With the support of the Caring SME Alliance, a Pilot Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) was launched recently. It encourages participation of SMEs in providing assistance to their employees with the special offer by the programme, which may not be affordable in the market. By participating in the programme, SMEs demonstrate Corporate Social Responsibility by care for their employees via an effective partnership platform with social service organisations, at the same time their employees can be benefited directly from the assistance that the programme provides.

The Briefing and Sharing Session for this Pilot EAP for SMEs was successfully held on 26 October 2016 with around 60 participants joined the event.

During the Sharing Session, Ms Wicky NG, Senior Manager of Vital Employee Service Consultancy (Vital), the service provider of this pilot EAP, introduced the Pilot Programme. To follow, a seminar was conducted by Dr. SUEN Lap-man, Principal Consultant of Vital. Participants were able to taste some kind of similar activities to be included in this pilot EAP package. The Founding Members of the Alliance shared their experience in implementing EAP in their companies.

The special offer will last till 25 Oct 2017. Please click here for more details.

The Caring SME Alliance was formed to promote and encourage more SMEs and stakeholders practicing corporate social responsibility (CSR) through participation, education, sharing and research. The Alliance will initiate different projects and activities, and wish more SMEs to join the Alliance and practice CSR to build a harmonious community together.

Caring Company Scheme Supporters’ Appreciation Luncheon was successfully held on 6 October 2016. Around 90 Patron’s Club members, supporters and Caring Company Scheme’ Steering Committee members joined the event.

The Caring Company Scheme is stepping into 15th Anniversary, in which over 3,200 companies and organizations showed support and have joined hands with us to build a caring and sustainable society. In order to appreciate the effort made by different parties over the years, and this year also marks the 70th Anniversary of The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS)’s Inauguration coincidentally, Mr. Bernard Chan, GBS, JP, Chairperson of HKCSS and Mr. Chua Hoi Wai, Chief Executive of HKCSS shared the milestones that Caring Company Scheme has achieved in the past 15 years and how we look forward to build a stronger platform for collaborative action by developing a social agenda for our future society.

For more event snapshots, please visit: http://www.hkcss.org.hk/e/imageshow.asp?album_id=153

Group photo of Patron’s Club members, supporters and Caring Company Scheme’ Steering Committee members

Group photo of Patron’s Club members, supporters and Caring Company Scheme’ Steering Committee members

Group photo of Caring Company Scheme’ Steering Committee members

Chit-chat before luncheon start

The Caring Company Partnership Expo 2016 was successfully held on 10 May 2016 (Tuesday) at Hall 5G of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with over 3,300 participants joining us to establish new community partnership opportunities between the business and social services sectors and to explore CSR solutions.

The officiating guest Mr. CHEUNG Kin Chung, Matthew, GBS, JP, Acting Chief Secretary for Administration of HKSAR Government (middle), The Hon Bernard CHAN, Chairperson of HKCSS (left) and Mr CHUA Hoi-wai, Chief Executive of HKCSS (right), in the Caring Company Scheme Award Presentation Ceremony 2015/16.

The officiating guest Mr. CHEUNG Kin Chung, Matthew, GBS, JP, Acting Chief Secretary for Administration of HKSAR Government, presented awards to the winners of the Outstanding Partnership Project Award.

The Social Partnership Exhibition is continued this year to promote and strengthen partnership between the business and social service sectors. The 108 exhibitors, coming from local NGOs and social enterprises displayed exhibits mainly on social services, social enterprises and sustainability. All these have made this annual occasion become a fruitful networking and exchange platform for both the companies and social service organisations to enhance mutual understanding and to nurture future partnership.

Please click here for the Photo Album.

The Paris Agreement of December of 2015 was hailed as an historic achievement, committing countries to radically reduce carbon emissions in order to limit global warming. In this briefing session, on 21 January 2016, more than 50 delegates gathered to learn about the implications for Hong Kong and for businesses operating here.

Ir. Albert Lai, CEO of Carbon Care Asia and leader of the Hong Kong NGO delegation to COP21, gave his reflections on the Paris Agreement and set out five key actions for Hong Kong business: keep track of global trends; measure, report and review business operations; plan towards a zero-carbon business model; build in-house capacity and innovation processes; and advocate for a clear, predictable and consistent regulatory framework. Mr Lai outlined how tools and frameworks such as the CarbonCare Label, EPD’s Carbon Footprint Repository and ESG reporting can help support the transition to low-carbon business.

Karen Ho, Business Engagement Leader for Climate at WWF-HK, discussed the implications of COP21 in terms of industries that are likely to experience decline or growth in the coming years and decades. Ms Ho explored the unique role of Hong Kong companies, situated in the value chain between suppliers and consumers; shared trends in carbon disclosure in Hong Kong; and provided an overview of WWF climate programmes, including the Low-carbon Office Operation Programme (LOOP) and Low-carbon Manufacturing Programme (LCMP).

Delegates then heard from two companies about their experiences in carbon reduction. Speaking for Hong Kong Broadband Network, Bonnie Chan told how the company achieved a 23% carbon reduction in 2013 by focusing on its major source of energy consumption – ICT server rooms – and described the internal collaboration that enabled such a reduction to be made whilst maintaining high levels of performance. Ms Chan noted how setting up a green committee and setting bold targets helped galvanise commitment and action.

Finally, Kenneth Chu explained how establishing Hotel Madera Hong Kong as an environmentally friendly boutique hotel helps to attract business from similarly minded corporations, whilst reducing costs. Mr Chu described how a 5.6% reduction in electricity consumption and a 7.3% reduction in gas consumption were achieved in 2015, through a range of measures including: equipment upgrading and removal; smart automatic on/off controls for lighting, air conditioning and office equipment; and staff training and guidelines.

In the panel discussion, speakers and participants alike expressed concern regarding a lack of government leadership to enable and support the transition to a low-carbon economy. Specific areas proposed as priorities include: commitment and long-term strategy for renewable energy; regional collaboration within the PRD; and regulatory reform to level the playing field for companies making long-term investments to help reduce climate risk.

For more information on this issue, please see the Climate u0026amp; Carbon page on the Sustainable Business HK website. The companies cited above will be featured in the Case Studies section in February.

For tools and resources to begin reducing your company’s carbon footprint, please visit Carbon Care Asia or WWF-HK.