Edvantage Group Holdings Limited
中滙集團控股有限公司
(Incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability)
Stock code : 0382
2019
Environmental, Social and
Governance Report
Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
About the Report
Overview of the Report
Edvantage Group Holdings Limited, an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability, whose shares are listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with Stock Code 0382 (hereinafter referred to as the "Company", "we" or "us" , together with its subsidiaries, the "Edvantage Group" or the "Group") hereby presents its first environmental, social and governance report (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"). The Report summarizes the strategy, practice and vision of Edvantage Group in respect of issues related to environment, society and governance in 2019, with a view to show that the Group adheres to the principle of sustainable development and is devoted to fulfilling its social responsibility as a corporate.
Reporting Scope and Reporting Period
Unless otherwise specified, the scope of the Report covers the two educational institutions of the Group in Zengcheng, Guangdong Province, namely, Huashang College Guangdong University of Finance & Economics (hereinafter referred to as "Huashang College") and Guangzhou Huashang Vocational College (hereinafter referred to as "Huashang Vocational College", collectively referred to as the "Colleges").
The Report covers a time period from 1 September 2018 to 31 August 2019 (hereinafter referred to the "Reporting Period"), same as that covered by the 2019 Annual Report of the Group.
Preparation Basis of the Report
The Report is prepared in accordance with the Environmental, Social and Governance Reporting Guide as set out in Appendix 27 to the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities (hereinafter referred to as the "Listing Rules") on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (hereinafter referred to the "Stock Exchange") and complies with all provisions of "Comply or Explain" as well as the principles of materiality, quantitative, balance and consistency.
Contact Us
We attach great importance to readers' valuable opinions. Should you have any questions or suggestions about the Report, please contact the Group via:
E-mail:cs@edvantagegroup.com.hk
The Company's address: Room 1115, 11/F, Wing On Plaza, 62 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Source of Data and Reliability Statement
The information disclosed in the Report is from the Group's internal documents, statistical reports and relevant public materials. The Group undertakes that the Report does not contain any false information, misleading statement or material omission, and takes responsibilities for the contents hereof as to the authenticity, accuracy and completeness.
Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019 1
Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Confirmation and Approval
The Report was approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (hereinafter referred to as the "Board") on 13 March 2020 upon confirmation by the management of the Company. The Report is prepared in both Chinese and English. In case of any discrepancy between the Chinese and English versions of the Report, the Chinese version shall prevail. The electronic version of the Report is available on the website of the Stock Exchange (www.hkexnews.hk).
Identification of and Communication with Stakeholders
During its running of schools, the Group keeps refining its communication mechanism and maintains active communication and exchange with internal and external stakeholders such as governments/ regulators, shareholders, investors, suppliers, partners, faculty, students, parents and the public communities, in an effort to fully understand their expectations and suggestions. Based on such understanding, the Group continues to improve its sustainable development strategy and planning, striving to consolidate mutual trust and cooperation and realize the sustainable development plan, so as to create a future with sustainable economic growth, environmental friendliness and social development.
Major Concerns of Stakeholders and Measures
Stakeholder | Concern | Means of Communication |
Shareholders/ | Business strategy; | General meetings; |
Investors | Return on investment; | The Group's announcements; |
Corporate image; and | Regular briefings and meetings; | |
Operating compliance. | Roadshows; and | |
The Company's website. | ||
Governments and | Operating compliance; | Visits; |
regulators | Tax payment as legally required; and | The Company's website; and |
Disclosure of information and submission | Information disclosure of listed | |
of materials. | companies. | |
Associations of the | Operating compliance. | Visits; |
industry | Meetings; | |
Lectures; and | ||
Activities for exchanges. | ||
Employees | Remuneration and benefits; | Employee representatives' assembly; |
Working environment; | Suggestion boxes on schools' websites; | |
Employees' occupational safety and | Group activities; and | |
health; and | Online platform with comprehensive | |
Trainings and career development. | services in schools (Huashang e-Home). | |
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Stakeholder | Concern | Means of Communication |
Students and | Teaching quality; | Online evaluation of teaching; |
parents | Teaching philosophy; | Seminars for teachers and students; |
Teaching management; | Parents' meetings; | |
Teaching service quality; | Schools' websites; and | |
Campus environment; and | Online platform with comprehensive | |
The health and safety of students. | services in schools (Huashang e-Home). | |
Communities | Community development; | Community service activities; |
Social welfare; | Volunteer activities; | |
Employment opportunities; and | Community communication meetings; and | |
Ecological environment. | Press releases/announcements. | |
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Environmental
Emissions
The Group pays heed to not only basic educational services, but also environmental protection and follows the principle of sustainable development in its daily management in an attempt to improve the environmental awareness of all its teachers and students and strives to build a green campus. We strictly abide by environmental laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Environmental Protection Law, Law on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution, Law on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution, Law on the Prevention and Control of Solid Waste Pollution to the Environment and Law on Energy Conservation of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as "China" or the "PRC").
Exhaust
As the Group is engaged in educational services, no business activities are involved in its daily operation. Furthermore, canteens in the colleges have also been outsourced to catering management companies. The Group's air emissions derive mainly from automobiles. The types and data of emissions are as follows:
Major Emissions | Unit | Amount of Emission |
NOx | Kilogram | 517.80 |
SOx | Kilogram | 1.38 |
Particles | Kilogram | 43.64 |
Greenhouse Gases
The Group's direct emissions of greenhouse gases result principally from the burning of fuel in the Group's vehicles, while the indirect emissions of greenhouse gases are mainly from the purchased electricity, discarded waste paper and the flights its employees take for business trips.
Major Types of Emissions | Unit | Amount of Emission | ||
Scope I | ||||
Burning of fuel in vehicles: | ||||
CO2 | Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 221.63 | ||
Methane | Metric tons of CO2 | equivalent | 0.45 | |
N2O | Metric tons of CO2 | equivalent | 27.60 | |
Total amount of emission from the | Metric tons of CO2 | equivalent | 249.68 | |
burning of fuel in vehicles | ||||
Trees planted | Metric tons of CO | 2 | equivalent | (42.78)1 |
1 By reference to Appendix 27 of the Listing Rules, the data only include plants that can reach at least 5 meters high.
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Major Types of Emissions | Unit | Amount of Emission | ||
Scope II | ||||
Electricity | Metric tons of CO | 2 | equivalent | 22,298.052 |
Scope III | ||||
Waste paper | Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 14.76 | ||
Employees' business trips | Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 96.64 | ||
Total emissions | ||||
Total emissions | Metric tons of CO2 equivalent | 22,616.35 | ||
Intensity of total emissions | Metric tons of CO2 | equivalent | 9.60 | |
per employee3 | ||||
Measures to Mitigate Emissions
In order to effectively reduce the air emissions generated by the Group, the Group's measures for fleet management have included the following:
Reasonable driving. Private use of business vehicles is prohibited and long-distance dispatching is subject to strict review to reduce unnecessary travel;
Weekly inspection and maintenance of vehicles are conducted to enhance burning efficiency of fuel; and
Commuter services are provided to faculty and staff to reduce fuel consumption.
During the Reporting Period, more than 1,800 trees were planted in the Colleges. By planting trees, 42.78 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions were reduced. We will continue to carry out afforestation to reduce emissions generated in the course of operation.
- The greenhouse gas emission factors of purchased electricity adopt the Average Carbon Dioxide Emission Factors of China's Regional Power Grid in 2011 and 2012 issued by the National Development and Reform Commission.
- As at 31 August 2019, the total number of the Group's employees was 2,355.
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Wastes
The Group's solid emissions mainly come from all sorts of recyclable and non-recyclable household garbage generated in the Colleges, such as paper, office supplies, stationery, plastic, etc. The hazardous wastes are primarily insecticides and medical wastes. There are recyclers who collect medical wastes for detoxification on a monthly basis.
Detailed data of the Group's emissions during the Reporting Period are as follows:
Type of Energy | Unit | Amount Generated |
Hazardous wastes | Metric ton | 1.55 |
Intensity of hazardous wastes | Metric ton per employee3 | 0.00066 |
Non-hazardous wastes | Metric ton | 8.86 |
Intensity of non-hazardous wastes | Metric ton per employee3 | 0.0038 |
Measures to Reduce Wastes Generated
The Group actively advocates the idea of green campus and adheres to the principle of "four 'Re' actions in environmental protection" (reduce, reuse, recycle and replace) in daily operation, aiming to minimize the generation of wastes and make full use of resources.
In terms of using paper, we require the staff to use double-sided photocopying and reuse single- sided paper for photocopying or printing of the first draft. In case of waste of paper, each department shall deduct RMB1 from its funds for each copy from its outlay. In terms of wastes, each College under the Group has set up garbage cans for classification to sort out the recyclable part of the solid wastes and hand them over to cleaning service companies for treatment.
Use of Resources
The Group's indirect energy consumption mainly comes from the purchased electricity.
3 As at 31 August 2019, the total number of the Group's employees was 2,355.
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Total Energy Consumption
Type of energy | Unit | Consumption |
Electricity | ||
Total electricity consumption | kWh | 25,694,918 |
Intensity of total electricity | kWh/total employee3 | 10,910.79 |
consumption | ||
Water source | ||
Total water consumption | Cubic meter | 1,829,244 |
Intensity of total water consumption | Cubic meter/total employee3 | 776.75 |
Energy Use Efficiency
In terms of electricity saving, the Colleges use low-power, recyclable and reusable energy-saving lamps to reduce the power consumption of lighting products, and in turn reduce carbon emissions. During the Reporting Period, the heat pump system in students' dormitories on campus was modified by the Group, thus reducing power consumption while enhancing the energy-saving efficiency. The Group has also formulated the Management System to Secure Electricity Usage on Campus to ensure electricity safety and encourage energy conservation. Specific measures include: Faculty members are required to turn off the equipment and power supply when they leave relevant places and when they are not using the equipment; connecting power supply without permission and using high-power electrical appliances on campus are forbidden.
In terms of water conservation, Huashang College under the Group has carried out a drainage renovation project for the air conditioning in its teaching buildings to eliminate the leakage of drainage pipes and reduce energy consumption. There are also signs in the toilets to remind students and staff to save water.
Appropriate Water Source
The Group faces no issues in sourcing water that is fit for purpose, and both its Colleges have stable water supply to meet daily operational needs.
The Environment and Natural Resources
Both of the Colleges will not have a particularly material impact on the environment and natural resources in their daily operation. The Group constantly follows the principle of protecting the environment and natural resources in the operation and ensures that it will not cause any significant impact on the environment and overuse natural resources.
3 As at 31 August 2019, the total number of the Group's employees was 2,355.
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Social
Employment
"People-oriented" is the core value of Edvantage Group. We firmly believe that employees are the most valuable asset of an enterprise. The Group strictly abides by all applicable laws and regulations related to employment, including but not limited to China's Labor Contract Law, Labor Law, Regulations on Paid Annual Leave of Employees, Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests, Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons and Social Insurance Law, etc.
The Group has specially formulated the Human Resources Workflow to manage its recruitment, induction training, employee hiring, employee resignation, employee promotion and other processes, so as to standardize the workflow and improve working efficiency. The Group is committed to building a diversified, anti-discrimination and inclusive working environment to ensure no employees will be discriminated against or deprived of opportunities due to gender, ethnic background, religious belief, color, sexual orientation, age, marital status or family status in respect of recruitment and promotion. In accordance with teaching plans and needs, we will select suitable and excellent candidates through the resume-screening process, and notify the candidates to have an interview after the selection by the head of the employing department. Only after written examination, preliminary examination by the department of human resources, interview by the employing department, interview by the head of the department of human resources, background investigation and approval by management is the recruitment of an employee finalized.
Employees who intend to resign shall inform the head of the relevant department and the management in charge in writing 30 days in advance (3 days in advance during the probation period). The department of human resources of the Group will arrange an interview to find out the reasons for the employee's resignation, and issue a resignation certificate for the employee after the handover between the employee and relevant departments is done and all resignation procedures are completed. The Group will carry out probation assessment and annual assessment for employees which will serve as important bases for rewards and punishments, salary adjustment and promotion, year-end bonus, etc. We rate our employees and adjust the corresponding salary and performance bonus according to the annual assessment to reward them for their contribution and stimulate their enthusiasm for work. For employees qualified for promotion, the head of the relevant department will inform the employee and submit a written promotion opinion to the department of human resources and the management in charge for approval.
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The Group is devoted to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its employees so as to establish with them a close relationship with mutual trust. The Group provides a reasonable and satisfactory remuneration and benefits system for every employee, including basic salary and statutory five insurances plus one provident fund. We also provide high welfare policies to establish a working environment full of mutual assistance and friendliness between employees. Faculty and staff are entitled to basic statutory festivals and holidays. Basic salaries are paid to them during their sick leave, marriage leave, maternity leave and paternity leave in accordance with the applicable labor laws and regulations. The working hour is generally 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week on average with at least 1 day off per week based on the standard working hour system, or otherwise determined according to relevant laws and the specific positions of employees. Regular faculty and staff of the Group can also enjoy additional benefits and allowances, including but not limited to:
Monthly supplies;
Gifts and allowances at major festivals;
Birthday gifts;
Marriage allowances;
Birth allowances;
Hospitalization allowances/gifts;
Special hardship allowances; and
Annual physical examination, etc.
In order to enhance team cohesion and create a harmonious working atmosphere, the Group will also organize various group activities on a regular basis, such as one-day outdoor group birthday celebration for every quarter and one-day tour on Women's Day, etc.
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Total Number and Classification of Employees
As at 31 August 2019, the Group had a total of 2,355 faculty members and staff. The detailed data are as follows:
Number of Employees | |
Total number of employees | 2,355 |
Number of distribution of male and female employees | |
Female | 1,229 |
Male | 1,126 |
Number of age distribution | |
<25 | 53 |
25-29 | 270 |
30-39 | 980 |
40-49 | 489 |
>50 | 563 |
Number of employees at different levels | |
Management | 67 |
Mid-level employee | 66 |
Junior employee | 2,222 |
Number of employees by region | |
Hong Kong | 7 |
Mainland, China | 2,323 |
Others | 25 |
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Number of distribution of | Number of |
male and female employees | age distribution |
2% | |
24% | 11% |
48% | |
52% | 42% |
21% | |
Male | Female | <25 | 25-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | >50 | ||||||
Number of employees | Number of employees |
at different levels | by region |
3% | 1% |
3% | 0% |
94% | 99% |
Juniort | Mid-level | Management | Mainland, China | Hong Kong | Others | |||||
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Employee Turnover
As at 31 August 2019, the detailed data of employee turnover rate are as follows:
Total Loss of Employees
Number | % of total employees | ||
Total number of loss | 217 | 9% | |
Number of distribution of male and female employees | |||
Number | % of total loss | ||
Female | 115 | 53% | |
Male | 102 | 47% | |
Number of age distribution | |||
Number | % of total loss | ||
<25 | 16 | 7% | |
25-29 | 53 | 24% | |
30-39 | 75 | 35% | |
40-49 | 30 | 14% | |
>50 | 43 | 20% | |
Loss of employees by region | |||
Number | % of total loss | ||
Hong Kong | 0 | 0% | |
Mainland, China | 211 | 97% | |
Others | 6 | 3% | |
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Number of distribution of | Number of |
male and female employees | age distribution |
7% | |
20% | |
47% | 24% |
53% | 14% |
35% |
Male | Female | <25 | 25-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | >50 | |||||||
Loss of employees by region
3%
0%
97%
Hong Kong Mainland, China Others
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Health and Safety
The Group makes much account of the health and safety of the faculty, staff and students on campus, and endeavors to create a healthy and safe campus environment for the faculty, staff and students. A set of strict safety management regulations and guidelines in terms of fire safety, sanitary management, facilities and equipment management and smoking prohibition is in place. The Group has strictly complied with applicable laws and regulations on health and safety, including but not limited to China's Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Food Safety Law, Regulations on the Sanitary Management of Student Canteens and Group Meals, Fire Protection Law and other relevant laws and regulations.
The Group's health and safety supervision projects mainly include: management of food safety in canteens, management of drinking water and electricity safety on campus, public security management on campus, medical hygiene management, dormitory management and fire supervision and inspection. According to the arrangements of health and safety work, each unit is required to conduct supervision work and keep relevant records regularly to ensure the safety work is well implemented.
In order to ensure hygiene and food quality in canteens on the campuses, the Group, pursuant to the requirements of the Food Safety Law, has set up a school-enterprise cooperation center and a diet committee to regularly supervise the food safety in the Colleges' canteens every week. The Group has also implemented corresponding safety measures, including but not limited to: canteens must be licensed with a food business license and staff must possess a health certificate. The purchased food ingredients shall be with an inspection and quarantine certificate; samples of food shall be kept for inspection; and food shall be preserved in a sanitary environment.
To ensure safe drinking water supply on campus, the Group has specially formulated the Management System for the Safety of Drinking Water on Campus to supervise drinking water hygiene. The Group regularly takes samples to inspect the water quality and keeps relevant records of water quality inspection.
The fire safety work is also included in the daily safety management. The Fire Safety Management System has been formulated pursuant to the requirements of the Fire Protection Law. A safety education conference is held at the beginning of each semester, and regular fire drills are conducted, aiming to strengthen the fire safety awareness of all staff and students, and enhance their ability to respond to fire emergencies.
The Group also pays close attention to the physical and mental health of students, faculty and staff. The schools are equipped with clinics and psychological counseling centers to provide medical treatment and psychological counseling services for students, faculty and staff. According to the Group's Regulations on Health Examination for Employees, health examinations are provided for employees once a year to inform employees about their health status in a timely manner.
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
During the Reporting Period, the Group did not suffer any work-related fatalities nor any losses in working days from work-related injuries.
Development and Training
The teaching ability of teachers and the administrative ability of administrators directly affect the teaching quality and administrative level of a school. Therefore, the Group attaches great importance to the development and training of its staff, and has formulated a detailed training plan to improve the knowledge and professional ability of teachers and administrators. Such trainings are mainly divided into cultural and technical trainings internally organized and professional knowledge trainings provided by external institutions. During the Reporting Period, 29% of the Group's faculty and staff received trainings, among which each mid-level and senior management completed 25 hours of training on average and other junior employees completed 64 hours of training on average.
Employee Training
Number | % of total employees | ||
Total trained employees | 675 | 29% | |
Gender | |||
% of total trained | |||
Number | employees | ||
Female | 407 | 60% | |
Male | 268 | 40% | |
Type of employee | |||
% of total trained | |||
Number | employees | ||
Junior employees | 581 | 86% | |
Mid-level and senior employees | 94 | 14% | |
Training hour | |||
Total hours (hour) | 39,320.5 | ||
Average training hours completed (by gender) | |||
Female (hour) | 62 | ||
Male (hour) | 52 | ||
Average training hours completed (by type of employees) | |||
Junior employees (hour) | 64 | ||
Mid-level and senior employees (hour) | 25 | ||
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Gender | Type of employee |
60%
14%
40%
86%
Male | Female | Junior | Mid-level and senior | ||||
Average training hours | |
Average training hours | completed |
completed (by gender) | (by type of employee) |
25 hours
52 hours
62 hours
64 hours
Male | Female | Junior | Mid-level and senior | |||
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
During the Reporting Period, the major training activities in the Colleges organized by the Group included but were not limited to:
- Induction training for new employees;
- Pre-jobtraining for teachers;
- Pre-jobtraining at provincial level for new student mentors;
- National Teacher Training Conference of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants ("ACCA");
- Further education for teachers (public subjects, elective subjects, professional subjects);
- Further education in accounting;
- Summer training of Kingdee Software (China) Co., Ltd.;
- Employment training regarding big data and artificial intelligence for personnel from colleges and universities across the country;
- Training course for improvement of management philosophy in higher education and of administrative personnel's ability in new era;
- Training course for improvement of Sino-UK cooperative teaching ability;
- Teacher training at the summer media leadership workshop; and
- 2018 management training of mid-level cadres at Global Business College of Australia, etc.
We also encourage faculty and staff to obtain various professional qualifications. During the Reporting Period, a total of 1,457 faculty and staff members possessed professional qualifications such as lecturer, professor, accountant, economist, securities practitioner, psychological consultant, enterprise human resource manager, engineer, etc.
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Labor Standards
The Group firmly resists and opposes any form of child and forced labor, recruits and employs faculty and staff and protects their legitimate rights and interests in strict compliance with China's Labor Law, Law on the Protection of Minors, Provisions on the Prohibition of Using Child Labor, Teachers Law and other applicable laws and regulations.
The Group's human resources department will strictly supervise the recruitment, conduct background investigation on the applicants and check if his/her ID is authentic. He/She will not be recruited if any violation is spotted. The use of any false ID will be regarded as a fraud, and any labor contract that has been signed will also be deemed invalid.
During the Reporting Period, the Group did not have any events of forced labor and related complaints.
Supply Chain Management
In order to standardize the material supply procedures and strengthen the monitoring and management of cooperative suppliers, the Group has specially formulated the Procurement Management System to manage the Group's suppliers in terms of customer classification, screening, information-based management and assessment.
With a hope to create a safe, sanitary and comfortable teaching and living environment for teachers and students, the environmental and social risk factors of suppliers will be fully considered in addition to quality, reputation, price and other factors when selecting suppliers. For example, when purchasing daily necessities, drinking water equipment and teaching equipment, we check the qualification certificates provided by the supplier, including certificates regarding its environment and occupational safety and health such as whether its product is made of green and environmentally friendly materials. In the procurement for construction projects, suppliers will be required to provide business qualifications and a list of raw materials. After the supplier information is collected, new suppliers will be assessed by the procurement department, relevant department and financial personnel, and only after passage of the assessment will they become the Group's qualified suppliers. Information of such qualified suppliers will be entered into the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
Currently, the Group has a total of 20 qualified suppliers of books and teaching materials, renovation and decoration as well as printing from mainland, China, who are subject to annual assessment and rating every December. Cooperation with suppliers who fail the assessment will be terminated.
Teaching Quality
To strictly comply with Non-stateEducation Promotion Law and standardize teaching activities, maintain a good teaching order, practically establish a rigorous working style and improve teaching quality, the Group has formulated the Regulations on the Supervision over Teaching, Working Procedures for Supervision over Teaching and Mechanism of Random Check on Classes. The teaching supervision team of the Colleges will monitor and supervise the daily teaching quality of the whole college and teaching units, and inspect, supervise and evaluate the teaching level, order and quality of teachers. Supervision activities include but are not limited to: mid-term teaching inspection, annual assessment, random check on teachers in class and listening to lectures, seminars for teachers and students, etc. Any accident or fault will be taken as a teaching accident and reported and announced by the office of academic affairs to the whole College.
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The Group has also formulated the Implementing Regulations for Evaluation of Teaching by Students which serves as a platform for students to give feedback on the teaching situation of teachers. Each semester, students are required to evaluate teaching quality online within a specified time period. The office of academic affairs will then analyze the online evaluation by students and calculate the comprehensive scores of the evaluated teachers. This measure can help and spur teachers to refine their teaching and improve teaching quality, and at the same time, provide important reference for the evaluation of teaching and management quality.
Thanks to excellent teachers, simple school spirit and effective management of talent quality, the Colleges under the Group were granted the award of Contemporary Excellent Private School in Guangdong and Outstanding Contribution Award of Contemporary Private School in Guangdong jointly issued by 5 units including Guangdong Society of Education and Guangdong Institute of China Contemporary Private Education in 2019.
Student Enrollment
The Group adopts reasonable and effective learning environment and teaching policies to attract students and parents and enrolls students primarily through WeChat, publications of the education department, educational exhibitions and other platforms and social media with high credibility. During the Reporting Period, the student enrollment held by the Group was in line with China's Advertising Law and other applicable and relevant laws and regulations.
Intellectual Property Rights
The Group is aware of the importance to protect intellectual property rights. In order to promote the cultural awareness of respecting intellectual property rights and abiding by laws in good faith, all software used by the Colleges is legally licensed, and the teaching materials used are ordered from reliable publishers. The Group highly values academic integrity and strictly observes the Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China. We have zero tolerance towards plagiarism and pursue due moral values in the education industry.
Privacy Policies
In order to ensure the information security of the Group, the Group has strictly abided by the Network Safety Law and formulated the File Management Measures to regulate the organizing, safekeeping, confidentiality and utilization of files, in an aim to reduce the risk of data leakage. The measures adopted to secure confidentiality include but are not limited to: the confidentiality levels of files are defined; the files are revised and declassified in accordance with relevant regulations; the confidential files are properly kept in special cabinets to which irrelevant staff have no access without authorization; the confidential files shall not be lent without the approval of the general manager, etc. The administrative office of the Group is responsible for supervising the management of files. Employees who are found to have violated the confidentiality provisions will be punished to the extent of how severe the situation is. During the Reporting Period, there were no any events in violation of data privacy occurred.
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Service-Related Complaints and Solutions
The Group is open to comments from all parties, especially parents and students, and gets to know their needs through different communication channels. The office of academic affairs will, upon receipt of complaints about education services, immediately follow up the cases, overcome its own shortcomings in a timely manner and strengthen supervision and inspection. During the Reporting Period, the Group received 2 cases of complaint. After learning about the incidents, the office of academic affairs criticized the staff involved, had the cases announced, and deducted relevant staff's accumulated points for the year as a warning, aiming to convey a message to all teachers and students that faculty and staff should strictly discipline themselves and jointly maintain a good teaching environment.
Anti-Corruption
The Group strictly obeys China's Anti-Money Laundering Law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law, Criminal Law and other relevant laws and regulations, and adheres to the basic code of conduct of integrity and self-discipline.The Group has formulated the Procurement Management System to regulate the business conduct and professional ethics of employees, and prohibits any bribery, fraud and other illegal acts such as blackmail and money laundering. If employees find any violations, they can report to the person in charge of the administration department, which is responsible for investigating and collecting evidence and submitting it to the human resources department. The human resources department will determine the corresponding punishment pursuant to the detailed rules. If the national laws are violated by any employee or staff of the Group, the case will be reported and transferred to the judicial authority for further investigation and handling in accordance with the applicable law.
This year, the Group attended the signing ceremony and meeting for the joint construction of incorruptible tax authorities and enterprises jointly held by the state and local taxation bureaus in Zengcheng. At the meeting, the parties jointly interpreted the Working Plan for the Joint Construction of Incorruptible Tax Authorities and Enterprises and signed the Agreement for the Joint Construction of Incorruptible Tax Authorities and Enterprises. The Group accepted the plaque of "Demonstration of the Joint Construction of Incorruptible Tax Authorities and Enterprises" granted by the state and local taxation bureaus in honor of the Group's efforts in tax payment and incorruptible construction according to laws.
During the Reporting Period, the Group did not notice any corruption, bribery, extortion, fraud, money laundering or other violations.
Community Investment
As an educational enterprise, the Group is actively engaged in community construction and public welfare undertakings. Every year, the Group participates in various activities such as voluntary activities, charitable donations and activities to care for children. During the Reporting Period, the total hours of the faculty members and staff of the Group devoted into voluntary service reached 3,708 days.
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
The Group's on- and off-campus voluntary activities include but are not limited to:
- Voluntary teaching;
- Visits to nursing homes;
- Promotion of cultural, scientific and hygienic knowledge to rural communities in summer vacation;
- Fund-raisingactivities;
- Blood donation;
- Teaching activities for public welfare;
- Community services, etc.
Example 1: Voluntary teaching in Maiyunfang Primary School in Changling
The Red Cross Student Branch and the Youth Volunteer Association of the colleges affiliated to the Group, together with Maiyunfang Primary School in Changling, organized college students' voluntary teaching activities. Volunteers taught the children daily medical knowledge and played games with them. This activity aimed to repay the society, enrich the learning and life of primary and secondary school students in Zengcheng District, help the children grow up healthily, maintain and improve the social influence of youth volunteers and spread positive energy of the society.
Example 2: Visits to nursing homes
In order to strengthen the ideological and moral education of students and cultivate their sense of social responsibility, the Group's colleges organized visits to nursing homes to convey love to the elderly of the society.
Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019 21
Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
General Disclosures and KPIs as set out in the Appendix 27 of the Listing Rules:
Item | Description | Chapter | |
A. Environmental | |||
A.1 Emissions | |||
General Disclosure | Information on: | Emissions | |
(a) the policies; and | |||
(b) compliance with relevant laws and | |||
regulations that have a significant | |||
impact on the issuer | |||
relating to air and greenhouse gas | |||
emissions, discharges into water and land, | |||
and generation of hazardous and non- | |||
hazardous waste. | |||
KPIs | A1.1 | The types of emissions and respective | Exhaust |
emissions data. | |||
A1.2 | Greenhouse gas emissions in total and | Greenhouse Gases | |
intensity. | |||
A1.3 | Total hazardous waste produced and | Hazardous and Non- | |
intensity. | Hazardous Wastes | ||
A1.4 | Total non-hazardous waste produced and | Hazardous and Non- | |
intensity. | Hazardous Wastes | ||
A1.5 | Description of measures to mitigate | Measures to Mitigate | |
emissions and results achieved. | Emissions | ||
A1.6 | Description of how hazardous and non- | Measures to Reduce | |
hazardous wastes are handled, reduction | Wastes Generated | ||
initiatives and results achieved. | |||
A2: Use of Resources | |||
General Disclosure | Policies on the efficient use of resources, | Energy Use | |
including energy, water and other raw | Efficiency | ||
materials. | |||
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Item | Description | Chapter | |
KPIs | A2.1 | Direct and/or indirect energy consumption by | Total Energy |
type in total and intensity. | Consumption | ||
A2.2 | Water consumption in total and intensity. | Total Energy | |
Consumption | |||
A2.3 | Description of energy use efficiency | Energy Use | |
initiatives and results achieved. | Efficiency | ||
A2.4 | Description of whether there is any issue in | Appropriate Water | |
sourcing water that is fit for purpose, water | Source | ||
efficiency initiatives and results achieved. | |||
A2.5 | Total packaging material used for finished | N/A | |
products and with reference to per unit | |||
produced. | |||
A3: The Environment and Natural Resources | |||
General Disclosure | Policies on minimizing the issuer's significant | The Environment and | |
impact on the environment and natural | Natural Resources | ||
resources. | |||
KPIs | A3.1 | Description of the significant impacts of | The Environment and |
activities on the environment and natural | Natural Resources | ||
resources and the actions taken to manage | |||
them. | |||
B. Social | |||
B1: Employment | |||
General Disclosure | Information on: | Employment | |
(a) the policies; and | |||
(b) compliance with relevant laws and | |||
regulations that have a significant | |||
impact on the issuer | |||
relating to compensation and dismissal, | |||
recruitment and promotion, working hours, | |||
rest periods, equal opportunity, diversity, | |||
anti-discrimination, and other benefits and | |||
welfare. | |||
KPIs | B1.1 | Total workforce by gender, employment type, | Total Number and |
age group and geographical region. | Classification of | ||
Employees | |||
B1.2 | Employee turnover rate by gender, age | Employee Turnover | |
group and geographical region. | |||
Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019 23
Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Item | Description | Chapter | |
B2: Health and Safety | |||
General Disclosure | Information on: | Health and Safety | |
(a) the policies; and | |||
(b) compliance with relevant laws and | |||
regulations that have a significant | |||
impact on the issuer | |||
relating to providing a safe working | |||
environment and protecting employees from | |||
occupational hazards. | |||
KPIs | B2.1 | Number and rate of work-related fatalities. | Health and Safety |
B2.2 | Lost days due to work injury. | Health and Safety | |
B2.3 | Description of occupational health and | Health and Safety | |
safety measures adopted, how they are | |||
implemented and monitored. | |||
B3: Development and Training | |||
General Disclosure | Policies on improving employees' knowledge | Development and | |
and skills for discharging duties at work. | Training | ||
Description of training activities. | |||
KPIs | B3.1 | The percentage of employees trained by | Development and |
gender and employee category (e.g. senior | Training | ||
management, middle management). | |||
B3.2 | The average training hours completed | Development and | |
per employee by gender and employee | Training | ||
category. | |||
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Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Item | Description | Chapter | |||
B4: Labor Standards | |||||
General Disclosure | Information on: | Labor Standards | |||
(a) | the policies; and | ||||
(b) compliance with relevant laws and | |||||
regulations that have a significant | |||||
impact on the issuer | |||||
relating to preventing child and forced labor. | |||||
KPIs | B4.1 | Description of measures to review | Labor Standards | ||
employment practices to avoid child and | |||||
forced labor. | |||||
B4.2 | Description of steps taken to eliminate such | Labor Standards | |||
practices when discovered. | |||||
B5: Supply Chain Management | |||||
General Disclosure | Policies on managing environmental and | Supply Chain | |||
social risks of the supply chain. | Management | ||||
KPIs | B5.1 | Number of suppliers by geographical region. | Supply Chain | ||
Management | |||||
B5.2 | Description of practices relating to engaging | Supply Chain | |||
suppliers, number of suppliers where the | Management | ||||
practices are being implemented, how they | |||||
are implemented and monitored. | |||||
B6: Product Responsibility | |||||
General Disclosure | Information on: | Teaching Quality, | |||
Student Enrollment, | |||||
(a) | the policies; and | Intellectual Property | |||
(b) compliance with relevant laws and | Rights and Privacy | ||||
regulations that have a significant | Policies | ||||
impact on the issuer |
relating to health and safety, advertising, labeling and privacy matters relating
to products and services provided and methods of redress.
Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019 25
Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2019
Item | Description | Chapter | |
KPIs | B6.1 | Percentage of total products sold or shipped | N/A |
subject to recalls for safety and health | |||
reasons. | |||
B6.2 | Number of products and service-related | Service-Related | |
complaints received and how they are dealt | Complaints and | ||
with. | Solutions | ||
B6.3 | Description of practices relating to observing | Intellectual Property | |
and protecting intellectual property rights. | Rights | ||
B6.4 | Description of quality assurance process and | Teaching Quality | |
recall procedures. | |||
B6.5 | Description of consumer data protection and | Privacy Policies | |
privacy policies, how they are implemented | |||
and monitored. | |||
B7: Anti-Corruption | |||
General Disclosure | Information on: | Anti-Corruption | |
(a) the policies; and | |||
(b) compliance with relevant laws and | |||
regulations that have a significant | |||
impact on the issuer | |||
relating to bribery, extortion, fraud and | |||
money laundering. | |||
KPIs | B7.1 | Number of concluded legal cases regarding | Anti-Corruption |
corrupt practices brought against the issuer | |||
or its employees during the reporting period | |||
and the outcomes of the cases. | |||
B7.2 | Description of preventive measures and | Anti-Corruption | |
whistle-blowing procedures, how they are | |||
implemented and monitored. | |||
B8: Community Investment | |||
General Disclosure | Policies on community engagement to | Community | |
understand the needs of the communities | Investment | ||
where the issuer operates and to ensure | |||
its activities take into consideration the | |||
communities' interests. | |||
KPIs | B8.1 | Focus areas of contribution (e.g. education, | Community |
environmental concerns, labor needs, health, | Investment | ||
culture, sport). | |||
B8.2 | Resources contributed (e.g. money or time) | Community | |
to the focus area. | Investment | ||
26 Edvantage Group Holdings Limited
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Edvantage Group Holdings Ltd. published this content on 13 March 2020 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 13 March 2020 14:44:06 UTC