For Immediate Release
22-6-2011
First corporate social responsibility guide for SMEs released
SMEs competitive advantages enhanced
Many people think that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is something that only
big corporations do. However, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for
98% of all local companies and employ 1.2 million people (48% of all employees,
excluding civil servants). They must therefore be a core part of any drive for more
responsible business practices.
Despite this, SMEs wanting to develop management systems for CSR have had little
in the way of guidance. Funded by the Sustainable Development Fund, CSR Asia and
The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) have worked together to publish
a practical guide for SMEs to develop CSR to fill the gap. This CSR Guide is
produced based on research on best practices and international standards including
the new ISO 26000 guidance on social responsibility. The result is The CSR Guide for
SMEs in Hong Kong.
The definition of CSR is the ways in which companies integrate environmental and
social concerns into their business operations and in their interaction with relevant
groups on a voluntary basis. The CSR Guide for SMEs in Hong Kong introduces the
concept of CSR and provides an easy to read, concise and practice-oriented
approach for SMEs in Hong Kong. Six key components were identified, they are:
Corporate Governance, Environmental Protection, Human Resources Management,
Responsible Procurement, Consumer Issues, Community Involvement and
Development.
The rising interest in CSR by Hong Kong SMEs is to some extent reflected by
participation in the Caring Company Scheme. Mr Cliff Choi, Business Director, The
Hong Kong Council of Social Service said ”Since records for SMEs began in 2005/06,
the involvement of SMEs in the Scheme has steadily increased by about 21% each
year. This year is the 10th anniversary of the Caring Company Scheme. SMEs already
account for 45% of over 2,200 awarded companies and organization.” In preparing
the Guidebook, focus groups with representatives from over 20 SMEs in Hong Kong
were conducted. Some SMEs expressed optimistic about their ability to achieve good
CSR.
Mrs Brenda Lee, Consultant, The Hong Kong Council of Social Service said
“Generally, SMEs are concerned about: Limited financial resources and time,
environmental improvement that may require significant investment, difficulties in
attracting and retaining high caliber staff, low bargaining power across the value chain,
customers who are reluctant to pay more for environmentally and socially responsible
options, difficulties in measuring the impact of employee volunteering, inadequate
incentives and information about how to be a more responsible enterprise.” Yet many
good CSR practices do not cost a lot of money and many can actually save money.
For example, a focus on the environment through enhancing energy efficiency can
reduce fuel bills and a focus on responsible human resources management can build
employee trust and increase productivity.
Adopting CSR is not only an ethical act, it brings both tangible and intangible benefits
too: Staff morale and staff retention, good relationships with the communities, risk
management, identification of new opportunities, productivity and operational
efficiency, brand and reputation, easier access to capital and competitive advantage.
Ms Anita Wong, Project Manager, CSR Asia said “The key elements of a successful
CSR implementation are Simplicity, Degree of integration into existing systems and
Stakeholder engagement.”
“At Intimex, CSR is part of our DNA. In particular, through our commitment to caring
for our employees, we are able to build a highly motivated workforce which is very
important in the IT industry. We work, play, learn and grow together like a
family. This is instrumental in our business success and future development”, said
Ms Daisy Chow, COO of Intimex Business Solutions Co. Ltd. “The new CSR Guide
for SMEs is a useful guide providing good tips in integrating the different aspects of
CSR into our business operations”, added Ms Chow.
“Business comes from Society. Without a healthy and stable community, we could
not sustain our business. Therefore, we are dedicated to be a responsible company,
both to our customers and also different stakeholders. Through our active
engagement with our customers, we are able to build customer trust and loyalty’, said
Dr. Jimmy Lau, CEO of Richform Holdings Ltd. “I find the new CSR Guide for SMEs
a practical toolkit. It helps enhance our knowledge and practice in CSR.”
The CSR Guide for SMEs’ workshops and seminars will be held from June to
September. All sessions are free of charge. For more information of the workshops/
seminars and the CSR Guide for SMEs in Hong Kong, please visit
www.csrsme.com.hk.
Media Contacts:
Dennis Kwan
Madison Communications
28918702 / 92083963
dennis@madisonmission.com
Ms Anita Wong
CSR Asia
3579 8079
cswong@csr-asia.com
Mrs Brenda Lee
The Hong Kong Council of
Social Service
2876 2472
Brenda.lee@hkcss.org.hk