HR Corner Fuelling entrepreneurship by Maggie Tang Global energy giant ignites youngsters' ambition With the ultimate aim of promoting entrepreneurship among young people in Hong Kong, Shell Hong Kong Limited joined forces with the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Group (HKFYG) in 2002 to run a LiveWIRE programme which has proved hugely successful since its inception. "LiveWIRE is one of Shell's international social investment programmes. Through this particular endeavour we help youngsters explore their strengths, and the possibility of running a business as a career option," says Daniel Ng, director, Shell Hong Kong Limited. "We share the same mission in youth development as the HKFYG, who have extensive experience in youth services. Leveraging on each other's strengths, we create synergy in our youth development programmes, which in turn provide young aspirants with numerous forms of support including funding and manpower," he adds. Under the larger framework of LiveWIRE, Shell and the HKFYG co-organise a New Year Bazaar Award at Chinese New Year, aiming to help youngsters in the local community develop entrepreneurial acumen. "Our belief is that a sound and wide-ranging entrepreneurial ethos will facilitate sustainable economic growth for Hong Kong," Mr Ng explains. First-hand experience For the second year running, the New Year Bazaar Award is a competition open for young people aged between 15 and 30, who are interested in running a dry goods stall at one of the Chinese New Year fairs in Hong Kong. Contestants are divided into two categories: secondary school and open. In order to participate, young people need to first bid for a stall at the Lunar New Year Fair Stalls auction held by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Participant groups are assessed based on a number of criteria, with profit and loss being a significant but not the determining factor. "The competition is an experiential learning opportunity and we emphasise practical learning rather than monetary gain. Other attributes such as creativity, leadership and teamwork are also key criteria since these are vital in a real business context," says Mr Ng. Of the 16 participant groups, students of Hang Seng School of Commerce won first prize in the secondary school category. The group sold tangerine-themed products and made an impressive profit of HK$7,000, which was divided between some 33 shareholders. "Through this activity we learnt a great deal about running a business and that leadership is a crucial factor for success," the group says. Meanwhile, winners of the open category ran a plush toys and gifts stall which yielded a HK$3,000 return. The group underscores that the competition was an invaluable experience: "The opportunity to take part in the entire business process gave us new perspectives and we came to understand that uniqueness is a key business driver." "Our aim is to be a good neighbour by continuously making direct or indirect contributions to the general communities" Shell Hong Kong and the HKFYG are delighted with the results so far and further encouraged to see how well regarded the New Year Bazaar Award has become across the community. According to Mr Ng, Shell will continue to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit which is creative, team-oriented, solution-focused and rational. "This forms part of Shell's corporate responsibility," he notes. Community contributions For Shell, corporate social responsibility means living by "Shell Business Principles" and contributing to sustainable development. This involves setting the highest standards of governance and behaviour, valuing the people who work at Shell and contributing to communities all over the world. "Our aim is to be a good neighbour by continuously making direct or indirect contributions to the general communities within which we work. We strive to deliver benefits, such as jobs and business opportunities and we support social investment programmes," adds Mr Ng. Direct communication with every stakeholder forms an integral part of Shell's responsibility initiative. Indeed, listening to feedback from neighbours and devising comprehensive action plans to address it have proved to be successful mechanisms which facilitate working as a community and solving concerning issues together. Mr Ng underlines how fundamental the principle of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has now become at Shell, emphasising the deep-rooted links between CSR and long-term business success. However, he is also quick to explain that social investment is only part of the company's CSR, and that communities benefit from several Shell projects which ultimately improve local living standards. "Our company is investing to secure the future of our business and the sustainability of the environments where we operate," says Mr Ng. "We continuously review our policies and procedures to ensure local communities and Shell work together towards mutually beneficial goals," he concludes. Salient points * Local youths encouraged to develop entrepreneurial spirit * Corporate governance fundamentally important * Sustainability and community support essential Taken from Career Times 4 April 2008, p. A16 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]