HERA SUBMISSION NOW OPEN FOR 2026
Hong Kong, 12 May 2026 – The Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (“HERA”) is pleased to announce that submissions are now open for 2026. Entering its 9th year, HERA continues to serve as a leading platform in Asia recognizing excellence, innovation and credibility in ESG disclosure.
As sustainability reporting continues to evolve, companies are increasingly expected to communicate ESG information in a clearer, more balanced and more meaningful manner. While compliance remains an important foundation, leading organizations are also using ESG reporting to explain how they manage key risks, respond to stakeholder expectations, and support long-term business resilience.
In recent years, ESG reporting has been shaped by a number of important developments, including growing attention to climate-related disclosure, nature and biodiversity considerations, ESG data quality, stakeholder engagement, digital communication, and the connection between sustainability performance and business value. These trends are gradually influencing how companies structure their reports, present their strategies, and communicate progress to investors, regulators, customers, employees and the wider community.
Against this evolving backdrop, HERA 2026 will continue to recognize organizations that demonstrate strong commitment to transparent, credible and useful ESG disclosure. Rather than focusing only on the volume of information disclosed, HERA encourages reports that are well-structured, relevant to the organization’s business context, supported by reliable data, and accessible to a broad range of stakeholders.
This year, HERA will continue to welcome ESG reports that show progress in areas such as:
- Clear and balanced ESG communication, including both achievements and areas for improvement;
- Relevant discussion of material ESG topics, reflecting the organization’s industry, operations and stakeholder concerns;
- Practical climate-related disclosure, where applicable, including governance, risk management, targets and progress;
- Improved ESG data quality, including clearer methodologies, boundaries and year-on-year comparability;
- Stakeholder-oriented reporting, using plain language, accessible formats and meaningful performance indicators;
- A stronger link between ESG efforts and business resilience, where companies explain how sustainability initiatives support long-term development.
A 10% discount is available for early submissions received on or before 30 June 2026, with the final submission deadline set for 31 July 2026.
Submissions will be evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges based on HERA’s established and rigorous criteria, including reporting quality, materiality, transparency, clarity, governance, data credibility and overall effectiveness of ESG communication.
Tony Wong, Director of HERA Limited, stated: “ESG reporting is maturing. The strongest reports are not necessarily the longest or most technical, but those that present a clear, credible and balanced picture of how an organization manages its ESG responsibilities and opportunities. Through HERA 2026, we hope to continue encouraging companies across Asia to strengthen the quality, relevance and usefulness of their ESG disclosures.”
Winners will be announced at the HERA 2026 awards ceremony on 23 October 2026 at Hyatt Regency, TST, Hong Kong.
HERA is open to all types of sustainability reports from organizations across Asia, including ESG reports within annual reports, stand-alone ESG/Sustainability/CSR reports, and integrated reports. Entries must feature the most recent report published by the organization.
For more information on the awards or to submit a nomination, please visit www.hkesgawards.com or contact Nancy Zou or Sida Li at nancy@hkesgawards.com or sida@hkesgawards.com.
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About HERA
The Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) is dedicated to recognizing excellence in ESG disclosures, helping companies build trust among their stakeholders. Organized by the registered non-profit organization, Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards Limited, HERA represents the most prestigious form of recognition for corporate sustainability in the region. HERA is the first ESG award worldwide to receive a special nomination from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) ISAR Honours, highlighting its global significance and credibility in promoting transparency and accountability in sustainability practices. For more information and to apply, please visit our official website at https://hkesgawards.com/.
About Alaya Consulting
Alaya Consulting is a leading ESG consultancy renowned for its pioneering achievements in the field. We specialize in a comprehensive range of ESG services including advisory, climate-related disclosure, assurance, ratings upgrade, and GRI Certified Training. As the esteemed ESG partner of the Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards, we are committed to enhancing sustainability practices across Asia. Alaya Consulting stands out as the first ESG Advisory in Asia to not only receive approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for our carbon reduction targets but also successfully meets our initial target. Building on this achievement, we have set and committed to a second SBTi-approved target.