The 4th CSRtech Innovation Summit (CSRtech 2021), co-organised by Orange, Saint-Gobain, OPPO and Deutsche Telekom, and co-hosted by Impact Hub Shanghai, was held successfully in Shanghai on October 28. Startups, large domestic and foreign companies and investment institutions gathered for a sustainable development vision in the post-COVID-19 era. The summit looked into the prospects and explored CSR in the context of China’s carbon peak and neutrality goals, and further promoted the practice of CSR by empowering innovative tech startups.
CSRtech 2021 consisted of keynote speeches, roundtables and startup pitches. The summit invited experts to elaborate the effect of climate change and China’s carbon emission goals, enterprises to share their best practice and exploration of green transformation, and startups to present their innovative solutions. The summit offered a platform to connect innovative startups and the needs of socially responsible industries to further promote the best practice of CSR.
Orange has co-organized the CSRtech Innovation Summit for four consecutive years, since its launch in 2018. Dr. Alex WANG, VP of Global Procurement & Supply Chain at Orange Group, stated that CSRtech put social responsibility, which had been promoted with industrial partners for a long time, into practice through involving innovative technologies. Orange would like to thank all the startups for providing products and solutions in favor of social responsibility, and hoped to work with partners from all sectors to reach a consensus on sustainable development.
Saint-Gobain, as one of the first multinational companies setting a carbon neutrality target for 2050, is driving sustainable developments in the areas of construction, transportation, healthcare and industrial applications. To achieve the net-zero carbon target by 2050, the Group has developed a clear roadmap and is implementing global initiatives including industrial performance and capacity improvement, product and service innovation, and energy transformation. In his speech, Mr. Denis Michel, Saint-Gobain APAC Secretary General, indicated that participation in CSRtech means a lot to Saint-Gobain. Collaboration between large companies and innovative startups is crucial in addressing various social and environmental challenges.
OPPO as a tech company shares the brand mission of “technology for mankind, kindness for the world” and its efforts of becoming a healthier and more sustainable company since day one. Mr. Scott ZHANG, OPPO Vice President of Oversea Sales, shared OPPO’s CSR practices and indicated that CSRtech aligns with OPPO’s long-standing brand spirit of sustainability. OPPO also believes that sustainable development required the joint efforts of the industry and the whole society, and it hopes to work with cross-industry partners to actively identify innovative solutions so as to create more sustainable values for people and society.
Deutsche Telekom has always been committed to innovation for sustainability and has created Green Magenta Program to implement this concept. Melanie Kubin-Hardewig, VP Group Sustainability Management of Deutsche Telekom, explained further in terms of greener consumer products, zero waste, greener networks and greener governance. She emphasized that the Green Magenta Program is a great initiative, but it will not come to fruition without the support and inspiration from innovative startups and solutions.
Thirteen outstanding innovative startups presented their innovative products, services and technologies, responding to the challenges of “Protect Our Planet”, “Drive Sustainable Business” and “Value Everyone’s Wellbeing”. Among them were Passive Edge Tech, YOUBANGANDA, SATOR TECH, Autonom Loop and Knowcarbon, focusing on energy and carbon emissions; CarbonPlanet, AI Tyre, OrcauBoat and HOHIILIFE, dedicated to resources and environmental protection; AMA and Virtual Scene, using technology to enable health and safety in daily life; Voibook and OPO Disability Group, focusing on accessibility solutions.
This is the fourth year of CSRtech. In these four years, CSRtech has witnessed companies, investors, innovators and every consumer having a deeper understanding of responsible footprint and sustainable development; witnessed the growth and success of many startups, and their collaborations with large companies, making positive impact on industries and society. CSRtech believes that persistent collaboration on open innovation will create a more sustainable and inclusive world, and welcomes more aspirants to join us.
Media contact:
Saint-Gobain Shanghai
Jieqi Zhang, jieqi.zhang@saint-gobain.com
Jing Zhou, jing.zhou2@saint-gobain.com
Website: https://www.saint-gobain.com/en