(HONG KONG, 18 July 2018) The Best Corporate Governance Awards, a prestigious recognition by the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) and coveted by listed companies and public organizations alike, are open for entry until 13 August.

Now in their 19th year, the Awards recognize best practices through disclosure of information in annual reports, sustainability reports and on websites, and promote a good corporate governance culture, enhancing investor and public confidence in the Hong Kong market. The Awards criteria go beyond the minimum legal and regulatory requirements, and look for voluntary disclosures and practices that set a high bar.

"HKICPA advocates corporate governance standards that help strengthen Hong Kong's attractiveness to global investors. We believe good corporate governance is a key factor in fostering investor confidence, and that Hong Kong is well placed to build a good corporate governance culture that can help distinguish Hong Kong's capital market in the highly competitive global marketplace," said Mr Eric Tong, President of HKICPA.

Mr Tong added that the philosophy behind the Awards is in line with the "Report on Improving Corporate Governance in Hong Kong" a consultancy report recently published by HKICPA, which calls for greater accountability for independent non-executive directors, strengthening of enforcement options, including cross-border enforcement, and a high-level corporate governance policy unit to be set up by the Government, among other recommendations.

Categories of awards

The 2018 Awards invite entries in the following categories:

(i) Hang Seng Index ("HSI")-constituent companies
(ii) Non-HSI-constituent companies - Large market capitalization
(iii) Non-HSI-constituent companies - Medium market capitalization

(iv)  Non-HSI-constituent companies - Small market capitalization

(v)   H-share companies and other Mainland enterprises
(vi) Public sector/Not-for-profit organizations
(Categories (ii) – (iv) include main board and GEM companies)

In each category, there are Diamond, Platinum and Gold Awards, as well as Sustainability and Social Responsibility Reporting ("SSR") Awards. The shortlisted entries undergo quality reviews and a compliance review.

New this year are awards to recognize smaller companies and public sector/not-for-profit organizations, which are sectors where the Awards Organizing Committee believes more effort needs to be made to improve corporate governance. Eligible entities are invited to describe the good corporate governance practices that they have put in place.

The SSR Awards have become an increasingly valued form of recognition given to companies excelling in environmental, social and governance ("ESG") reporting particularly now that ESG reporting requirements have been upgraded under the listing rules.

While not all companies and organizations have sufficient resources to make across-the- board improvements in one go, the Awards also acknowledge progressive improvements via Commendations for important areas of good corporate governance, namely:

(i) Risk management and internal control;
(ii) Board and audit committee operation and functioning; and
(iii) Website corporate governance information.

This year's Awards are supported by media sponsors South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Economic Times and ET Net. For more details of 2018 Best Corporate Governance Awards, please visit http://www.hkicpa.org.hk/BCGA.

香港會計師公會「最佳企業管治大獎」接受報名

（香港，二零一八年七月十八日）由香港會計師公會主辦，為上市公司和公營／非牟利機構帶來殊榮的「最佳企業管治大獎」，現接受報名，截止日期為八月十三日。

大獎今年踏入第 19 屆，旨在表彰於年報、可持續發展報告及網站披露的最佳實務，推廣卓越企業管治文化，藉以加強投資者及公眾對香港市場的信心。大獎嘉許在法定及法規最低要求之外，自願作出更多披露和執行良好實務、樹立榜樣的企業和機構。

公會會長唐業銓先生表示：「香港會計師公會提倡藉良好的企業管治實務，提升香港對全球投資者的吸引力。我們深信卓越企業管治是贏取投資者信心的關鍵，香港亦具備優良條件推動完善的企業管治文化，讓本港資本市場在激烈的國際競爭中脫穎而出。」

唐先生指出，大獎的理念，與公會最近發表的《提升香港企業管治研究報告》一致。該顧問報告提出多項建議，其中包括增強獨立非執行董事的問責性、加強執法方案（包括跨境執法），以及由政府設立高層次的企業管治政策小組。

奬項類別

「二零一八年度最佳企業管治大獎」以下獎項組別接受報名：

(i) 恒生指數（「恒指」）成份股公司
(ii) 非恒指成份股公司－大市值
(iii) 非恒指成份股公司－中市值

(iv)  非恒指成份股公司－小市值

(v)   H 股公司與其他中國內地企業

(vi) 公營／非牟利機構

（組別(ii) – (iv)包括主板及創業板的公司）

各組別設鑽石、白金、金獎以及「可持續發展及企業社會責任報告獎」。通過初步甄選的公司和機構將會經過質素評審及遵行規例評審。

今年大獎特別增設奬項嘉許表現出色的規模較小企業和公營／非牟利機構，大獎籌委會認為這類企業和機構需要更努力改善企業管治。獎項歡迎合資格企業和機構報名，提交執行良好管治實務的詳情。

隨着《上市規則》提升環境、社會及管治（ESG）報告的要求，旨在表彰企業和機構於這方面精益求精的「可持續發展及企業社會責任報告獎」亦愈受重視。

鑒於並非所有公司和機構都有充足資源短時間內全面改善企業管治，大獎亦設立了以下的嘉許獎，以激勵企業和機構在重要企業管治範疇上不斷進步：

(i) 風險管理及內部監控；
(ii) 董事會和審計委員會運作和職能；及
(iii) 網上傳遞管治資訊

大獎今年的傳媒合作夥伴包括南華早報、香港經濟日報及經濟通。有關「二零一八年度最佳企業管治大獎」詳情，請瀏覽 http://www.hkicpa.org.hk/BCGA。