By Daria Fominykh
As the world enters the second quarter of the 21st century, the ESG framework, which evaluates a company’s performance in areas such as social responsibility, impact investing, and philanthropy, continues to gain momentum. Corporate philanthropy is shifting from simple donations to deeper engagement. How are businesses in Zhejiang responding to this trend?
On Feb 15, over 100 guests from 14 countries gathered for the “Civilizations of Goodness: When the East Meets the West” sharing session to explore the latest trends in philanthropy, social economy, corporate sustainability, and global development.
Among the guests were representatives from influential Zhejiang enterprises, scholars from Oxford and Harvard universities, as well as international students who participated as “Hangzhou League of International Students · Gen Z City Experience Officers”.
The event, part of the “Hangzhou, A Window to China’s 5,000-Year Civilization” project, was organized by the General Association of Zhejiang Entrepreneurs Sustainable Development Commission, Hangzhou Philanthropic Association, Hangzhou International Communication Center, and Zhejiang University Center for Civilizations of Goodness Research.
East meets West in social responsibility
Wang Lihong, Chairperson of Hailiang Group, a Hangzhou-based private company specializing in non-ferrous metals, construction, and ecological agriculture, emphasized Zhejiang’s commitment to social value. She highlighted Hailiang’s educational outreach and the contributions of other local companies, such as Holley Group’s fight against malaria with artemisinin and DeepSeek’s substantial charitable donations, showcasing how Zhejiang enterprises integrate social responsibility into their business models.
Similarly, Alibaba’s initiatives, such as the “public welfare items” on Taobao, where each purchase donates a percentage of the payment to charitable projects, and the 3-Hour Voluntary Service Platform, a platform that facilitates donations and volunteer services with just a few taps, demonstrate the company’s commitment to community support. Additionally, Alibaba’s rural revitalization projects aim to help remote villages grow and develop, further illustrating how local enterprises in Zhejiang are leveraging their platforms and resources to contribute to social good.
Corporate responsibility and philosophy
Dr. John Hoffmire, a distinguished scholar from Oxford University’s Regent’s Park College, discussed the relationship between corporate ESG policies and social welfare, cautioning that AI technology could exacerbate inequality if not carefully managed. He cited Huawei’s employee stock ownership model as an example of inclusive capitalism.
Dr. Rey Sheng Her, Associate Scholar at Harvard University FAS CAMLab and Deputy CEO of the Tzu Chi Foundation, connected Chinese philosophical principles to corporate charity. His insights into the integration of Confucian and Daoist values into ESG governance were illustrated by an Indonesian Chinese entrepreneur whose work has influenced both his company and community through altruism.
Digital technology and
industry collaboration
Technological innovation was a recurring theme throughout the event. Huang Qingwei, Deputy Secretary-General of Ant Foundation, highlighted the Alipay Ant Forest project. Alipay Ant Forest promotes eco-friendly habits by incorporating low-carbon activities into users’ daily routines, such as paying bills, buying tickets, and walking to work instead of driving. These actions are tracked and converted into “virtual green energy” on the Alipay Ant Forest platform. When a user's virtual tree reaches full growth, Alipay, in collaboration with its NGO partners, plants a real tree in Northwest China or supports the protection of a specific conservation area.
Users can also “adopt” or virtually claim to protect five square meters of conservation land with the support of Alipay and local NGO partners. This project has raised millions for desertification prevention and created hundreds of thousands of job opportunities for local farmers, earning recognition from the United Nations.
Dai Yajie, Secretary-General of the Hailiang Rural Education Revitalization Foundation, shared an “impact map” that highlighted the foundation’s reach across 22 provinces, 145 schools, and 230,000 students. The map showed how the foundation had brought innovation and change to various regions: for example, in Jingdong county, Yunnan, the number of students achieving top marks in the college entrance exam increased from single digits to over 100, and in Yan'an Anse district, the first Air Force pilot was trained. Dai emphasized that educational revitalization is not about numbers; it is about providing each child with more opportunities in life.
The role of Gen Z
in shaping philanthropy
Young participants, many from the post-1995 and 2000 generations, shared their perspectives on contemporary philanthropy. Ngirande Tamuda Takudzwa, a graduate student from Zimbabwe at Zhejiang Gongshang University, emphasized the importance of sustainable development, noting that African youth are more focused on long-term solutions, such as solar and digital technologies, than on short-term aid.
This aligns with the efforts of Wang Yijing, Founding Partner & CEO of 2060 Advisory, who is helping businesses with social responsibility focus secure better financing. One of the companies she supports is using methane detection technology to aid in achieving carbon neutrality, further illustrating how innovation and sustainability are becoming central to modern philanthropy.
Looking ahead to a new chapter
The 5-hour-long dialogue reaffirmed that “Civilizations of Goodness” is more than just an abstract concept--it is about real-world actions by individuals and businesses, including the active contributions of Zhejiang companies. As discussions continue into 2025, the event emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration across cultures to address global challenges through philanthropy, impact investment, and sustainable development.
Wang Lihong Yao Yao Dr. John Hoffmire Dr. Rey Sheng Her Huang Qingwei Jiang Xianzheng Wang Qi Dai Yajie Ngirande Tamuda Takudzwa Wang Yijing Chen Bining