First Hong Kong private company granted Green Finance Certificate earns honour again

Hong Kong, China – Leo Paper Group (Hong Kong) Limited (the "Group"), a leading global printing communications company based in Hong Kong, has won the "Outstanding Import & Export Enterprise Awards 2018 -- Corporate Achievement Award" presented by The Hong Kong Chinese Importers' & Exporters' Association ("HKCIEA"), recognising its excellent performance in company performance, reputation, corporate social responsibility and corporate governance. The award also shows that the Group is well-acknowledged by the industry and society for its products and market prominence, as well as contribution to helping the industry develop and creating employment opportunities.

Mr. Paul Chan Mo-po, GBM, GBS, MH, JP, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government presented the "Outstanding Import & Export Enterprise Awards 2018 -- Corporate Achievement Award" to Mr. King Lai, CFO and Group Director of Leo Paper Group. 

Founded in 1982, Leo Paper Group was then a traditional printing company with a staff of eight. Today, it is a large enterprise with a more than 13,000-strong workforce and a rich product portfolio comprising books, games, paper bags, gift items and packaging. It provides clients with one-stop solutions covering product development, automated manufacturing, logistics, testing and metrology, as well as digital services. It serves clients from across the world, including Europe and the U.S., and has earned many local and overseas printing related accolades over the years. The latest "Outstanding Import & Export Enterprise Awards 2018 -- Corporate Achievement Award" is another deserving win.

Mr. Samuel Leung, Chairman of the Group, said, "This is the second time the Group received awards from HKCIEA. In 2015, it won the 'Outstanding Import & Export Enterprise Awards 2015 -- Entrepreneurship Award' and this latest win testifies to the Group's relentless efforts in promoting sustainable development of the industry and contributing to the society over the years. Since its inception, the Group has kept striving for excellence in business development, corporate governance, environmental management and innovation, so as to become a leading global printing communications company capable of providing clients the best one-stop solutions. This spirit is deeply rooted in the heart of members of the Leo team. The award acknowledges our hard work and achievements over the years and marks an important milestone in the development of the Group." 

"The Group will continue to boost its competitiveness and service standard, thereby defending its industry leadership, and to uphold the core value of striving for sustainable development. It will also actively participate in charitable activities to maintain its bond with the community, to the ultimate end of creating 'win-for-all' together with clients and the society." 

The more than 850,000 sq. m. production base of the Group in Heshan Astros homes the largest single printing plant in China. For four consecutive years since 2014, the Group has placed sixth among the top 100 printing companies in the country. It is also China's first printing enterprise to gain waterless printing accreditation. Supported by its own Novel Technology Development Department and product engineering team, it pursues innovation and breakthroughs on the product, equipment, raw material and secondary processing fronts, and as such the quality of its products enjoys wide industry and client recognition. For example, in 2007, it bagged the James H. Mayes Memorial Best of Show at the 2017 Premier Print Awards in the U.S., and the Grand Award at the 29th Hong Kong Print Awards.

Furthermore, the Group implements stringent corporate governance policies. Since 2003, as a private company, it has voluntarily followed the requirement of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong for listed companies to issue annual reports and, since 2009, it has appointed independent auditors and held annual shareholder meetings to report the auditors' findings regarding its consolidated account and also review internal monitory practices, aiming to improve corporate governance.

As for environmental management, the Group has invested over HKD200 million in the past 5 years in green projects. In August 2018, the Group became the first private company in Hong Kong to earn the HKQAA Green Finance Certificate. It also signed a HKD350 Million Four-Year Green Loan Term and Revolving Credit Facility with a group of seven leading banks, obtaining funding for its 20-plus green technology projects to roll out in China in the next few years.