Corporate Social Responsibility | Sustainability & Community
Lee Kum Kee

Corporate Social Responsibility

Lee Kum Kee sustainable factory site
Solar Photovoltaic power at Lee Kum Kee production center
Geothermal Heat Pump System at Lee Kum Kee production factory

Our Sustainable Development Approach

Lee Kum Kee’s Xinhui Production Base receives the LEED Platinum Certification

Sustainability is integrated into every operation of Lee Kum Kee. Our six core values laid a solid foundation for sustainable business operation.

We move forward the sustainability approach through four pillars with corporate governance as our foundation, supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Core Values:

  • Pragmatism
  • Integrity
  • Constant Entrepreneurship
  • Si Li Ji Ren (Considering Others’ Interests)
  • Benefiting the Community
  • Sharing Fruits of Success



LEED Platinum Certified

Lee Kum Kee’s Xinhui Production Base receives the LEED Platinum Certification

  • Pioneers in Sustainable Development
  • First company in the global fermented food industry to receive LEED Platinum Certification.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is a globally recognised green building rating system.

Our production base in Xinhui, Jiangmen, Guangdong province, which houses our green soy sauce fermentation project, has recently received the prestigious LEED-NC V4.0 Platinum certification, which is the highest level in the rating system (Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum).

Lee Kum Kee's Xinhui Production Base has a comprehensive energy efficiency and environmental protection strategy, and is equipped with:

  • Solar photovoltaic power generation systemc
  • Geothermal heat pump system
  • Wetland park and wastewater treatment facilities.

These facilities enable the green soy sauce fermentation project of Lee Kum Kee to achieve remarkable performance in various aspects of green building technologies such as sustainable development, energy and water conservation, and environmental protection. Analysis shows that the project saves 55% more water and 50% more energy than general projects, and renewable energy constitutes 6% of its total energy consumption. Watch the video on the right to learn more.



Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation System & Man-made Wetland

The solar photovoltaic power generation system is installed on the rooftop of the soy sauce plant. Solar energy is directly converted to electricity by the semiconductor interface, thereby greatly reducing the consumption of electricity.

The wetland park, with an area of 16,000 square metres will be capable of treating 4,000 cubic metres of wastewater per day through natural ecosystems after completion. Besides, the grey water recycling system minimises water consumption with its high water efficient design to reuse water as much as possible.

Take a look at this short video which introduces how we harness clean energy at our production base.



Geothermal Heat Pump System

Lee Kum Kee is the first in the world to have adopted geothermal energy in Soy Sauce production. But how does it work? Take a look at our video which explains how we can use the natural heat of the earth to power our production.

The geothermal heat pump system provides both hot and cold water for soy sauce fermentation via the heat exchangers and condensers; it utilises the thermostatic geothermal energy underground, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the consumption of electricity and water.









Lee Kum Kee sustainable factory site
Solar Photovoltaic power at Lee Kum Kee production center
Geothermal Heat Pump System at Lee Kum Kee production factory
lee Kum kee Factory
National Green Factory award
Workers picking chillis for production
Handful of chillis

Promote Sustainable Development and Create a Green Future

“Si Li Ji Ren” and Promote Green Industrial Practices.

The 2,800 staff at the Xinhui production base All uphold the corporate core value of “Si Li Ji Ren” (Considering Others’ Interests). Lee Kum Kee encourages its staff to adopt the "3Rs strategy” (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) to reduce waste through measures such as promoting cycling in the plant areas, using clean energy for staff shuttle buses, and encouraging the use of recyclable paper.

You may have noticed in recent years that our sauce bottles have become lighter. This is another way we are implementing our 3Rs strategy.You can find out more by watching this video.

The production base in Xinhui is the largest of Lee Kum Kee Sauce Group’s production bases worldwide, with an area of 1.33 million square metres. As a leading sauce company, Lee Kum Kee has been actively promoting green industrial practices and advocating the construction of a green manufacturing system. Our efforts have earned us a string of recognitions:

  • Xinhui production base is accredited as a “National Green Factory” by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of the People’s Republic of China - the first enterprise in Jiangmen to receive the honour.
  • LEED Platinum certification thanks to the energy saving practices at the Xinhui production base.

Lee Kum Kee will continue to adhere to the LEED standard when developing new projects, minimize the use of natural resources, and further increase the use of low-carbon energy in an effort to protect the environment and achieve sustainable development.



Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)

Lee Kum Kee already embraces sustainability on the farm. We have dedicated teams to help farmers adopt Good Agricultural Practice, or GAP.

But what is GAP? Essentially, it’s a set of principles to be implemented in on-farm and post-production processes. This can include:

  • Planting
  • Harvesting
  • Packaging
  • Transportation
  • And many more!

Watch our video, and see how we are working with farmers to improve the quality and safety of farmlands.



Creating Shared Value (CSV)

When we source raw materials, we strive to ‘Create Shared Value’ with farmers. We provide farmers with:

  • Advanced agricultural knowledge and resources
  • On-site technical support
  • GAP training
  • Employment stability

This means that farmers can benefit from higher yields and income, which ensures there is a reliable supply of high quality raw materials.

Watch this short video, which explains how we create economic value while addressing social needs.
National Green Factory award
Workers picking chillis for production
Handful of chillis
Ken Hom and Lee Kum Kee Scholarship

Ken Hom - Lee Kum Kee Scholarship: supporting hospitality and culinary arts students

In 2020, Lee Kum Kee and The Oxford Cultural Collective worked together with food industry icon, Ken Hom, to find their first scholar- Ken Hom – Lee Kum Kee Scholarship 2021. The scholarship aims to promote Chinese culinary culture among young talents, recognise and cultivate future leaders in the current challenges-facing food service industry and support their career development. The winning students will be hosted by Lee Kum Kee on an immersive, cultural and business-focused educational trip to Hong Kong, accompanied by a dedicated host.

This amazing experience will give the students an exclusive opportunity to see the secrets behind Lee Kum Kee’s authentic and delicious sauces and to gain a true understanding of Chinese food culture. They will join cookery classes at a Chinese culinary institute, teaching them Chinese cooking skills that can help to inform and shape their future careers. They will also get to fully immerse themselves in the Chinese food scene, experiencing restaurants and street food throughout the trip. Lee Kum Kee has created a bespoke programme that offers the students an unforgettable and hugely formative experience, demonstrating the company’s commitment to promote Chinese culinary culture to the world, recognition of young talent in the hospitality industry and their career development.

Our 133 years of experience in food demonstrates a rich history and the importance of heritage to our brand, but we are just as passionate about safeguarding the industry’s successful future.

For full detail on the entry criteria and application, click here

Community Programmes

Lee Kum Kee is and always will be dedicated to making a difference in the community. This is why we work alongside many different charities to provide community programmes.

Our “Hope As Chef” programme has been in place for nearly 10 years. It has helped more than 800 young people achieve their culinary dreams. Watch our video now to see how the programme is making a difference.

In partnership with Ming-Ai (London) Institute in the Fun:) Healthy Chinese Cuisine Ambassadors Programme, we offer cooking workshops to students and teachers in UK schools as part of the new GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition curriculum since 2016 with the knowledge on Chinese food culture and healthy Chinese eating, as well as relevant practical preparation and cooking skills. Lee Kum Kee has been offering cooking sauces to these workshops and any possible support to keep the programme running.

Find out more here: ‘Ming-Ai Projects’

Wok for 1000 is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) event which is hosted by School of Wok and sponsored by Lee Kum Kee Europe. More than 200 volunteers were involved to cook 1,000 meals within three hours. All the meals were distributed to local charities within London.

Lee Kum Kee has been working with Wok for 1000 for a couple of years. We supplied all cooking sauces including Premium Oyster Sauce, Soy Sauces and Pure Sesame oil. We also provided branded aprons and a joint goody bag with sauces for all the participants.

The event provided a good platform to raise awareness of food waste / poverty and showcase our products to more consumers.
Wok for 1000 chef cooking demonstration
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