This year's winner of the ESG engagement initiative of the year – Asia is the China Climate Engagement Initiative (CCEI), which Sustainable Investment Awards judges described as "innovative" and an "excellent initiative that covers all the bases".

CCEI is a collaborative investor initiative to promote green, low-carbon and high-quality corporate transition towards China's 'dual carbon' goals of peak carbon emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. It aims to do this by facilitating investor engagement and stewardship management.

The initiative currently comprises 30 Chinese and international institutional investors, with a total AUM of more than CNY70 trillion ($9.6 trillion). It focuses on China as the world's largest carbon emitter.

CCEI aims to catalyse systemic change and push industries towards cleaner practices and technologies by engaging with stakeholders across sectors and bringing together global investment institutions and key Chinese enterprises.

The initiative strives to foster dialogue and cooperation, between these groups, to promote scientifically driven, data-informed strategies for emissions reduction, resilience building and sustainable development, so investment is consistent with China's carbon goals and also brings sustainable economic growth.

CCEI also contributes to China's green policy landscape by collaborating with policymakers and standard-setting bodies to influence the formulation and implementation of sustainable development policies. It uses this opportunity to promote environmental sustainability, climate resilience and carbon neutrality.

"As China's first climate engagement initiative, CCEI is committed to catalysing positive change and building sustainable value creation for businesses in China," said Ma Jun, co-founder and steering committee member of CCEI. "Together with our leading investor members and experts, we will leverage active influence of China's capital market and convene low-carbon transition expertise to contribute to global effort against climate change."

By bringing together experts, including investors, industry leaders, policymakers, and environmental advocates, CCEI aims to facilitate dialogue on sustainable investment, climate resilience and industry transformation to assist Chinese enterprises to navigate the green transition, as well as enable investors to better integrate ESG consideration.