CSV Showcase: Unlocking the Power of Shared Value

Virginie has dedicated her career to purpose-driven organisations, fostering collaboration between corporations, government, and civil society to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

Originally a journalist, Virginie turned to communications to leverage her professional skills in addressing society’s needs. From e-health to sustainable development, she helped raise awareness and drive change on critical issues as a Communications and Marketing professional. Before joining SVIHK, she played a pivotal role in fostering a shared value cluster that brings together academics, public bodies, and private companies to spearhead sustainability initiatives in transport and energy infrastructure.

Passionate about impact and innovation, Virginie brings her strategic and operational expertise to Shared Value Initiative.

Emily drives corporate sustainability, communications strategies and implementations for Nan Fung Group. She advocates for Creating Shared Value (CSV) in the Group’s business lines.

Prior to joining Nan Fung Group, she was Assistant Manager, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at The Coca-Cola Company. She supported corporate sustainability strategies and plans; led policy responses and executed engagement programs with partners, NGOs, industry leaders and other stakeholders to deliver sustainability goals.

From tackling the single-use plastics crisis to achieving net-zero, Emily has a passion for working with cross-industry players to embed corporate sustainability in the core of the business and contribute to the community.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

– Driving meaningful impact with tenants through the Group’s tenant-landlord engagement initiative Net Positive Lease

– Formulating “Sustainability as-a-service” model to our tenants and community partners

– Connecting with like-minded industry players to continuously exchange new ideas and collaborations

Mei Sze, an entrepreneur and performance wear designer from Hong Kong, founded TMS.SITE in 2021. Growing up in a blue-collar family with her father working in construction, she deeply understands the challenges faced by the heavy duty workers.

TMS.SITE is a human-centered business that improves workers’ lives by providing high-performance, sustainable workwear designed for hot conditions. Their globally available products have been tested and proven effective.

Mei Sze earned her menswear MA from the prestigious Royal College of Art and has researched PPE and workwear markets in China and the UK since 2016. She is internationally recognized for her work on workers’ safety and has been interviewed by IOSH, WWD, Vogue Business, Hypebeast and others.

Since 2023, Mei Sze’s team has conducted interviews and created videos featuring Hong Kong industrial workers, showcasing their diverse stories. These interviews have gained more than 270,000 views, turning TMS.SITE into a platform representing Hong Kong’s workforce.

Through innovative designs and a strong commitment to sustainability, Mei Sze is leading a workwear industry revolution while empowering workers worldwide.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

Here are two key changes I would hope to see in Hong Kong:
Sustainability:

Goal: Implement a Circular PPE Economy One change I would hope to see is the implementation of a circular PPE economy in Hong Kong. This would involve:
Establishing PPE take-back and refurbishment programs to enable the reuse and recycling of PPE materials.

Collaborating with manufacturers to design PPE products that are easily disassembled, repaired, and recycled at the end of their useful life.
Investing in the necessary collection and processing infrastructure to effectively recover and reprocess PPE waste.

Incentivizing the use of recycled and renewable materials in the production of new PPE.
Educating workers on proper PPE care, maintenance, and responsible disposal to support the circular economy.

By transitioning to a circular PPE economy, Hong Kong can significantly reduce waste, conserve resources, and minimize the environmental impact of PPE throughout its lifecycle.

Inclusive Workwear to Empower Workers:
Goal: Develop Ergonomic and Inclusive PPE Designs Another change I would hope to see is the development of ergonomic and inclusive PPE designs that empower workers. This would involve:
Conducting comprehensive user needs assessments to understand the unique requirements, preferences, and pain points of diverse workers across industries.

Incorporating ergonomic design principles to create PPE that is lightweight, comfortable, and minimizes fatigue and strain on the human body.
Providing adjustable features, modular components, and customization options to accommodate individual differences in physical characteristics and abilities.
Involving workers with disabilities and underrepresented groups in the design process to ensure their needs are adequately addressed.

Establishing inclusive design guidelines and evaluation criteria to ensure PPE designs are accessible and promote equitable access.

By prioritizing the development of ergonomic and inclusive PPE, Hong Kong can empower all workers, regardless of their physical characteristics or abilities, to work safely and comfortably, thereby enhancing their overall well-being and productivity.