csr 2012 smart partner

Smart Partner Limited 2012 Social Responsibility Report

www.smartpartner.com.hk

2012 Corporate Social

Responsibility Report

www.bubbies.hk


Message from Director

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the key consideration in in our business. This CSR Report

is our second issue and marks as milestone of reflecting our passion and collective effort on people,

community and environment.

Smart Partner is a design/contracting company since 2000. We are a team of project management

professionals, architects, designers and technicians with collective experiences in project

developments for apartment owners. Over the years, we create values for our stakeholders whilst

contribute to the overall success of various projects together with all our partners.

We believe the success of the company depends on the sustainability of its operation. Our CSR

program embraces a comprehensive approach to create environmental friendly practice in our projects,

establish healthy life-style to our employees and provide contribution to the community. We work and

support with the action of various NGOs to embody our determination. Our achievement is recognized

by being chartered as “Caring Company “ by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, “ECO Star

Awards” by RoadShow, “People Caring Award” and “Green Achievement Award” by HSBC Living

Business in 2012. This gives us great encouraging support and direction for the future development in

our CSR policy.

Our previous effort is demonstrated in this CSR report. We will insist on endeavoring to provide

positive impact for the people as well as our community.

Beatrice Mok


Directory

Inner Cover - Speech of VIP

P.1 - Summary of Report

P.2-P.11 - Part I – CSR by Smart Partners

P.12 - Part II – Accomplishments

P.13-P17 – Green Project – Entry for ECO Star Awards

– Elderly Home Proposal – Study to enhance living for the elderly

Inner Back Cover – Epilogue & Reference


Report Summary

1. Objective

This is Smart Partner’s second CSR report, covering the period from January to December 2012. Since the first report in 2011, smart partners regularly publish CSR reports to review, monitor and improve our continuing commitment to our corporation development and values. CSR reports will be used as guidelines for our internal staff and business partners. We also wish to furnish the understanding, monitoring and participation from our employees, shareholders, clients, business partners and all parties, by publishing CSR reports from time to time.

2. Report content

This report contains 3 parts. The first part introduces the understanding and implementation of CSR by smart partners. The second part explains our accomplishments so far. The third part demonstrates our green work efforts and proposal to enhance living in an elderly home by one of our company directors.

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Part I

Understanding and implementation of CSR by smart partners We recognize nowadays challenges and problems arising from climate changes, fluctuating financial and market situations, poverty, social problems, and changing government regulations. In response and to enhance a cooperative business environment and reduce some of the operational risks, we are bestowing additional efforts on employees, local communities, NGOs or other stakeholders Smart Partner takes the initiatives to cooperate with workers, manufacturers, distributors, clients, consultants all other stakeholders of the society as partners. By helping others and contributing more positive energy to the society, we believe eventually we together can enable more favourable business environments and provide us sustainable development. In year of 2012, we have concentrated our efforts on green and elderly services which shall be detailed in the later sections of this report.

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Part I - Understanding and implementation of CSR by smart partners (continued) Company culture and Internal controls We believes all our staff, managerial, administrative or technical, full-time or part-time, are buddies. Smart Partner has an open and cooperative company culture. We encourage free interactions between our management and staff, with clients, suppliers and contractors. Smart partners use the intranet at www.buddies.hk for our own collaboration server sharing of calendar, events, job lists and documents. We also house our own photo and video album server to make sure the free flowing of information among staff members. On the other hand, smart partner firmly secure the baseline to ensure proper corporate governance:- - Avoid conflict of interest and unauthorized disclosure of information

Separate information sheet and agreement will be prepared for all existing and new coming staff to make sure they are well aware of the prohibition and restrained in contract.

- Avoid bribery and corruption The Company prohibits bribery and corrupt practices. Employees should follow company policy on the acceptance of advantages. Those involved in the selection of and purchase from suppliers and contractors should avoid any misuse of authority or engage in situations which could affect or appear to affect their ability to make free and independent decisions regarding the purchase and procurement of goods and services. No solicitation of gifts and benefits is allowed. But we understand in some occasions it may be embarrassing or worse hurting others’ feeling by refusing friendly or seasonal goodies in good intention. Smart Partner has established registration and handling system for seasonal giving to our staff by external parties. Transparency and standardized procedures are keys to our system.

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Part I - Understanding and implementation of CSR by smart partners (continued) Human resources Smart Partner always pay staff salary on time and MPF contributions are paid via bank’s autopay system. Interactive forms have been used for annual staff appraisal. Smart Partner is an equal opportunity employer. This means we make sure that every job applicant and employee has equal employment opportunities. What matters to us is that who is the best person for the job and that who do a good job. Smart Partner believes that everyone has the right to work in an environment free of discrimination, harassment, vilification, and victimization. The company will not tolerate such behavior under any circumstances. Smart Partner uses computerized attendant system with reads proxy cards. And formatted attendance records with individual late-in/early-out entries will be produced and copied to the relevant staff each month for reference and checking. The system is especially useful for part-time staff and consultants and staff working on flexible hours. All staffs can assess the necessary information from company file servers which stores HR and Administrative manuals as well as many of the templates and company forms New staff orientation and IT training will be provided to all new staff and also existing staff in need basis. Staffs are also encouraged to attend seminars and courses provided by external parties such as 3D-drawing, licensing to improve their job skills and general knowledge. Smart Partner has been arranging together with our sister companies staff social functions, gathering and outings almost monthly to enable a friendly and cooperating working environment among the staff.

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Part I - Understanding and implementation of CSR by smart partners (continued) Procurement Smart Partner usually selects contractors via competitive quotations. Also to expand the care to the society, under normal circumstances, while sourcing of goods and services is required for running the business, smart partners should take all possible means to procure the goods of services from the Social Enterprises. We have flexible contract arrangement to suit individual jobs and no special preference on particular type/sizes of contractors is allowed. We have worked with various types of contractors including established builders in turn key all inclusive projects, small/medium sizes contractors in labour only + temporary payment renovation jobs and free-lancer in handyman jobs. Smart Partner promotes fair and open competition and aims to develop and secure long-term relationships with suppliers and contractors based on mutual trust. Smart partners believe in “partnership” concept in cooperating with contractors and suppliers. First both Smart Partner and the contractor/supplier should agree on a detailed and well discussed contract to ensure fair and clear guidelines for smooth operation. Smart Partner undertakes to pay suppliers and contractors on time and according to the agreed terms of trade. Last but not the least, work safety is always the first priority in our projects. Proper employee compensation and contractor all-risks insurances are required in all our jobs. Rather than squeezing supplier/contractors’ margin which in turn can lead to unethical practices, we try to work with suppliers to save costs and also to minimise safety issue.

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Part I - Understanding and implementation of CSR by smart partners (continued) We love Green Smart partners love green. Working with Clients and contractors, we make sure green concepts are embedded in every project we handled. In our own office, Smart Partner has assigned an officer to monitor by checklist the electricity and carbon foot-print in office operation and staff activities.

Smart partners apply green concept and practices in daily life to help environment protection. - We use a portable energy meter to identify the power consumption and usage

patterns for various appliances such as water fountain and microwave in office. - LED light fittings are being used to replace the traditional T8 tubes to reduce

both the lighting electricity consumption and the a/c usage because of low operating heat by the new LED tubes.

- To reduce unnecessary paper wastage, smart partners have set the default

printer in computers to print to pdf files instead of directly to printers. Staff can review and select the printing out contents in computer screen first, especially for emails with long history before printing to paper.

- We have carried out energy audit by professional staff from HKE to review and

recommend the electrical consumption in our office in Central in Sep 2012. Smart Partner has “Reduce Carbon Emission Policy” which covers both low carbon office and low carbon life. We pledge for the staff members’ engagement and participation in the above Reduce Carbon Emission Policy and cooperate together to build up a better environment for our next generation.

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Part I - Understanding and implementation of CSR by smart partners (continued)

Client

Smart Partner seeks to provide an efficient and courteous customer service in order to maintain customer satisfaction and co-operation with the Company. Smart Partner shall keep its customers informed of the exact nature of the Company’s capabilities and shall avoid making any misrepresentation, exaggeration or overstatement.

Smart Partner has been providing formatted inspection records, photos reports and if necessary, site meeting minutes to Clients in individual projects for their updated information and records.

For temporary payment items, breakdowns on the original prices, transportation, handling and add-on fees will be presented with the original invoices from suppliers for Client’s checking. Smart Partner will bear full responsibility for all products which do not meet the required standards of safety, quality and reliability. In cases where product recalls are required, they shall be implemented promptly and expediently.

Smart Partner always fulfill the necessary government submissions required such as A&A submissions and Minor Work submissions to the Building Department.

Proper insurances in the joint names of the contractor and the client are always obtained.

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Community We encourage community participation by our members. Smart partners can take leave and serve voluntary works for NGO with the approval of the Company.

Smart Partner recommends all staff to pledge the numbers of hours for volunteer services every year and provides a registry for reference in arranging events with NGO and also for the staff’s self-monitoring of his/her own fulfillment on the pledged hours. In particular, Smart Partner provides administration platform to encourage staff members to participate in the Quality Mentorship Network (QMN) and other mentorship program, including coordination of related training course for enrolled mentors and sharing of information on QMN and other mentorship program. Services to the mentorship program and attendance of training sessions of the program must be at own time of staff member, which will be counted as signed in the Volunteer Pledge. With the help of sister companies, E-Circulars on CSR, Health and NGO activities have been prepared and distributed to staff, in-charged by an designated officer and with the help of voluntary CSR members.

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Event calendar for company functions and community involvement by smart partners in 2012 Date Event Jan 8, 12 Nnong Ping Charity Walk 2012

(Organiser/NGO: Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association) Jan 13, 12 Annual Dinner with sustainable menu

(Organiser/NGO: Partner group companies) Jan 14, 12 Green Power Hike

(Organiser/NGO: Green Power) Jan 18, 12 Clothes and Household Items Recycling Drive

(Organiser/NGO: St. James' Cathedral & Carthy & Strategic HR Partner)

Jan 19, 12 Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Recycling Programme (Organiser/NGO: Caritas Hong Kong & Biz Office)

Feb 1-11, 12 Recycling Lai See Packets (Organiser/NGO: Greeners Action & Easy Living Management)

Feb 24, 12 BannerBag 手工作坊 (Organiser/NGO: Friends of the Earth)

Feb 20-31, 12 No Shark Fin Pledge (sign up) (Organiser/NGO: World Wide Fund)

Feb 24, 12 Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Recycling Programme (Organiser/NGO: Caritas Hong Kong & Strategic HR Partner)

Mar 16, 12 Tree Planting Challenge (Organiser/NGO: Friends of the Earth)

Mar 20, 12 Eco Tour to Transfer Station and Landfill (Organiser/NGO: Friends of the Earth)

Mar 20-30, 12 Used Books / DVD / CD Recycling Drive (Organiser/NGO: Oxfam)

Mar 22-31, 12 Environmental Week (Partner group companies) (Organiser/NGO: Partner group companies)

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Part I - Understanding and implementation of CSR by smart partners (continued) Event calendar for company functions and community involvement by smart partners in 2012 (page 2) Date Event Mar 23, 12 Earth Hour Talk on Low Carbon Living

(Organiser/NGO: World Wide Fund & Carthy) Mar 31, 12 Earth Hour

(Organiser/NGO: World Wide Fund) May 3, 12 Caring Company NGO Partnership Day 2011/12

(Organiser/NGO: Caring Company) May 4-17, 12 Fair Trade Fortnight 2012

(Organiser/NGO: Fair Trade Hong Kong Foundation/Fairtaste) Jun 2, 12 Social Enterprises Tour

(Organiser/NGO: HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education)

Jun 8, 12 World Oceans Day / Dress Blue Contest (Organiser/NGO: Partner group companies)

Jul 5, 12 LOOP Green Audit (Organiser/NGO: World Wide Fund)

Aug 21, 12 Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Recycling Programme (Organiser/NGO: Caritas Hong Kong & Biz Office)

Sep 9, 12 Eco Tour - Roof-Top Greening (Organiser/NGO: Friends of the Earth)

Sep 21-Oct 12, 12 Environmental Week - Moon Cake Tin Box Recycle (Organiser/NGO: Partner group companies)

Sep 26, 12 Healthy meal (Organiser/NGO: Partner group companies)

Sep 27, 12 No Air Con Night (Organiser/NGO: Green Sense)

Sep 28, 12 Green Purchasing Talk (Organiser/NGO: Partner group companies)

Oct 15-19, 12 Work-Life Balance Period (Organiser/NGO: Community Business & Partner group companies)

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Event calendar for company functions and community involvement by smart partners in 2012 (page 3) Date Event Oct 24-25, 12 DIY Artcraft workshop

(Organiser/NGO: Partner group companies) Nov 10, 12 Moonwalker

(Organiser/NGO: ORBIS) Nov 11, 12 Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Recycling

Programme (Organiser/NGO: Caritas Hong Kong & Biz Office)

Nov 16, 12 HSBC Living Business Awards Presentation Ceremony 2012 (Organiser/NGO: HSBC Living Business Awards)

Dec 11-21, 12 Hong Kong Green Awards 2012 Exhibition (Organiser/NGO: Green Council)

Dec 19, 12 ECO Star Awards Ceremony (Organiser/NGO: )

Dec 22, 12 「生命熱線」賣旗日 (Organiser/NGO: Suicide Prevention Services)

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Part II Accomplishments

Safety

- No accidents recorded in all working sites supervised by smart partner.

Community

- A director of Smart Partner has successfully completed the HKU SPACE workshop of “Who wants to be a social entrepreneur?” which lasts for 6 months.

- Cooperation with “Fairtaste”, a social enterprises in promoting fair trade practices and products to promote their Mid-Autumn festival sales and other marketing activities.

Human Resources

- Smart Partner was awarded the “People Caring Award” by HSBC Living Business in 2012.

Green

- A director of Smart Partner was awarded in the “ECO Star Awards” organized by RoadShow

- Smart Partner was awarded the “Green Achievement Award” by HSBC Living Business in 2012.

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Green Project – ECO Star Awards ECO Star Awards 2012 by RoadShow Colin of Smart Partner has nominated himself to join the ECO Star Awards 2012 competition organized by RoadShow. The aims of the ECO Star Awards are to nominate the people practicing green living and actively participating in environmental protection activities, as well as to promote sustainability concepts.

(Silly is dancing “S-style” in the video) Jointly with his lovely cat Silly, Colin has produced a powerpoint video showing the concepts and practices applied in the renovation work in his Kennedy Town apartment.

(Silly has explained many of

the green concept and practices

in the video)

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Green Project (continued) In addition to Silly’s interesting navigation in the video, Colin also explained during the interviewby RoadShow’s reporter in his Kennedy Town apartment the main green items in the apartment renovation:- - Use of LED lights - Minimizing A/C usage by reducing heat generated from lighting - Smart zoning and remote control switches for the lighting - Open and flexible partitioning to facilitate natural lighting and air-conditioning - Introduction of indoor hydro-planting for green features within apartment The video produced by Colin and Silly will be available for public viewing and online voting after Dec 19, 12.

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Green Project (continued)

Green Project – Proposal for Elderly Home with water culture activities

A director of Smart Partner has taken part in the HKU SPACE workshop of “Who wants to be a social entrepreneur?” which lasts for 6 months. In September 2012, a proposal of an elderly home incorporating water culture activity was presented to the class as the course-end project. The proposal was prepared and submitted jointly by another classmate and the Smart Partner director. - 15 -


Green Project (continued) When kicking-off the project, we try to understand what are the social issues of elderly people and associated ageing population. We wish to help those who are in need and provide not only bed. We had heard sad news in Hong Kong that people were treated badly or abused in even some reputable elderly homes. - we understand that taking care of elderly are physical demanding jobs and the industry is in serious shortage of labour. - in 1960’s, a university in Frankfurt carried out an experiment, using student volunteers to act as prisoners and guards in a Nazi camp, trying to study the reactions of people under extreme and absolute power. The experiment should last for 2 weeks but was forced to be terminated in the night on the second day because both the prisoner and guard volunteers had become hysteria. Sadly under extreme power, even normal and kind people will become a victim or abuser. - we believe we cannot eliminate the abuse in elderly home through education or selection of the good nurses only. But we need to empower the elderly through work assignments and communication with others, especially the society. - 16 -


Green Project (continued) - In the book “water the elephant” where the old man was upset and ran away from the elderly home because his daughter had forgot the appointment to visit him and take him to the circus. He also argued with others in the elderly home for something happened 40 years ago. - We believe we need some activities to bind the elderly and his relatives together, also something current they can talk about. - water culture is only a mean and a medium to encourage the elderly to walk out from their bedrooms, to talk with others and make some achievement.

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Epilogue

SP has been deploying the resources, knowledge and experience to organise systematic CSR policies and systems. Contents in this report will be used as our guidelines in practicing CSR in a systematic and sustainable way. Working together with our partner group companies, we are also adopting other international CSR standards and research, and also successful experience of our sister companies and industrial pioneers in implementing CSR practices. But Smart partners don’t wait for other people to solve problems, and would rather take the initiative. From time to time, our board of directors and staff will jointly review and determine CSR priorities in the coming 12 months and set goals for improvement and achievable strategic targets in CSR. Sincerely Board of Directors, Smart Partner Limited January 2013

Reference

Reports from Council for Sustainable Development (www.susdev.org.hk) CSR Guide for SME in Hong Kong (www.csrsme.org.hk)


Project Green – ECO Star Awards

Project Green – Roof Top Planting

Community – Social enterprises visit All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.

聰明伙伴有限公司聰明伙伴有限公司聰明伙伴有限公司聰明伙伴有限公司 Smart Partner Ltd

(awardee since 2010)

csr 2012 smart partner

Documents

smart partners

summary of report

report content

implementation of csr

csr program

csr policy

business partners

publishing csr reports