations and encouraging immediate and long-term action. Now it’s your turn – how can your business contribute to promoting biodiversity? Contact us at GPP@swireproperties.com to share your ideas with the GPP community, or learn more about Swire Properties’ efforts in promoting biodiversity here.

The GPP is our flagship programme towards achieving our SD 2030 Strategy and longstanding commitment to fighting climate change, in joint efforts with our office tenants in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. Learn more about the programme on the GPP Website.