The Journey of CSR - With great power comes great responsibility

About a dozen years ago, I kept wondering what I can do for others. As a boss, a leader, I believe my behavior could affect others. I started building up a corporate social responsibility as my business model. Taking baby steps, from staff, customer, manufacturer, to suppliers, I wish to do more. 

In November 2018, I took a Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) course in the University of Cambridge, the 4-day course furnished me a tremendous encouragement, empowerment and inspiration to make a self-breakthrough. Once I returned to Hong Kong, I immediately established a sustainability committee in my company. This committee is composed of the representatives of 7 major departments. Each department proposes possible actions to protect the environment. I urge my manufacturer to provide environmental impact assessment report yearly, increasing their transparency. I also give proposal to Watsons, our distributor to set up CSR award to motivate companies to take action on CSR. 

Few months later I received an invitation to Buckingham Palace. Prince Charles invited 250 global leaders from business sector, government and NGO to attend the 30th Anniversary event. I was very honoured to be one of the 4 Hong Kong leaders attended. The leaders were gathered to discuss the situation and challenge of sustainability. At the event, everyone was asked to use one word to describe what have gained from the CISL course. "Responsibility”, I said. 

I am firmly convinced that with great power comes great responsibility, after taking CISL, I was inspired that I should go much further. Not only for my business, but for the society, and the world. 

Professor Carlos Lo, the pioneer of the Hong Kong SME Business Sustainability Index (HKSMEBSI) shared his idea of forming a society, connecting like-mind leaders who wish to take responsibility for CSR. Prof. Lo nominated me as the president of the society. For me, this is a golden opportunity to achieve my vision. By gathering resources from different industries of Hong Kong SME CSR leaders, I envision a community in which 320 thousand Hong Kong SMEs joining hands together to build up a sustainable city. 

To my view, Hong Kong SMEs can be divided into 4 categories: i) No recognition in bearing the responsibility of sustainability; ii) Have recognition in sustainability, but lack of knowledge on execution; iii) Have recognition, knowledge about doing sustainability, but not systematic; iv) Experienced in executing sustainability measures. In recent years, it is delighted to see more and more SMEs shift to group two and three, more companies are aware of sustainability. However, group four still takes up a small portion. 

The setup of SME Sustainability Society (SMESS) provides a platform to spread successful sustainability experiences. Inspiring more SMEs to adopt CSR as business model. Through increasing a social atmosphere of sustainability, lead to a great social repercussion. Ultimately, engage government to act more for sustainability. 

According to my own observation, there is insufficient information or examples for SMEs to take as reference in Hong Kong. The concept and importance of CSR and SDGs need to be acknowledged. Achieving the vision stated as above requires a strong, adequately resourced and experienced Friends of the Earth (HK) that can help training more SME CSR leaders. Reaching different industries of SMEs through their chamber of commerce to provide specific and suitable case sharing or workshop. Through a series of CSR communication, case by case to the needs of the company. I believe numbers of SMEs could be empowered to actualize UN SDGs and green vision shortly. 

Photo source: Ophelia Lin