ReThink HK 2026 Opens at HKCEC, Bringing Business, Government and NGOs Together to Accelerate Climate Action

Event demonstrates how sustainability conferences can move beyond conversation through operational leadership, cross-sector collaboration and direct investment into impact projects.

HONG KONG, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ReThink HK 2026 opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, bringing together leaders from business, government, academia and the NGO sector to explore practical solutions that can accelerate Hong Kong's transition to a more sustainable, climate resilient and inclusive economy.

Opening the two-day event, Miss Diane Wong, JP, Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, outlined Hong Kong's latest sustainability and climate priorities, setting the stage for discussions focused on climate action, resource efficiency, innovation, sustainable finance and community impact. "This year marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, which places a strong focus on green transformation. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is developing its first five-year plan, which seeks, among others, to accelerate green transformation, foster innovation, and seize new opportunities brought about by the vision for a low-carbon economy."

Mr Chris Brown, Founder and CEO of ReThink HK, highlighted the increasing momentum behind cross-sector collaboration in driving real-world sustainability outcomes. "The sustainability sector does not need another conversation about what needs to happen. It needs more examples of organisations working together to make it happen. Whether through the ReThink Foundation, the solutions showcased on the exhibition floor or the partnerships forming across the event, our focus is on turning ambition into action."

The ReThink Foundation announces its three 2026 grantee projects, supported through ReThink HK delegate pass proceeds. Together, these partnership-led initiatives will advance inclusion, accessibility and essential support for under-served communities across Hong Kong.

Co-Learning Bridges for SEN Families: Where AI Meets Parent-Child Communication
Gung Hok Charity Foundation, Inclusive Sports Education, Preface and The Chinese University of Hong Kong will support low-income families with children with special educational needs through parent coaching, emotion education, AI-enabled learning and student volunteer "learning buddies".

BarrierFreeMap.HK: Restaurant Accessibility Survey
Wheel Power and The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation will expand the city's crowdsourced accessibility map, training volunteers and wheelchair users to identify and share information on wheelchair-friendly restaurants.

Land and Housing Clinic Programme
Pro Bono HK and Caritas Hong Kong will provide free legal clinics, education and accessible resources for residents of subdivided and substandard housing, helping tenants understand and protect their rights.

The programme reflects ReThink HK's belief that sustainability events should create impact beyond convening discussions. Through the ReThink Foundation, delegate participation directly supports local NGO initiatives and partnership-led solutions that create lasting social value. The Foundation extends ReThink HK's impact beyond the event by bringing NGOs, partners and communities together to develop practical solutions for greater collective impact. The ReThink Foundation also thanked Prudential, its 2026 Impact Partner, for supporting its mission to foster collaborative solutions that create lasting social value in Hong Kong.

Sustainability in Action

Throughout Day One, delegates explored solutions, partnerships and innovations designed to help organisations move from ambition to implementation. Keynote speaker Mike Barry, Co-Founder Planeatry Alliance challenged organisations to focus on delivery and tangible outcomes, warning that ambition alone will not be enough to meet sustainability goals. "Too many organisations have made commitments without demonstrating meaningful progress. The words on the paper are easy, the delivery is difficult. Unless businesses can turn ambition into action and show real-world results, they risk losing the trust of the societies they seek to serve."

Highlights included:

• Volvo unveiled its new electric double-decker bus for Hong Kong.
• ReThink Foundation announced its 2026 NGO grantees.
• Scientists, business leaders and policymakers came together at the BEC Climate & Nature Theatre to discuss the implications of the latest climate science for business decision-making.

As scrutiny increases around the environmental footprint and real-world impact of major conferences, ReThink HK continues to apply the sustainability principles discussed on stage to the operation of the event itself. Alongside directing delegate revenues into NGO impact projects through the ReThink Foundation, the event works with partners across its value chain to demonstrate how circularity, resource efficiency and responsible consumption can be embedded into large-scale event delivery.

This year's initiatives include exhibition carpets upcycled from textile waste through NuCarpet, reusable coffee cups supported by EcoVadis, sustainable event apparel provided by Determinant, water refill stations enabled by Swire Coca-Cola, and recycling and circularity solutions delivered by The Loops. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how practical sustainability measures can be embedded into large-scale events while providing delegates with examples that can be adapted within their own organisations.

Mr Simon Ng, Chief Executive Officer of Business Environment Council (BEC), said "Hong Kong does not lack sustainability commitments. The real challenge is delivery. The value of ReThink HK lies in bringing together the stakeholders, their expertise and the solutions needed to move from discussion to implementation. That is what will ultimately determine the success of Hong Kong's transition to a net-zero, resilient and circular city."

Looking Ahead to Day Two

The momentum continues tomorrow with a keynote address from Mr Joseph H.L. Chan, JP, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, at the ReThink Forum.

Prof Debra Roberts will take the stage to discuss UNEP's new Limiting Overshoot report, highlighting the risks of exceeding 1.5°C and the pathways available to limit overshoot and return to safer temperature levels.

Day Two will focus on how Hong Kong can translate sustainability ambition into delivery, with discussions examining transition finance, the role of the Greater Bay Area in scaling green innovation, and the commercial pathways required to accelerate climate action.

The programme will also feature the second Mills Fabrica Start-up Pitching Series, focused on Techstyle innovation, before concluding with The Great Debate, exploring whether corporate leadership or government policy can deliver a climate-resilient Hong Kong more quickly.

ReThink HK 2027

Thanks to the continued support of its partners and stakeholders, ReThink HK will return to HKCEC in September 2027 for its eighth edition. Building on the momentum of this year's event, ReThink HK will continue to expand its role as a platform for business leadership, innovation and cross-sector collaboration, bringing together the people and ideas shaping Hong Kong's sustainable future.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

About ReThink HK  

ReThink HK is a unique annual event that helps organisations embed sustainable business practices at every stage of their value chain, showcasing innovation and solutions accelerating sustainable transformation. ReThink HK unites the ecosystem so all stakeholders and communities can contribute to and look forward to a climate-smart and equitable city, for everyone. All delegate fees contribute to funding local impact projects with Hong Kong charities.  

PR Newswire is a Media Partner of ReThink HK 2026.

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Overview & Participating Exhibitors: https://rethink-event.com/thematic-zone-cities/
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Session Programme: https://rethink-event.com/2026-impact-stage/
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Overview & Participating Exhibitors: https://rethink-event.com/thematic-zone-innovation/
Session Programme: https://rethink-event.com/2026-innovation-stage/
Resources Zone resources
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Session Programme: https://rethink-event.com/2026-resources-theatre/

For more event information, please visit ReThink HK's website: https://rethink-event.com/

ReThink HK Contact:

About ReThink Foundation 

The ReThink Foundation supports collaborative projects that bring together two or more NGOs and partners to create lasting social impact in Hong Kong. Funded through proceeds generated from ReThink HK delegate pass sales, the Foundation provides focused funding, capacity-building and engagement to help organisations strengthen their collective impact. Its work is guided by the belief that partnerships can unlock new possibilities for social change.

For more details, please visit ReThink Foundation's website https://rethink-foundation.org/.

Event Details
ReThink HK 2026
10–11 September 2026 (Thursday & Friday)
Hall 1, HKCEC, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Website: https://rethink-event.com
Email: hello@rethink-event.com
Phone: (852) 2886 1511
Social: @rethinkhongkong | @rethink_event
Hashtag: #OnlyWayForward