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Alaya Consulting is a specialist consultancy focusing on ESG reporting, pre-assurance and sustainability training.
Alaya Consulting is a specialist consultancy focusing on ESG reporting, pre-assurance and sustainability training.
Associate consultant
Ruby Fang joined Alaya Consulting as an associate consultant in hopes to promote corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. Her main role includes day-to-day client communication, data management and preparation of reports. She graduated from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with a major in Environmental Sciences and a minor in Social Sciences. Ruby has also completed the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) accreditation training.
Associate consultant
I joined Alaya Consulting with an interest in environmental protection and sustainable development, hoping to provide better solutions for different companies, promoting sustainable development and achieving carbon neutrality. I was mainly responsible for data collection, environmental disclosure, carbon audits and assisting in the preparation of reports. I am fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. I graduated with a master’s degree in environmental engineering and management from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and a bachelor’s degree in atmospheric science from Nanjing University. I am also a yoga enthusiast.
Associate consultant
Xiaotong is responsible for handling data collection, writing ESG reports, and day-to-day client communications. She also assists with ESG disclosures and client support. She obtained her Master of Chemical Engineering in Shenzhen University, with a longterm focus on environmental pollutant assessment.
She also graduated in Bachelor of Engineering Science from Chang’an University, majoring in water pollution management.
Intern
Alisa Lam is an intern working at Alaya consulting during her gap year. She plans on studying Politics, International Relations and Global Sustainable Development at Warwick University in 2022. She has a keen interest in understanding what makes the best sustainability report, promoting corporate social responsibility and learning how to tailor sustainable strategies for different companies. She understands that implementing environmental and social policies is crucial in building a successful and resilient enterprise in today’s world. She is responsible for writing and revising reports as well as doing research for Alaya.
Management Trainee
Gabriel joined Alaya Consulting as a management trainee, responsible for conducting ESG advisory and reporting along with assisting the business development and marketing team.
He graduated from The University of Hong Kong with a bachelor’s degree of science majored in Environmental Science. Gabriel understands that working towards improving environmental and social issues is fundamental to building a sustainable and successful business. He would like to make a positive impact by joining the ESG advisory industry.
Associate consultant
Better ESG management shapes a more resilient and sustainable future.
Responsible for handling social data collection and analysis; Assist in preparing the sustainability report and daily communications with clients; Advise clients on ESG- related issues to optimize ESG disclosure and improve ESG performance.
Graduated from Uppsala University in Sweden with a master's degree in business and economics. Master thesis themed in green finance.
Associate Consultant
Eason joined Alaya Consulting as an associate consultant, responsible for preparing ESG reports. He is passionate about sustainability and eager in helping enterprises to improve their ESG performance. He graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong with a bachelor’s degree in science, major in Earth System Science and minor in Biology. Eason’s hobbies are playing table tennis and playing the guitar.
Consultant
Alva Yeung is keen in helping companies create sustainability strategies to help mitigate environment and social impact. Coming from an international relations background, she is familiar with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, UN Global Compact and other international initiatives. She is also responsible for social data analysis, facilitating stakeholder communication, ESG report writing and day-to-day client communication. Alva has completed the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) accreditation training.
Alva obtained her Master of International Relations and Public Affairs in University of Hong Kong and Bachelor Degree in City University of Hong Kong, major in Asian and International Studies.
Business Development and Marketing Manager
Sunny joined Alaya in 2020 with a goal to bolster ESG and sustainability in Hong Kong.
He works with Alaya to develop and promote its initiatives such as HERA and ESG Newswire.
He also works with existing and new partners to collaborate and host events promoting ESG strategy and disclosure.
Sunny has great plans to design and develop Alaya’s own ESG rating system in the coming future.
Born in India, bred in Hong Kong, and a bachelor’s degree from NYU, Sunny comes from a rich and diverse range of experiences.
He majored in Finance and Marketing and minored in Social Entrepreneurship.
He co-founded his own social enterprise, Grounded Upcycling, in New York that upcycles spent coffee grounds into soap and face masks.
In his free time, Sunny likes to go hiking, read, or play Squash!
Founder
Tony is the founder of Alaya Consulting Limited. With more than 16 years of experience in advising C-suite executives, both in-house and from the client side, he is particularly experienced in the development of corporate sustainability strategies, training, communication and ESG reporting approaches.
Tony works with client companies to help them improve disclosure levels and ESG ratings. Recent clients include AAC Technologies, CIMC, Panda Green Energy, Chiho Environmental Group, Integrated Waste Management, Baguio, MicroPort, Tianjin Port and others. Recent projects include organising the Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards, contributing to the development of industry best practices.
Tony is a Chartered Company Secretary, a GRI Nominated Trainer, a carbon audit professional accredited by the Association of Energy Engineers, a Practitioner of Institute of Environmental Management Association and a certified sustainability assurance practitioner. He has also successfully completed the practitioner training of Integrated Reporting.
Prior to setting up Alaya, Tony assumed senior roles in various leading communications agencies and a Fortune top 10 financial services group. Before embarking on his career in communications, Tony spent a number of years in banking and financial journalism. He received a master’s degree in Corporate Governance from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a bachelor’s degree in International Business from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
How to get started with carbon accounting
Forthcoming regulations by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), which mandate companies to disclose their carbon emissions, have greatly heightened the significance of carbon accounting for businesses. This article aims to provide an overview of the implications of these regulations for your company, the advantages of adopting carbon accounting practices, the components involved in carbon accounting, and steps to embark on your carbon accounting venture.
What the proposed regulations mean for business
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s forthcoming regulations will require all listed companies to disclose their carbon emissions in their ESG reports in line with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) Climate Standard. These regulations encompass the disclosure of emissions from companies’ value chains, known as “Scope 3” emissions, which can contribute up to 80-90 percent of a company’s total emissions. The proposed changes to climate-related disclosures were released in April this year and will be effective from January 2024. Given the limited timeline for companies to comply with the new regulations, companies will want to get ahead by getting organised now.
What is carbon accounting?
Carbon accounting entails the measurement, quantification, and monitoring of an organisation’s or entity’s greenhouse gas emissions. It encompasses the collection of data relating to different activities and operations that contribute to emissions, such as energy usage, transportation, waste management, and production processes. In essence, carbon accounting involves the translation of business activities into quantifiable carbon emissions through mathematical calculations.
Benefits of carbon accounting
Driven by upcoming regulations such as the HKEX rules and various governmental rulings worldwide (including TCFD, ISSB, and upcoming SEC rulings), carbon accounting is becoming a global requirement. These frameworks and rulings will establish standardised and comprehensive carbon accounting practices, enhancing transparency, comparability, and accountability in emissions reporting. This will enable better decision-making, risk assessment, and goal-setting for businesses. Additionally, they create urgency and responsibility for companies to measure, manage, and reduce their carbon footprint to meet regulatory and stakeholder expectations. By conducting carbon accounting, businesses ensure compliance, avoid penalties, and mitigate legal risks. It also positions them favourably for future regulatory developments by proactively addressing emissions and maintaining accurate data.
Beyond meeting compliance and regulatory requirements, carbon accounting also offers several other benefits to your organisations, including:
Implementing carbon accounting practices offers numerous benefits to businesses. By identifying cost-saving opportunities, enhancing reputation, attracting investors, managing risks, and gaining a competitive advantage, companies can thrive in an evolving business landscape. Embracing sustainability through carbon accounting is not only a responsible choice but also a strategic one that paves the way for long-term success.
What carbon accounting involves
In simple terms, carbon accounting involves assessing your business’s carbon footprint and converting the results into CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent). CO2e is a standardised unit that accounts for the warming effect of different greenhouse gases based on their global warming potential (GWP). For instance, one metric ton (MT) of methane has a warming effect 29.8 times greater than that of CO2 over the same period, making it equivalent to 29.8 metric tons of CO2e.
Here’s how to get started with carbon accounting:
1) Identify the sources of your company’s carbon emissions
These are broken-up into three types of emissions, or Scope 1-3 emissions:
Scope 1 emissions — the direct greenhouse (GHG) emissions that occur from sources that are controlled or owned by your company (for example, emissions associated with fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, and vehicles).
Scope 2 emissions — the indirect GHG emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling.
Scope 3 emissions — all indirect emissions that come from activities that occur in your company’s supply chain, but are not directly controlled by your company. These sources include the use of purchased goods and services, fuel- and energy-related activities, employee business travel, waste generated from operations, transport-related activities, and the use of leased assets. On average, Scope 3 emissions account for over 80-90 percent of an organisation’s emissions so this will be the biggest source of emissions and will require the most time to identify.
2) Measure your company’s carbon emissions
Once the sources of emissions within your organisation have been identified, you can proceed with calculating your carbon footprint. Traditionally, this involved manual calculations using a carbon accounting spreadsheet. However, with the advent of purpose-built carbon management software, the process can now be significantly automated. A robust solution enables you to effortlessly upload data on your expenditure (such as procurement spend, utility bills, and fuel receipts) or integrate with your existing finance applications. The software then takes the financial value of the goods or services you have purchased and multiplies it by an emission factor, which represents the amount of emissions generated per unit of financial value. This calculation provides an estimate of the emissions produced. By automating this process, the software automatically determines your company’s total emissions and presents a visual representation of your carbon footprint.
How Alaya Consulting can help you
Carbon accounting may seem complex and overwhelming, but with the right ally, it becomes much simpler and more accessible. Alaya Consulting offers a wealth of expertise in ESG reporting, pre-assurance, ratings upgrades, and sustainability training for your business. As a trusted advisor in the ESG field, we have a proven track record of assisting organisations in adopting sustainable practices. In addition, our partnership with Avarni, an advanced carbon management platform utilising artificial intelligence and data analytics, enables us to accurately measure, monitor, and forecast your business’s Scope 1-3 carbon emissions. Get in touch with us today to learn how we can aid your business in meeting its ESG reporting requirements, implementing effective emission reduction strategies, and driving sustainability initiatives within your organisation.
About Avarni
Avarni is a carbon emissions management platform that enables organisations to move from net zero commitment to action as quickly as possible. Driven by AI and the power of a global supplier network, Avarni improves measurement, hotspot identification, and planning, to help companies quickly understand and address their emissions exposure. Countless industry leaders leverage Avarni, including 5B, City of London, Jacobs, KPMG, Point B, Schneider Electric Sustainability Business, and WNS. Avarni has analysed over $300 billion in corporate spending data and examined the equivalent of 150 million tonnes of CO2e emissions within supply chains.