Holding a doctoral degree, he has long been dedicated to green, low-carbon, and circular economy practices, and is recognized as a circular economy leader in Sichuan Province. During his tenure at Wuliangye, he has spearheaded the company’s systematic green transition, leading the development of the “Zero-Carbon Distillery” dual-carbon strategy and participating in the formulation of 15 green and low-carbon standards. He has established a comprehensive circular economy system spanning “soil, heat, water, and electricity” across the entire industrial chain. Through innovative projects such as multi-stage utilization of distiller’s grains, ecological wastewater treatment, and biogas power generation from brewing wastewater, he has driven efficient resource use and synergistic carbon reduction. His efforts have contributed to Wuliangye being recognized as a “National Circular Economy Pilot Demonstration Unit,” a “National Green Factory,” and a “Green Design Demonstration Enterprise for Industrial Products,” as well as its selection as an outstanding case at the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit side event on industrial sustainable innovation.

In the context of the global circular economy movement, Li Jian advocates that the key to industrial green transformation lies in “lifecycle-wide circularity.” He has led Wuliangye in implementing systematic initiatives across green planting, ecological brewing, and sustainable packaging, establishing a product lifecycle management and evaluation system that integrates circular principles throughout. By translating circular concepts into market-ready practices, he provides a replicable transformation pathway for many industries.