‌The ESG Research Center was officially established by the Academy in December 2021, focusing on key ESG issues. The Center currently has 16 core members, with Mr. Ruoyu Weng serving as the director. Its research directions cover four major areas: sustainable disclosure standards and reporting, corporate sustainability governance and risk management, sustainable finance and investment, and green fintech and innovation, forming a cross-disciplinary collaborative research matrix.‌

‌Since its inception, the Center has prioritized theoretical research and deeply served China's ESG system development. By the end of 2024, in terms of academic papers, it had published over 50 ESG-related papers, with some disseminated through the Academy's "Cloud Top Finance" platform to provide theoretical references for the industry. In research projects, it secured funding for 4 national-level and 3 provincial-level ESG-related projects, along with 1 Ministry of Finance project, continuously deepening research on critical domestic ESG issues. In policy support, it submitted 19 ESG research reports to relevant bureaus of the Ministry of Finance, some of which received ministerial-level endorsements or were adopted by the Central Committee and the State Council, directly influencing policy formulation. Additionally, the Center actively participated in China's ESG standard development: Professor Shizhong Huang's team was deeply involved in drafting the "Corporate Sustainable Disclosure Standards—Basic Guidelines" and its application guide. His 2024 monograph, ESG and Sustainable Disclosure Standards Research, was adopted by the Ministry of Finance's Sustainable Disclosure Standards Expert Group, becoming a key reference for China's ESG standardization efforts.‌

‌In terms of exchanges and seminars, the Center established a diverse dialogue platform to facilitate knowledge sharing. By the end of 2024, it had organized 4 major academic forums, including the 2021 "ESG Research Center Launch and Thematic Seminar," the 2022 "BRICS Think Tank International Symposium" (co-organized), the 2023 "ESG Forum: Disclosure Empowering Carbon Exploration," and the 2024 "Sustainable Disclosure and High-Quality Economic Development" forum. Additionally, it hosted multiple academic lectures, inviting professors from Renmin University of China, Beijing Technology and Business University, and Zhejiang Sci-Tech University to share cutting-edge ESG insights, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.‌

‌In capacity building, the Center closely collaborated with the Academy's academic affairs department, leveraging both internal and external resources to offer over 60 ESG-related courses. These courses focused on foundational ESG and sustainable development knowledge, carbon neutrality goals and implementation pathways, ESG reporting and disclosure practices, green and climate finance, and international governance policies with local applications, aiming to cultivate ESG professionals and enhance corporate and institutional ESG capabilities.‌

Looking ahead, the Center will continue to focus on China's core ESG development needs, deepen government-industry-academia collaboration, and provide stronger support for the advancement of China's ESG system and sustainable development.