• The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products has released the Guidelines for the Sustainable Development of Global Supply Chains of the Pharmaceutical Industry (T/CCCMHPIE 6.001-2025), aiming to promote the transformation of international pharmaceutical business from "passive compliance" to "active leadership". By establishing a standardized international supply chain sustainable development system covering the entire lifecycle, enhancing the resilience of the international supply chains of Chinese pharmaceutical companies, promoting green transformation of pharmaceutical companies, strengthening social responsibility, enhancing product safety assurance, standardizing supply chain management, building international GXP compliance standards, promoting Chinese pharmaceutical companies to transform from "participants" to "rule makers" in global health governance, and ultimately achieving sustainable dual enhancement of industrial competitiveness and human health and well-being.
• The China Securities Regulatory Commission has amended the Administrative Measures for Information Disclosure of Listed Companies to strengthen the supervision of ESG information disclosure and promote the sustainable development of listed companies.
• The governments of Shenzhen, Xiamen and other places have taken the lead in promoting the construction of ESG systems to support sustainable development.
• To comprehensively manage the 2025 national carbon emissions trading market and ensure its healthy, stable, and orderly operation, the Notice on Effectively Carrying Out Relevant Work for the 2025 National Carbon Emissions Trading Market has been gazetted by the General office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
• In order to implement the safety production liability insurance system and effectively solve the problems of insufficient insurance coverage and ineffective accident prevention service mechanisms in work, the Implementation Measures for Safety Production Liability Insurance was jointly revised by the Ministry of Emergency Management, the Ministry of Finance of PRC, and other relevant departments.
• In order to supervise and urge centralized dining units to implement their main responsibility for food safety and ensure their food safety, the State Administration for Market Regulation issued the Regulations on the Supervision and Management of the Implementation of Main Responsibility for Food Safety by Centralized Dining Units.
• The Guidelines for Jointly Safeguarding the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Laborers have been released to improve the mechanism for negotiating and coordinating labor relations.
• Updated Minimum Wage Standard of Qinghai Province. 

Comprehensive

< Guidelines for the Sustainable Development of Global Supply Chains of the Pharmaceutical Industry >

< Administrative Measures for Information Disclosure of Listed Companies >

Local government ESG action plans

Environment

< Notice on Effectively Carrying Out Relevant Work for the 2025 National Carbon Emissions Trading Market >

Health and Safety

< Implementation Measures for Safety Production Liability Insurance > 

< Regulations on the Supervision and Management of the Implementation of Main Responsibility for Food Safety in Centralized Dining Units >

Labour

< Guidelines for Jointly Safeguarding the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Laborers >

Minimum Wage Standard Update

Qinghai Province

Comprehensive

1. < Guidelines for the Sustainable Development of Global Supply Chains of the Pharmaceutical Industry > (T/CCCMHPIE 6.001-2025) (2025-06-01)

The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products released the Guidelines for the Sustainable Development of Global Supply Chains of the Pharmaceutical Industry (T/CCCMHPIE 6.001-2025) (hereinafter referred to as the Guidelines) on 20^th May 2025, and will be implemented from 1^st June 2025.

The Guidelines have the core goal of Taking "three-dimensional coordinated development of economy, society, and environment" as the core objective, the Guide has constructed  a four-dimensional framework system covering "governance system, social responsibility, environmental protection, and quality and safety", and deeply connects with international norms such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Conference on Harmonization of Pharmaceutical Registration Technologies (ICH) and integrates emerging technology application scenarios such as blockchain and artificial intelligence, providing a systematic solution for pharmaceutical companies to participate in international competition.

The Guidelines provide the core modules, indicator requirements, implementation requirements, implementation and supervision, and application of guidelines for the sustainable development of international supply chains in the pharmaceutical industry,  covering the indicator framework of environmental (E), social (S), governance (G), and international GXP (WHO-GMP/WHO-GDP/ICH Q10) , which is applicable to sustainable development management and information disclosure of manufacturing enterprises, drug research and development institutions, and supply chain pharmaceutical distribution service providers in the global pharmaceutical industry. Other relevant organizations can refer to them for implementation.

We are honoured that Intertek Group has been invited as the drafting unit to fully participate in and assist the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products in completing the Guidelines and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the successful adoption and release of the Guidelines.

2. < Administrative Measures for Information Disclosure of Listed Companies > (2025-07-01)

The China Securities Regulatory Commission has released an amended version of the Administrative Measures for Information Disclosure of Listed Companies (hereinafter referred to as the Measures), which will come into effect on 1^st July 2025. For the first time, sustainability reports (including ESG information disclosure) will be included in the mandatory disclosure framework of listed companies at the departmental regulatory level.

The Measures explicitly require listed companies to publish sustainability reports in accordance with the regulations of the stock exchange, marking the upgrade of ESG disclosure from corporate social responsibility and exchange self-regulation to a mandatory requirement at the regulatory level. According to the latest regulations of the stock exchange, sample companies of the Shanghai 180 Index, Sci Tech Innovation 50 Index, Shenzhen 100 Index, and ChiNext Index, as well as companies listed both domestically and internationally, are required to disclose their 2025 sustainability report for the first time before April 30, 2026. The three major exchanges encourage other listed companies to voluntarily disclose to enhance their ESG level and market competitiveness.

The Measures also effectively connect with the Guidelines for Sustainability Reports of Listed Companies and the Compilation Guidelines issued by the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing Stock Exchanges, and construct a dual layer structure of "CSRC regulatory rules plus exchange self-regulation rules". The annual reporting standards have added a new chapter on "Corporate Governance, Environment, and Society", which separates environmental and social responsibility information into separate chapters, and requires listed companies included in the list of legally disclosed environmental information to disclose relevant indexes in their annual reports.

This amendment will enhance the standardization and comparability of sustainable development related information disclosure for A-share listed companies and promote alignment with international mainstream disclosure standards. Investors, customers, regulatory agencies, and the public will be able to rely on more transparent disclosure of corporate ESG information, optimize green investment and procurement strategies, form constraint and incentive mechanisms, promote listed companies to improve their sustainable development performance, and help achieve the "dual carbon" goals.

3. Local government ESG action plans

Recently, the governments of Shenzhen, Xiamen and other places have successively released ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) special action plans to accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of the economy and society.

Shenzhen City has released the Work Plan for Promoting the Construction of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) System to Help Build a Pioneer City for Sustainable Development (2025-2027), proposing the construction of an ecological system based on corporate ESG practices and supported by standard and normative systems. The Plan specifies some quantitative goals: by 2027, the ESG disclosure of municipal state-owned enterprises and holding listed companies will be fully covered, and the disclosure rate of A-share listed companies in key areas will reach 60%; no fewer than 10 ESG standard guides will be formulated, 10 renowned service providers will be cultivated or introduced, and 30 pioneering enterprises with international influence will be created. Shenzhen emphasizes the empowerment of digitalization to promote the high-quality development of green industry chains, supply chains, and investment and financing markets.

Xiamen City has issued the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Development Action Plan (2025-2027), proposing the construction of the "124" system, which aims to create a (1) national leading city in ESG development, establish two (2) major systems of leading practice and market ecology, and create four (4) highlands of green industry, professional services, theoretical innovation, and talent aggregation. The Plan requires that by 2027, the ESG information disclosure rate of listed companies in Xiamen should reach 70%, and the disclosure rate of state-owned enterprises engaged in foreign-related business should reach 100%. It also promotes the benchmarking of foreign-related enterprises against international standards and drives upstream and downstream enterprises to practice ESG. Xiamen also plans to establish lightweight disclosure standards to guide private enterprises to gradually practice ESG.

Both governments emphasized the combination of government guidance and market-driven measures to promote enterprises to improve ESG performance and enhance global competitiveness by setting standards, strengthening disclosure, and cultivating service institutions. The action plans of Shenzhen and Xiamen not only provide a clear ESG practice path for local enterprises, but also provide experience for other cities across the country to learn from and jointly contribute to sustainable development of economic and society.

Environment

1. < Notice on Effectively Carrying Out Relevant Work for the 2025 National Carbon Emissions Trading Market > (2025-04-11)

The Notice on Effectively Carrying Out Relevant Work for the 2025 National Carbon Emissions Trading Market (hereinafter referred to as the Notice) has been gazetted by the General office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on 11^th April 2025. The overall work schedule is outlined as below:

1) The publication of the list 

• By 10^th May 2025, provincial-level ecological environment departments shall publish the lists of key emitting entities for the steel, cement, and aluminum smelting industries for the years 2024 and 2025 to the public through the National Carbon Market Management Platform (https://www.cets.org.cn) and the official websites of the provincial-level ecological environment departments. The list of key emitting entities for the power generation, steel, cement, and aluminum smelting industries for the year 2026 shall be published by 31^st October 2025.

2) Submission and verification of annual greenhouse gas emissions report 

• By 30^th June 2025, provincial-level ecological environment departments shall organize key emitting entities in the steel, cement, and aluminum smelting industries to complete the submission of their 2024 annual greenhouse gas emissions reports.
• By 30^th June 2025, provincial-level ecological environment departments shall complete the verification of the 2024 annual greenhouse gas emissions reports for key emitting entities in the power generation industry and notify the key emitting entities of the verification results through the management platform. By 31^st August 2025, the verification of the emissions reports and the notification of the verification results for key emitting entities in the steel, cement, and aluminum smelting industries shall be completed.
• For independent electric arc furnace short-process steel production enterprises, independent steel rolling processing enterprises, and non-silicate cement clinker production enterprises with annual direct emissions reaching 26,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, they shall conduct annual greenhouse gas emissions reporting and verification work in accordance with the accounting reporting, and verification technical specifications attached to the Notice. Among them, the submission deadline for the 2024 annual greenhouse gas emissions reports has been adjusted from 31^st March 2025 to 30^th June 2025.

3) Allocation and surrender of carbon emission allowances 

• By 20^th April 2025, the provincial-level competent departments of ecological environment shall pre-allocate the carbon emission allowances for the year 2024 to key emitters in the power generation sector. No pre-allocation of carbon emission allowances for the year 2024 will be carried out for the iron and steel, cement, and aluminum smelting industries.
• By 31^st July 2025, the provincial-level competent departments of ecological environment shall, based on the verification results for the year 2024, verify the amount of carbon emission allowances to be issued to key emitters in the power generation sector for the year 2024 in accordance with the allowance allocation plan, and submit the relevant data sheets in writing to the registration and filing institution for the registration and filing of the verified allowances. By 20^th August 2025, the provincial-level competent departments of ecological environment shall allocate the carbon emission allowances for the year 2024 to key emitters in the power generation sector. The verification of allowances for the iron and steel, cement, and aluminum smelting industries for the year 2024 shall be completed by 30^th September 2025, and the issuance of carbon emission allowances shall be completed by 20^th October 2025.
• By 31^st December 2025, the provincial-level competent departments of ecological environment shall organize key emitters in the power generation, iron and steel, cement, and aluminum smelting industries to complete the full and timely surrender of their carbon emission allowances for the year 2024.

Health and Safety

1. < Implementation Measures for Safety Production Liability Insurance > (2025-04-02)

The Implementation Measures for Safety Production Liability Insurance (hereinafter referred to as the Measures) were jointly issued by the Ministry of Emergency Management, the Ministry of Finance of PRC, and other relevant departments on 2^nd April 2025, and had come into force from the date of issuance. The original Implementation Measures for Safety Production Liability Insurance, which announced on 12^th December 2017, are simultaneously abolished. The main amendments of the Measures are as follows:

1. The Measures clarify the scope of industries and fields that shall be insured for safety production liability insurance, namely the units of high-risk industries and fields such as mining, hazardous chemicals, fireworks and firecrackers, transportation, construction, civil explosives, metal smelting, and fishery production.
2. The Measures have increased the insurance amount. The national minimum insurance amount for death and disability liability per person in production safety accidents is increased from three hundred thousand yuan to four hundred thousand yuan.
3. The Measures have expanded the scope of insurance. It is explicitly stated that safety liability insurance shall cover all practitioners of the insured enterprise, the temporary employees, dispatched workers, and other personnel with employment relationships shall be included in the category of practitioners.
4. The Measures have optimized claims services. To establish a rapid claims mechanism and pre-compensation mechanism for major or typical accidents, and promptly pay or advance the determined insurance compensation in accordance with legal provisions and contractual agreements after the accident occurs.
5. The Measures have added a special chapter on "Accident Prevention Services", focusing on establishing a socialized governance system for safety production that involves participants of multiple parties, each contributing their own efforts, and collaborative cooperation.

2. < Regulations on the Supervision and Management of the Implementation of Main Responsibility for Food Safety in Centralized Dining Units > (2025-04-15)

The Regulations on the Supervision and Management of the Implementation of Main Responsibility for Food Safety in Centralized Dining Units (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations) were issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation on 23^rd February 2025, and had come into effect on 15^th April 2025. The main content of the Regulations are as follows:

1. For where a centralized dining unit orders food from a catering unit, it must inspect the ordered food according to the requirements, and it shall stop the catering services immediately, and require the catering unit to adopt effective corrective measures eliminate safety risk.
2. The main person in charge of the unit canteen is fully responsible for the food safety work of the unit canteen.
3. The main person in charge of the centralized dining unit shall bear comprehensive management responsibility for the food safety work of the unit.
4. Unit canteens, contracted operating enterprises and catering units shall be manned the food safety officers in accordance with the law; Enterprises that meet certain conditions shall also arrange for a food safety director.

Labour

1. < Guidelines for Jointly Safeguarding the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Laborers > (2025-05)

The All-China Federation of Trade Unions, together with six departments including the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and the China Enterprise Confederation/China Entrepreneur Association, has issued the Guidelines for Jointly Safeguarding the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Laborers (hereinafter referred to as the Guidelines), aiming to further strengthen the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of workers, improve the mechanism for labor relations consultation and coordination, form a collaborative and joint force among multiple departments, and maintain the stability of the workforce and the overall harmony and stability of society.

The Guidelines list key tasks in eleven areas and clarify the collaborative mechanisms and specific responsibilities of multiple departments in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of workers. Each department will jointly establish and improve systems for information sharing, joint research, and release of typical cases, and jointly promote the formulation and revision of laws, regulations, and policy documents closely related to workers' rights and interests. Legal services such as labor legal policy consultation and legal assistance will be provided in a timely manner, based on functional division of labor.

The Guidelines highlight the importance of coordination in labor legal supervision, clarify the deepening of the connection and cooperation between prosecutorial supervision, labor security supervision, labor safety and health supervision and inspection, and labor legal supervision of trade unions, and promote the resolution of key and difficult issues in the protection of workers' rights and interests. Emphasize to support the comprehensive implementation of the "Fengqiao Experience" trade union practice in the new era, improve the prevention, mediation, and resolution system of labor conflicts and disputes through the entire chain of "business, mediation, arbitration, litigation, assistance, and enforcement", and to ensure timely and effective protection of workers' rights and interests.

The Guidelines emphasize the promotion of the development of emerging fields and the protection of the rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment. Various departments will work together to promote regular consultations between platform enterprises and new forms of employment workers and improve the mechanism for negotiating and coordinating workers' rights and interests. They will also jointly strengthen the construction of the platform for safeguarding workers' rights and interests, create an "integrated" and "one-stop" diversified dispute resolution platform for labor disputes, promote various mediation forces to settle in the same level social security comprehensive governance center, and provide convenient and efficient legal services for workers, especially those in new forms of employment.

The Guidelines specify that the All-China Federation of Trade Unions organizes six departments to hold annual exchange meetings and consultant meeting to discuss and solve major issues related to the vital interests of workers, such as labor employment, skills training, income distribution, and social security.

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