Rethinking Global Competitiveness Through Sustainability
How can Chinese enterprises harness sustainability strategies to redefine global competition in an era where globalization converges with sustainable development? On March 5, GREENEXT partnered with the Fudan University School of Management, the Yangtze Delta ESG, and the Zero-Carbon Research Institute to host the "A Journey to Sustainability: Building Global Competitiveness" seminar in Shanghai. The event convened cross-industry experts, corporate leaders, and academics to explore two pivotal themes: Cultural Adaptation in Global Branding and Compliance and Green Value Chains, offering practical insights for Chinese companies venturing into international markets.
Click on the video to revisit the event highlights:
Localizing Global Brands: Cultural Adaptation and Influence Building
Moderated by GREENEXT founder Dr. Hong Zheng, the first roundtable forum kicked off with the theme "Localized Breakthroughs for Global Brands: Cultural Adaptation and Influence Building."
Dr. Allan pointed out that Chinese brands' Eastern narratives should transcend symbolic "capital-C Culture" and instead focus on the core of "lowercase-c culture" that resonates with human nature. This means transforming regional symbols into anthropological "meaning-making mechanisms" rather than merely presenting them as exotic cultural artifacts. For instance, by leveraging the narrative of Nezha’s self-determination—"My fate is mine to decide," brands can reduce Orientalist stereotypes, strengthen universally relatable values, and position themselves as emotional bridges for the global community rather than mere representations of cultural novelty.
Ms. Dan Dang, Vice General Manager of Shanghai Sand River Fashion Co., Ltd, emphasized that brands should be rooted in their sustainable DNA and universal values. By leveraging technological innovations (such as zero-emission processes and scientific breeding) and human-centered empowerment (including technical assistance in Tibet and the standardization of craftsmanship), brands can transform nomadic culture into the intrinsic quality of high-end consumer goods. She highlighted the importance of de-emphasizing national identity labels and instead gaining international recognition through cross-cultural touchpoints such as environmental consciousness, craftsmanship aesthetics, and social responsibility.
Ms. Chunyan Lin, Head of Sustainability and Senior Brand Director of OATLY China, stated that OATLY's success in the Chinese market stems from the integration of its Nordic sustainability DNA with universal values. By leveraging technological innovation (plant-based food) and transparent storytelling (supply chain data, packaging recycling initiatives), OATLY has built strong consumer trust. Additionally, through ESG alignment with B2B giants like Starbucks and McDonald's, the brand has effectively localized its presence. OATLY adopts a "knowledge and action in unity" communication strategy, minimizing cultural differences while deeply aligning the plant-based sector with China’s farmland protection and carbon neutrality goals. This approach has enabled the brand to establish an ecosystem that balances environmental impact with economic viability.
During the tea break session, OATLY's silent baristas created an immersive interaction blending taste experiences with social values through their thoughtfully crafted coffee and oat milk beverages. This scenario vividly embodied the concept of the "Barista Growth Program"—an initiative building a comprehensive support system covering vocational training, skill certification, and job referrals. By equipping deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals with professional expertise, the program empowers them to overcome communication barriers and redefine their social identity through craftsmanship.
Associate Professor Zheying Wu from the School of Management at Fudan University advocates promoting ESG through a dual approach of rational compliance and emotional resonance. She believes companies should first solidly address essential ESG tasks like supply chains and data. In cross-cultural narratives, it's crucial to extract symbols that emotionally resonate with Chinese consumers (e.g., brand coolness, technological aesthetics), transforming defensive compliance into proactive value output. Under full compliance, companies should sincerely convey their social values and sustainability concepts to consumers, achieving the soft landing of ESG concepts and gaining consumer resonance with the company's original heart.
A New Engine of Cross-Border Growth for Brands: The Dual Wheel Drive of Compliance and Green Value Chain
As the EU carbon border tax is set to take effect in 2025, Chinese companies face a new challenge in their global expansion journey—compliance as the baseline and sustainability as the ceiling. How can companies navigate this dual track and achieve growth? The second roundtable forum, hosted by Ms. Chong Fu, founder of the Yangtze Institute of Green Finance and Zero-Carbon Research Institute, centered on the theme "A New Engine of Cross-Border Growth for Brands: The Dual Wheel Drive of Compliance and Green Value Chain," sparking a thought-provoking discussion on rule reconstruction and value creation.
Mei Wan, Chair of the ESG Professional Committee at the Shanghai Bar Association and convener of the ESG and Carbon Management Committee at Jinmao Law Firm, emphasized the need for companies to develop a "compliance defense + green innovation" dual-drive model when expanding abroad. Compliance is the defensive cornerstone, ensuring alignment with local regulations throughout the product lifecycle; the green value chain, on the other hand, serves as the offensive engine, creating differentiated competitiveness through sustainable upgrades across the supply chain (such as raw material traceability and low-carbon processes). The synergy between the two relies on deeply embedding ESG principles into decision-making structures, turning the rigid constraints of compliance and the flexible value of sustainability into a systemic driver for brand globalization.
Mr. Sam Kang, Partner at EFC and Deputy General Manager of the Regulatory Compliance and Smart Cloud & Information Technology Divisions, proposed a three-dimensional system for Chinese brands expanding overseas: "Standard Adaptation - Legal Source Decoding - Detailed Regulation Penetration." The priority is to select the benchmark framework based on the target market’s supply chain characteristics (EU standards, US standards, or national standards), deeply deconstruct local laws and their cultural and religious origins, and integrate localized regulations throughout the product lifecycle. Through front-end design, this approach transforms cultural respect into a compliance competitive advantage, achieving a leap from passive compliance to active integration.
Ms. Xueru Wang, Vice General Manager and ESG Head of Sinno Cosmetic Co., Ltd, shared that cosmetics companies expanding internationally must base their operations on compliance, ensuring ingredient conformity through digital ingredient databases and customized customer exclusivity lists. Meanwhile, overseas markets like Europe, with stringent environmental standards, are driving green innovation (such as developing waterless formulations). The policy-driven "carrot and stick" approach (mandatory compliance plus financial and tax incentives) motivates companies to transform green costs into supply chain upgrade momentum.
Mr. Matthieu Rochette-Schneider, Director of Centdegrés China, pointed out three major misconceptions in Europe’s ESG promotion: the forced association of sustainability with "ugly designs," "guilt-driven marketing," and "superficial initiatives." He suggested Chinese brands should anchor their core value in "authentic respect," using differentiated ESG narratives and "small but deep" authentic actions to replace grand slogans. Sustainability should be translated into a culturally rooted "Chinese value grammar" rather than merely copying European and American templates.
Looking to the Future: GREENEXT's Strategic Blueprint
At the end of the event, Dr. Hong Zheng, founder of GREENEXT, unveiled the company’s strategic blueprint for the coming year. From a study tour in France in April to decode the business implications of Europe’s new green policies, to the GREENEXT Expo in October that will showcase a sustainable ecosystem in its green exhibition halls, GREENEXT’s vision goes beyond building a communication platform. It is also committed to shaping the strategic crucible for the global narrative of Chinese brands. In this narrative framework, sustainability is transforming from a cost factor into a strategic asset that reshapes industry rules—like a sword forged through intense heat, breaking through the constraints of traditional business paradigms.
This thought-provoking seminar revealed a new era’s challenge: As ESG principles evolve into a core component of the international discourse system, the global journey of Chinese brands needs not only the icebreaker of cutting-edge technology but also the navigator of cultural dialogue. This requires companies to adopt the Eastern wisdom of Tai Chi, turning the philosophical gene of the "community of shared human destiny" into the universal programming language of the global value chain. The essence of this ability is the art of translating localized narratives into shared human values.
The seminar closed with a powerful declaration: "What the world is waiting for is not only the precision gears made in China but also the future coordinate system outlined by China's wisdom." This may well be the most compelling interpretation of the new productive forces of our time. When the concept of sustainable development breaks free from its conceptual cocoon and transforms into a world narrative with cultural penetrative power, Chinese brands' global practices will surely compose a grand chapter of civilizational exchange. In this chapter, every enterprise is a brushstroke, every innovation leaves a space, and together they will paint a new pattern of human commercial civilization.
