“ESG is the bridge to the future.”
This phrase is emblazoned on the wall in the lobby of Alibaba’s new Chaoyang Science and Technology Park in Beijing. On May 10, the new park was officially opened, and 36Kr was among the first to visit and explore the environmental, social, and governance elements present in the park.
First, we stepped into the indoor office and activity spaces. 36Kr discovered that the roof design here is different from typical office buildings—built of transparent glass, sunlight is allowed to stream in, brightening the interior by making full use of natural light, and reducing the energy consumption required for daily lighting.
“Alibaba’s sustainable operations start with the construction of its own office spaces,” a staff member explained. All new Alibaba campuses are committed to achieving LEED Gold certification, adhering to low-carbon principles in various stages such as material use and construction. As of March 31, 2023, a total of 131,000 square meters of Alibaba’s office campuses had achieved LEED Gold certification.
For a major internet company, technological innovations for carbon reduction are indispensable. In an office with walls full of display screens, 36Kr witnessed Alibaba’s carbon-reducing smart system. According to staff, this system can precisely control air conditioning, lighting, and other systems by time and region based on weather conditions and the number of people in the park, achieving scientific carbon reduction.
In this large park that accommodates over 10,000 people, daily waste management is a crucial issue. 36Kr found that there is a food waste treatment facility in the basement of every office building. Household waste undergoes a fermentation period of about a week in these facilities and can then be turned into organic fertilizer for the outdoor plants in the park.
From an external perspective, the entire park resembles a “sponge city.” Walking through the outdoor green spaces, the pedestrian paths are paved with permeable materials, making it less likely to accumulate water on rainy days. The permeable pavement rate for the entire park’s squares and pedestrian paths is about 70%. Additionally, the park is equipped with a rainwater retention tank with a capacity of over 3,000 cubic meters, which can recycle rainwater for garden irrigation, maximizing the use of rainwater resources.
Employees are the main characters in the park. Here, every employee can actively participate in ESG. From low-carbon commuting, scanning QR codes to adjust workstation air conditioning and lighting, to reporting plastic bottle recycling and participating in carbon reduction activities—every environmental and carbon reduction action by employees can be converted into points and rewards.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Xue Xiaowan for 36Kr.