DECEMBER NEWSLETTER
2003
Highlights of 2003
Dear Corporate Citizens and friends of Community
Business
I want to start by saying thank you. It has been an exciting first year for us and we
greatly appreciate your support.
In
addition to the counsel and training that we have provided to many of our
Corporate Citizens this year, additional highlights for us have included:
Next
year, I am sure, will bring new opportunities and challenges for us at
Community Business and to you, in the work you do. I look forward to
working with you once again to positively improving our impact on the people
and communities in Hong Kong.
Wishing
you and your families all the very best for 2004.
With
Kind Regards
Shalini
Mahtani
CORPORATE
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT: GETTING STARTED
A Handbook for companies in
Hong Kong
Community Business has
recently released its first publication for companies wanting to get
started (or get better) at Corporate Community Investment (CCI).
The Handbook's highlights include:
- What role CCI
plays in Corporate Social Responsibility
- The Business Case
for CCI
- The role of
Employee Involvement in CCI
- An 8 step
audit
- Lots of examples
from corporate Hong Kong
For a soft copy of
the Handbook, please download the Handbook from http://communitybusiness.org.hk/documents/publication03.pdf
OCTOBER
NEWSLETTER
In
this issue we cover:
1. UPCOMING EVENTS in Hong Kong
2. HONG KONG NEWS
3. REGIONAL EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
-
Privatisation
of Poverty by Senator
Mechai Viravaidya, Thailand
Tuesday,
21 October 2003. 5.00 - 6.30pm.
30/F.,
Standard Chartered Bank Bldg, Central
Mechai Viravaidya was elected to the Thai Senate in 2001.
Senator Viravaidya is Chairman of Population & Community
Development Association (PDA), one of Thailand's most successful
and innovative development organisations. PDA, with corporate
support, has played a key role in:
-
Reducing
the national population growth in Thailand from 3.2% in
1974 to 0.8% in 2002
-
Decreasing
the HIV rates of new infections from 1990 to 2002 by 85%
-
Implementing
programmes with corporate support in over 11,000 villages
-
Establishing
16 for-profit companies, including its popular “Cabbages
and Condoms?restaurants-which generates 70% of PDA’s
funding
How can we in Hong Kong learn from his experience? We are honored
to have Senator Viravaidya share his knowledge and experience
with companies, NGO's and individuals in Hong Kong. For registration,
please complete the form.
Book now! Attendance is free of charge.
-
How
to Comply with Equal Opportunities Legislation and Benefit
Your Business
Wednesday, 22 October 2003. 12.45
- 2.00pm
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 1st Floor, Pheasant Room
In this session, participants will learn:
-
What
is equal opportunities legislation
-
Recent
court cases on equal opportunities and what do they mean
for companies
-
How
to implement equal opportunities and diversity into your
company
The session is aimed at HR, legal and risk management professionals
and business managers. For registration, please complete the
form.
HONG KONG NEWS
-
MTR
Corporation and Allen & Overy: Runners-up for the Asian
CSR Awards
MTR Corporation and Allen & Overy, both Corporate Citizens
of Community Business, are runners-up for the Asian CSR Awards
announced at the close of the 2-day Asian CSR Forum held in
Bangkok on 18-19 September. MTR Corporation and Allen
& Overy were the only two Hong Kong based companies that
were highly commended for their contribution to CSR.
MTR Corporation was a runner-up for the Environmental Excellence
Award for their Sustainability Reports 2001 and 2002.
Allen & Overy was a runner-up for the Poverty Alleviation
Award for their contribution to the Helpers for Domestic Helpers
programme. For a full list of winners and runners-up, please
click here.
-
Community
Business: Global Network expands
Community
Business is the Asian Secretariat for the CECILE network -
an international network of agencies specialising on Corporate
Community Investment in 35 countries worldwide. We now have
10 partners in Asia-Pacific. This network is ideal for companies
interested in rolling out global programmes or simply learning
about best practice throughout our network. For a list of
our global partners, please visit our
website.
REGIONAL
EVENTS
Social Venture Network Asia Conference 2003: Living Economies
in Asia
9-11 November 2003
Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
This
is a good follow-up conference from the Asian CSR forum held in
Bangkok in mid-September. SVN has a range of top-quality speakers.
Please visit their site for more details www.svnasia.org.
SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER
In
this issue we cover:
1. HONG KONG NEWS
2. HONG KONG EVENTS
3. ASIAN FORUM ON CSR
HONG KONG NEWS- since our last newsletter in June:
-
Community
Business welcomes Credit Suisse First Boston and Prudential
as Corporate Citizens of Community Business
Credit Suisse First Boston has also joined our partner organisation
in the Philippines, Philippine Business for Social Progress,
as a member.
-
Race
discrimination legislation will be enacted in Hong Kong in
the private sector.
In addition to Gender, Family Status and Disability discrimination
legislation that exists already to protect those in the private
sector, race legislation will be outlawed also in the private
sector. Specific details of what areas this covers are not
yet public. It is already unlawful for the public sector,
under the Bill of Rights, to discriminate on the grounds of
race.
-
Future
leaders in Hong Kong learn about CSR
The brightest second- year undergraduate students at the
University of Hong Kong this year were educated about corporate
social responsibility, through the Intensified Learning Opportunities
Programme led by Dr Albert Chau, Director of General Education.
Some of these students spent the summer abroad working on
CSR issues with Community Business' partner organisations
globally.
-
MTR
wins ACCA Award on Environmental Reporting
Community Business Corporate Citizen, MTR, won the 2002
ACCA Environmental Reporting Award. The Environmental Reporting
Awards were launched to give recognition to those organisations
that report and disclose environmental, social or full sustainability
information.
-
Companies:
Apply now for your Caring Company Award!
The Hong Kong Council of Social Service has launched the
Caring Company Award 2003 for those companies that meet at
least 2 of these 6 criteria: Volunteering, Family Friendly
Initiatives, Employing the Vulnerable, Partnering, Mentoring
and Giving. Companies may nominate themselves. Community Business
is a supporting organisation of the Caring Company Award.
For more information visit www.caringcompany.net
-
Lack of worklife balance in Hong
Kong
A recent UBS global survey undertaken in 70 cities amongst
12 occupations shows that Hong Kongers work the longest hours,
2,398, hours per year. In second place came Mumbai with 2,347
hours and in third place Taipei with 2,327. In London the
average per year is 1,747 and the French clocked the least
amount per hours of 1,561.
In Hong Kong we ranked 30th in terms of pay- our average per
hour is US$7 where in NYC it is $15.20
-
Business
in the Community to visit Hong Kong on 22 and 23 September
Business in the Community is the world's largest organisation
working with companies on CSR. They are a registered charity
in UK working with over 700 companies. Their Head of International
Development, David Halley, will be in Hong Kong on September
22 and 23rd. David will be presenting a seminar and training
session on September 22 and 23 respectively, please see below
for details. If you would like to have a private meeting with
David Halley, please contact shalini@communitybusiness.org.hk
to set up your appointment.
HONG KONG EVENTS
-
Training
session and lunch on Corporate Community Investment: The Strategic
path to success
Jointly presented by Community Business/ Amcham/ Britcham
Leading companies in Hong Kong are increasingly addressing
"community investment" as a way to build reputation,
people and profit. Corporate Community Investment (CCI) is
a core component of CSR and includes engaging the skills and
time of your employees, in-kind contributions and financial
contributions to meet business objectives and community needs.
Participants will learn: What is Corporate Social Responsibility,
Corporate Social Responsibility vs. Corporate Community Investment
(CCI), The different forms of CCI (it's much more than philanthropy!),
How to build your business through CCI and Trends in measuring
and reporting CCI
Target participants:
Employees that work on charity/ PR/ CSR and PR agencies that
address CSR
Trainers:
David Halley from Business in the Community UK and Shalini
Mahtani from Community Business
Lunchtime
speakers:
Glenn Frommer from MTR,
Catherine Husted from Allen & Overy and David
Dodwell from Golin Harris/ Forrest
-
Community
Investment and Charitable Giving- are HK companies following
the global trend?
Presented by Community Business. Sponsored by The Hong Kong
Council of Social Service
In countries like United Kingdom and Australia, companies
are moving away from "charitable giving" and towards
more structured "community investment" which is
an integrated part of a wider corporate social responsibility
agenda. Are companies in Hong Kong matching this global trend?
If so, what do businesses and NGO's in HK need to learn?
Speakers include David Halley from Business in the Community
(UK), Louise Redmond from Positive Outcomes (Australia), Kenzie
Kwong from the HK Council of Social Service and Shalini Mahtani
from Community Business.
ASIAN FORUM ON CSR
Asian Forum on CSR in Bangkok, 18- 19 September 2003
This is the largest CSR event in Asia with over 300 delegates
from companies and NGO's expected. Companies committed to CSR
in Asia are recommended to attend. Community Business is an organising
partner of the Asian Forum on CSR and CEO Shalini Mahtani will
be a speaker at the event.
For
details please visit: http://www.asianforumcsr.com
JUNE
NEWSLETTER:
NEWS:
-
Welcome
to new Corporate Citizens: Hewitt join as new Corporate Citizens
-
Change
of Community Business Address
Please
note that our correspondence address has changed. It is now:
701 Hoseinee House, 69 Wyndham Street,
Central, Hong Kong
Our phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses remain
unchanged. Many thanks to Civic Exchange for continuing to
accommodate us in their office.
-
MTR
releases its second Sustinability Report.
Sustainability Report 2002 addresses to what extent 2001 targets
were achived and sets new targets for the forthcoming year
in line with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines.
For more information please refer to www.mtr.com.hk
-
Research
by the Centre of Urban Planning & Environmental Management,
University of Hong Kong finds that Hong Kong Consumers select
corporate social responsibility of company as third most important
factor when making purchasing decisions. Click here for more
details.
-
Research
by the Centre of Urban Planning & Environmental Management,
University of Hong Kong shows that companies in Asia lag behind
their European counterparts. In addition companies in Hong
Kong do better on the internal aspects of CSR than Singapore
companies which do better on the external aspects. Click here
for full details.
EVENTS:
1. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT- HOW TO ENGAGE OTHER PARTNERS
Community
Business hosts roundtable discussions frequently on topics that
our Corporate Citizens are interested in learning more about.
Community Business has invited Christine Loh to lead our next
roundtable discussion. Christine is CEO of Civic Exchange, a former
legislator and author of "Getting Heard'. Christine has led
many community initiatives and will draw upon her experience in
engaging partners in community involvement. The roundtable will
be in an informal setting where participants will be encouraged
to ask questions and share experiences.
Date:
Wednesday 18 June, 2003
Time: 12.30pm to 2pm (start 12.45
pm)
Address: Allen & Overy, 10/F,
Three Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong
Lunch: Sandwiches will be provided
Allen & Overy
RSVP: shalini@communitybusiness.org.hk
by Friday 6 June 2003
Priority will be given to Community Business Corporate Citizens.
2. ASIAN FORUM
ON CSR
This
is the largest gathering in Asia in CSR. This year, Community
Business has been invited as the Hong Kong partner for the Forum
along with IBLF, UNDP,Philippine Business for Social Progress,
Synergos, Business in the Community and others. Last year, the
first year of the Asian Forum, was attended by over 400 delegates
from Asia. This year, the Asian Forum will be held in Bangkok
from 18- 20 September 2003. I encourage you to attend to share
and learn about what other leading companies are doing in Asia.
For details and registration details, please visit http://www.asianforumcsr.com/registrations/registration.htm
MARCH
NEWSLETTER
NEWS:
-
Welcome
to new Corporate Citizens: Eagle Star Insurance, MTRC and
UBS
-
Community
Business invited to be Hong Kong partner of CSR Asian Forum
-
Community
Business invited to educate future leaders on CSR through
University of Hong Kong business school and general education
department.
EVENTS:
1. DIVERSITY AND NON- DISCRIMINATION SEMINAR
Community
Business and Allen & Overy have assembled a panel of experienced
speakers to examine Hong Kong's anti-discrimination ordinances
and their practical effect for employers in Hong Kong.
The seminar will examine what compliance with legislation means
and going beyond compliance to embrace diversity in the workplace.
Our speakers include Judith Wong from Allen & Overy, Shalini
Mahtani from Community Business, George Bisas from Equal Opportunities
Commission and Paul Angwin from Manpower.
Date: Thursday, 20 March 2003
Venue: The American Club, Washington
Room, 47th Floor, 2 Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong
Time: Cocktail 5pm. Seminar 5.30
- 7.30pm.
Deadline: Please reserve your seats
by Friday, 14 March 2003
RSVP: Johenn Choi Tel: 852 2974 7188
Seats are limited!
2.
UNDERSTANDING RACE DISCRIMINATION IN CORPORATE Hong Kong
The International Day on the Elimination of Race Discrimination
presents us
with the prefect opportunity of enhancing the awareness of corporate
Hong
Kong to race discrimination.
In this seminar we will examine how race discrimination manifests
itself in
the workplace, what companies can do to address race discrimination
and
what the HKSAR government believes the public can do to enhance
awareness
on this issue.
Our speakers include Shirley Chan from Race Relations Unit of
Home Affairs
Bureau, Kelley Loper who is author of "Cultivating a Multicultural
Society
and Combating Racial Discrimination in Hong Kong" and Shalini
Mahtani, CEO
of Community Business
Date: Friday, 21 March 2003
Time: 12.30pm to 2pm. Please bring
your own lunch
Venue: Schroder Investment Management
(Hong Kong),
19/F, Two Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong
RSVP: By Friday, 14 March 2003.
JANUARY
NEWSLETTER
-
Introduction
to Community Business: who we are and what we do
-
Welcome
to new Corporate Citizens: Allen & Overy, Manpower, Schroders
Newsletter