Over 60% of Chinese listed companies to maintain or spend more on decarbonization, a report finds

BEIJING, Dec. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite economic headwinds, over 60% of Chinese onshore listed companies intend to maintain or raise their input in decarbonization, according to the latest ESG white paper released by China Asset Management Co.(ChinaAMC).

A quarter of the surveyed companies plan to increase investments by 10% or more, while 38% will maintain their current spending level, according to White Paper on ESG Investing Development and Innovation in China 2025.

By industry, the raw materials sector showed the strongest commitment, with 52% of companies plan to up their ante. Notably, all coal industry enterprises plan to increase investments by over 10%. This is followed by the consumer discretionary sector, where 39% of companies exhibit a strong willingness to invest.

The white paper also found a subtle shift in the underlying logic of ESG development among Chinese companies. Practices are increasingly shifting from a "passive compliance" to a "proactive value creation", a trend particularly prominent among firms with overseas business.

Other key findings include: 

• Asked about the "main drivers for your company's increasing emission reduction investments," companies with overseas business were significantly more likely to cite "downstream customer requirements" (55%), compared to companies without overseas business (10%).
• On social issues, companies with overseas business were notably more likely to identify "brand reputation and market competitiveness" (56%) and "consumer demand and expectations" (40%) as primary drivers than those without overseas business.
• Supply chain resilience, labor management, and community relation are identified as the three major ESG challenges confronting Chinese enterprises going global.
• Paying full social security for "flexible employees" is less hard than anticipated.
• Institutional shareholders are encouraged by regulators to "actively exercising their rights", while hurdles remain.

Based on a survey of 520 A-share listed companies across different sectors, ownership structures, market capitalizations, the white paper systematically maps China's ESG landscape, with a focus on their green transition, going global drive and employee rights protection. The report is co-produced with ZD Proxy, a leading Chinese proxy advisory firm that specializes in providing institutional investors with in-depth research and voting recommendations on corporate governance and ESG.

The white paper marks the fifth straight year ChinaAMC has commissioned the project, a testament to ChinaAMC's commitment to ESG and responsible investment.

Click here for the ten takeaways of the white paper: https://en.chinaamc.com/c/2025-12-16/919027.shtml

About ChinaAMC

Founded in April 1998, China Asset Management Co., Ltd. (ChinaAMC) has grown to be one of the largest asset managers in China, with total AUM exceeding RMB3.2 trillion (US$449.5billion) as of Sept 30, 2025. It positioned itself as a full-service and versatile asset management platform that operates across asset classes, industries and regions. ChinaAMC has been China's largest equity ETF provider for 20 consecutive years (2005-2024).

It became the first full-service Chinese asset manager to join the UN PRI in 2017. Since then it has conducted over 170 deep engagement with more than 70 Chinese companies.

Source: ChinaAMC. AUM includes subsidiaries. Data as of Sept 30, 2025.

Disclaimer

Investment involves risk, including possible loss of principal. The information contained herein is for reference only and reflects prevailing market conditions and our judgment as of the release date, which are subject to change without further notice.

SOURCE ChinaAMC