snapshots
Victor Li awarded the Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy
Mr Victor TK Li, Chairman of CK Group, was bestowed the honour of Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy by the President of the Italian Republic, H.E. Sergio Mattarella for his outstanding contributions to the Italian economy, and for his achievements in promoting friendly relations as well as in fostering business ties between Italy and Hong Kong.
CK Group is one of the largest foreign investors in Italy. The Group has been investing in the country since 2003 with over 7,000 employees and businesses that include Wind Tre, an integrated communications company; Marionnaud, Europe’s leading perfumeries and cosmetics retailer; and ista, a leading fully integrated energy management services provider.
Mr Li Ka-shing, Senior Advisor of CK Group had been honoured with the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2005.
LKSF supports CUHK Biomedical Research
The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the importance of medical and biotechnology research as essential for protecting the health of the public and strengthening the future of medicine. In light of this, the Li Ka Shing Foundation (LKSF) has recently gifted HK$150 million to the Faculty of Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). It will be matched by an equivalent amount from the government for a total development fund of HK$300 million. The funds will support research and the development of biomedical technologies. Mr Li Ka-shing has been impressed in the past by CUHK’s commitment to strengthening research, pushing forward on new discoveries and enhancing medical services. He links this progress to that of Hong Kong as a city, stating that “ensuring a more humanistic and technologically innovative future of healthcare is critical to the economic vibrancy of our city”.
In addition, LKSF has donated HK$5 million to support the Hong Kong Academy of Nursing to expand its premises. The gift will target specialist training, allowing more nurses to pursue their professional development and raise the quality of healthcare in Hong Kong.
news bites
A.S. Watson going Green and Greener again!
A.S. Watson has announced the adoption of a comprehensive framework to make every store, staff member and customer around the world a steward of the earth. The Greener Stores Global Framework touches every aspect of the business including store design, construction, operations and maintenance. There are also elements to encourage customers to bring greener practices into their everyday lives. One set of practical measures that has been achieved are Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission targets. A 40% reduction (from a 2015 baseline) in GHG emissions, targeted for the end of 2030, was beaten by the end of 2021! New targets have been set for A.S. Watson operations, supplier inputs and upstream transportation and distribution.
Tanzania taking off
Hutchison Ports Tanzania has broken its own throughput record yet again! The port celebrated an impressive increase to more than 60,000 TEU in March 2022. Specifically, the new record of 61,237 TEU was an 18.4% increase over their previous record set in September 2020.
3 Ireland closing the connectivity Windgap to better service
3 Ireland has partnered with Cellnex to improve connectivity in the village of Windgap in County Kilkenny. The local community had spoken out about poor mobile signal and limited broadband options which was having a negative impact, especially for families home schooling and working from home during COVID-19 lockdowns.
A perfect pearl: The Perfume Shop turns 30
The Perfume Shop was founded in 1992 and is still going strong. To celebrate its 30th “pearl” anniversary, it is looking to the future. Customers will get to enjoy a wide range of celebratory offers and be confident that they are shopping with a responsible retailer. The new anniversary commitments to the planet include reducing its carbon footprint by 90%, planting one million trees and removing 100,000 new bottles from circulation – all by 2030. It is also a strong supporter of the community and has pledged to raise £1 million for its charity partners by 2026.
Empowering everyone to keep New Zealand green
EnviroNZ has enlisted sustainability champions Deepa Goswami and Danielle Schäche to help New Zealanders waste less and recycle more. The duo empower citizens and businesses to think about waste in new ways in support of regional waste minimisation goals. They work with local government bodies and community groups as part of the team at EnviroWaste.
Silent killer brought into the light
Wales & West Utilities is helping profoundly deaf people to protect themselves from the odourless, invisible silent killer, carbon monoxide, as well as smoke and heat. Working with the local Fire and Rescue Service, they are funding the installation of Wi-Fi-enabled alarms, complete with strobe lights and vibrating pads, in the homes of deaf people and their families. Traditional sound-based alarms may suffice in other circumstances, but installed alarms and wearable devices will specifically help this community. The project is funded by Wales & West Utilities’ Vulnerability & Carbon Monoxide Allowance, designed to support the most vulnerable people in our communities.
Wind Tre prepares parents and children for the digital future
Parents and children are getting Internet savvy with Wind Tre’s help. They have launched the first webinar of the new edition of the NeoConnessi educational project that will sensitise young people to use the Internet safely and responsibly. Digital context, security measures and strategies are explained so that parents can also help their children to become competent at navigating online risks. The webinar, “Digital Growth: All the Opportunities of the Internet, in Safety” brings together police, government officials and sector experts to present clear guidance for families.
IOH programme empowers Indonesian women
Over 1,548 Indonesian women have contributed their ideas to reduce gender disparities in the fields of education, economy, health and the environment. The SheHacks programme at Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison conducts competitions and coaching programmes for women of all ages. Twelve webinar sessions have already been produced, a fourfold increase on the previous year. The programme is also reaching more people across Indonesia; over 23% of participants come from outside of Java Island.