Our reporter Fan Hongmin reported from Beijing
"Corporate public welfare actions and corporate brand building complement each other, are both external embodiments of corporate culture and corporate values, and can ultimately be transformed into corporate productivity." On September 5, Li Xin, assistant to the president of Bohai Trust, said at the 2023 China CSR Innovation and Development Forum hosted by China Business News.
It is reported that 2023 is the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Bohai Trust, and Bohai Trust also released the "Yueming" charitable trust brand at the company's 40th anniversary celebration. As a financial institution, Bohai Trust has done a lot of public welfare practices over the years, such as direct charity sales, charitable donations, charitable assistance to charitable trusts, and indirect such as the use of trust mechanisms to introduce social funds into the fields of education and culture, rural revitalization, elderly care and disability assistance.
Corporate philanthropy and brand building ultimately translate into productivity
The integrated development of enterprises and public welfare complements each other, and one is indispensable. In the process of fulfilling responsibilities, how should enterprises explore a public welfare path that is in line with their own development? In this regard, Li Xin introduced the practical experience of Bohai Trust to the reporter of China Business News.
Li Xin said that as a licensed financial institution, Bohai Trust has always kept in mind its social responsibility, is enthusiastic about public welfare undertakings, organically combines public welfare undertakings with its own business transformation and development, and explores a characteristic charity path that organically combines the advantages of the trust system, its own business expertise and charitable public welfare undertakings, and is committed to serving people's better lives and helping to achieve the goal of common prosperity.
Specifically, Bohai Trust's public welfare road can be summarized by the following four keywords:
Committed to serving the country through finance. Financial institutions play an important role in economic development and social stability. Bohai Trust always adheres to the party's leadership over financial work, is committed to serving the country through finance, actively serves the major national strategies and serves the real economy, which is not only the foundation of the company's business, but also the fundamental requirement for enterprises to fulfill their social responsibilities.
Stick to the original business. Bohai Trust strictly implements regulatory requirements, returns to the origin of trust, synchronizes with the transformation and development of the industry, and takes the road of characteristic and sustainable charity and public welfare. The company makes full use of the advantages of flexible trust system and mechanism, independent property, transparent management, and efficient value preservation to ensure the independent and safe operation of charitable trust property, transparent operation, and practical use.
Build competitive products. Bohai Trust gives full play to its trust system, business experience and professional advantages, takes charitable trust products as the starting point, and is committed to achieving the dual goals of preserving and increasing the value of trust property and using charitable donations to help charitable public welfare. The company released the exclusive brand of charitable trust "Yueming", which realized the branding of charitable trusts, the long-term donation of love, and the standardization of charitable actions.
Highlight territorial characteristics. Bohai Trust is registered in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, and has adhered to the responsibility of defending the land and fulfilling its responsibilities for many years, and has made important contributions to the local development of Hebei and the integration of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. The company "Yueming" Charitable Trust currently mainly helps primary and secondary school students from families in the surrounding districts and counties of Shijiazhuang. Prior to floods in many places in Hebei, the company rushed to the aid of Laiyuan County, Hebei Province as soon as possible to deliver daily necessities to the affected villagers. "Of course, we started from the territory but not limited to the territory, and with the expansion of the scale of our charitable trust, we hope that the light of 'Yueming' charity can shine across the country in the future and help more people in need." Li Xin also emphasized.
The value innovation of enterprise performance is consistent with the context of industry transformation and development
Since June this year, the Notice on Regulating the Classification of Trust Business of Trust Companies (hereinafter referred to as the "New Regulations on the Classification of Trust Business") has been officially implemented, and the transformation process of the trust industry has accelerated significantly. So, in the context of accelerated transformation, where is the innovative value of the trust industry's fulfillment?
"The value innovation of corporate responsibility performance is consistent with the context of our business transformation and development, and the healthy and sustainable development of corporate business is the premise and foundation of social responsibility value innovation." Li Xin said that the new regulations on the classification of trust business divide trust business into three categories: asset management trust, asset service trust and public welfare charitable trust, which points out the direction for the development of the industry and provides guidance for trust companies to fulfill their social responsibilities.
In Li Xin's view, after years of development, the trust industry's understanding and understanding of social responsibility and social benefits have been deepened, and the value connotation of trust institutions performing social responsibilities has also been continuously enriched. At present, the trust industry is in a new stage of transformation and development, with the vigorous promotion of supervision and the active efforts of the industry, mainland charitable trusts have made great progress in recent years, and charitable trusts as a new way of charity have gradually entered the public eye. However, it should also be noted that charitable trusts are still new in China, and social cognition and understanding are still lacking. "As a trust institution, we want to do not only specific philanthropy, but also the research and development of charitable trust business, the popularization and promotion of the concept of charitable trust, so that caring people from all walks of life, including our customers, can understand the charitable trust business and pass on the concept of wealth for good."
To this end, Li Xin suggested that the trust industry can make efforts from the following aspects: first, continuously strengthen professional service capabilities, effectively improve the professional trusteeship capabilities of charitable trusts, and achieve an organic balance between the preservation and appreciation of trust property and the purpose of public welfare charity; The second is to increase the intensity of theoretical research and business innovation, under the existing system and legal framework, in-depth theoretical research, innovative business models, expand coverage, and promote the synergy between charitable trust business and business trust business; The third is to actively promote the landing of charitable business and actively speak out, build the brand and influence of charitable trusts, further enhance the public's awareness and acceptance of charitable trusts, and mobilize more social resources; The fourth is to give full play to subjective initiative and promote the improvement of relevant laws, regulations and supporting systems for charitable trusts, such as tax incentives.
It is understood that in addition to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and economic social responsibilities, Bohai Trust also gives full play to the advantages of the trust system and professional wealth planning and management capabilities, and is also using charitable trusts to promote public welfare, which is also consistent with the direction of regulatory policy encouragement.
For example, in 2019, Bohai Trust participated in the first charitable trust in Hulunbuir organized and initiated by the China Trust Industry Association; In 2020, Bohai Trust initiated the establishment of the first charitable trust in Hebei Province, "Bohai Trust - Great Love Boundless Fight Against New Crown Pneumonia Charitable Trust", and launched the "Bohai Trust Charity Charity Walk" activity in the same year, providing targeted funding to primary and secondary school students from families in difficulty in the surrounding districts and counties of Shijiazhuang; In 2023, on the occasion of the company's 40th anniversary, Bohai Trust released the "Yueming" charitable trust brand and established "Yueming No. 1" Charitable Trust and "Bohai Trust Qin Charitable Trust".
"In the future, we will also actively explore the combination of charitable trust business with family trust, family service trust and other businesses, so as to provide more theoretical support and implementation paths for enterprises to fulfill their social responsibilities and help philanthropy." Li Xin said.