Engagement initiatives ĦE We recognise our position as a powerful conduit and model for corporate social responsibility. Since our first cross-harbour train ride in 1979 for charity, we have progressively initiated internal and community-partnered actions that contribute to a healthier, cleaner and less needy society.
In September we signed as a founding signatory member of the Hong Kong CSR Charter. Under the auspices of Community Business, we join 22 of Hong Kong's leading corporations to provide leadership in CSR practices and to promote the principles of responsibility by positively managing our social, environmental and economic impacts within our organisation and in our sphere of influence.
In December, the Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (S&CSR) Steering Committee was established to ensure cohesive and top-down integrated supervision of the CSR Guideline and the general corporate sustainability programme. It maintains sustainability as the overriding tenet while encompassing in a single body both sustainability and CSR practices. This new Committee assumes the leadership role in providing direction, guidance and advice to internal divisions. It will devise and monitor the strategy and plans that systematically address relevant elements of stakeholders' initiatives. Additionally, it will develop corporate sustainability objectives, targets and a process for ongoing tracking and annual reporting of progress.
The Corporation at present is addressing the development of a more formalised stakeholder engagement process based upon the present programme for engagement linked to the business risk management strategy. That is, implementing divisionally directed initiatives to manage our reputation, understanding stakeholder needs and their expectations in order to respond appropriately, understanding the issues affecting stakeholder relationships and improving communication strategies and activities. Engagement is exercised through a bottom-up approach in which appointed divisional managers are responsible for identified stakeholders relevant to the specific division's operations and risks. Under the guidance of the S&CSR Steering Committee, each manager reports directly to the Chairman of the Committee on progress and issues with implementation. Processes combine timely communications, consultation and increasingly, closer dialogue with stakeholders to align with the rapidly changing market environment and social expectations that are influencing our management strategy.
For purposes of illustrating our CSR agenda and engagement process, an exemplary group of five primary stakeholder groups have been selected for purposes of this Report to demonstrate the process and the mechanisms employed to communicate with stakeholders. They are staff,
customers, community, our project partners, contractors and suppliers and, our investors and business partners.
