The School of Business (SBUS) at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) successfully hosted the 15th Junzi Corporation Awards Presentation Ceremony on 27 July, recognising 34 organisations across a total of 36 awards for their unwavering commitment to ethical business practices. Alongside the presentations, HSUHK officially unveiled the HSUHK Business Ethics Index 2026, which climbed to 67.2, extending its steady upward trajectory in recent years.
This year’s ceremony marked an all-time high in participation, with the number of applicant organisations surging by more than 30% year-on-year. The robust growth reflects growing recognition among Hong Kong enterprises that ethical conduct and corporate trustworthiness are core to long-term competitiveness. To broaden the Awards’ social reach and impact, HSUHK introduced two new categories in 2026: the Junzi Corporation Award (Social Enterprise) and Junzi Corporation Award (Charitable Organisation). These additions complement the long-standing Junzi Corporation Award and Junzi Corporation Award (Small and Medium Enterprise), and honour mission-driven entities that advance social good and community development.
In total, 34 outstanding organisations were honoured across the four categories: 12 recipients of the Junzi Corporation Award, 13 of the Junzi Corporation Award (Small and Medium Enterprise), 5 of the Junzi Corporation Award (Social Enterprise), and 4 of the Junzi Corporation Award (Charitable Organisation). Among this year’s honourees, Henderson Land Development Company Limited received the Junzi Corporation Award for Exemplary Business Practices, while Peoplebank Hong Kong Limited was presented with the Junzi Corporation Award for Exemplary Business Practices (Small and Medium Enterprise). Both accolades recognise the recipients’ exceptional adherence to ethical business principles and their meaningful contributions to industry progress and community wellbeing.
In his address, Professor Simon Ho, President of HSUHK, elaborated on why ethical behaviour is fundamental to enterprise. He noted that as “social institutions”, businesses operate under an implicit social contract and must pursue harmonious coexistence with all stakeholders – including customers, employees and the wider community. “Ethics is the foundational prerequisite for business success; ethical conduct always precedes value creation,” Professor Ho remarked. He also outlined the Five Junzi Virtues – Ren (Benevolence), Yi (Righteousness), Li (Propriety), Zhi (Wisdom) and Xin (Trustworthiness) – and called on award-winning enterprises to continue embedding these principles into their daily operations.
Professor Sam Park, Dean of the HSUHK School of Business, stated that business ethics is not a supplementary attribute of corporate success, but an indispensable cornerstone of sustainable development. “A truly successful enterprise should be measured not only by its financial performance, but also by the positive impact it creates for its employees, local communities and society at large,” he said. Professor Park further shared that the School of Business has been conferred Level 3 “Progressing School” status in the 2026 Positive Impact Rating – an international endorsement of the School’s longstanding efforts to nurture responsible, value-driven business professionals.
Since 2011, HSUHK has anchored its business ethics research in the Five Junzi Virtues, conducting systematic annual evaluations of corporate conduct in Hong Kong. The annual HSUHK Business Ethics Index has become a widely referenced benchmark for the local business community. The 2026 Index score of 67.2 (out of 100) represents a 0.9% increase from 66.6 in 2025 and an 11.4% rise from 60.3 in 2024, reflecting steady improvement in public perception of enterprises embracing the “Junzi” ethical business model. A notable shift was also recorded across individual virtue scores. For the first time, Zhi (Wisdom) took the top position at 69.1, overtaking Xin (Trustworthiness) at 68.9. This milestone signals broad public recognition of Hong Kong enterprises’ progress in digital transformation, as well as growing optimism for the sector’s future development.
The Junzi Corporation Awards and annual Business Ethics Index remain flagship initiatives of HSUHK SBUS, as the School continues to champion integrity-based governance and advance a culture of ethical business across Hong Kong.
