This month, SVIHK introduced the shared value concept to 160+ students – from CUHK (the Chinese University of Hong Kong) and The Harbour School – with one hope: “We would like to see all of you become a changemaker and make the ripples expand“, Virginia Wilson, our CEO, has said. Educating the next generation of business leaders to Create Shared Value (CSV) is core to our advocacy effort. In the lecture on “The Present and Future of Shared Value” hosted by Business Education for Social Good for CUHK students, Virginia Wilson, our CEO, Karen Tsang, SVIHK Programmes and Partnerships Manager, and David Ng, Chief Strategy, Digital & Data Officer AXA Hong Kong and Macau explained how companies can be a solution to society’s problems. Karen introduced the concrete example of Interface, the global carpet manufacturer which has eliminated all negative environmental impacts while improving its economic performance. David Ng explained a successful Hong Kong initiative, AXABetterMe which allows customers to access healthier life and the company to achieve better results. Purpose is most or very important to 60% of CUHK respondents when they look for a career or a job. Virginia, Karen, and David shared their own inspiring testimonials on why purpose is key to a successful and fulfilling career. “If you are driven by purpose, it makes you go a lot further and longer“, concluded Karen. No doubt that this energising webinar seeded the will of leading the change in these future leaders.
Never too young to be a changemaker!
A small group of secondary students and their teachers from The Harbour School’s social entrepreneurship course attended a talk with Melanie Cheng, our Programmes and Partnerships Manager in early March. Melanie provided some knowledge and insights on Creating Shared Value, as well as she shared her own experience as a social entrepreneur. “Your personal sharing is inspiring and motivating, said Rafi Cristobal, Director, Social Impact and Sustainability Program. It’s great to see SVIHK supports and guides corporations to innovate and adopt a more humane approach to social and environmental issues”. This session was important for the students as they will develop and present their own project by the end of the school year.
