HKAEE and HKGOC honour businesses for achieving environmental excellence
4.5.2018

The following is issued on behalf of the Environmental Campaign Committee: The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (May 4) presented awards to the winners of the 2017 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to commend them for their green management practices and their contributions to environmental protection. Winners of the 2017 Hong Kong Green Innovations Awards (HKGIA) and organisations certified as Hong Kong Green Organisations (HKGOs) in 2017 were also recognised at the presentation ceremony. The HKAEE commends organisations in 15 different sectors that have demonstrated outstanding environmental performance. The three judging criteria are green leadership, programme and performance, and partner synergy. The number of entries competing for the HKAEE reached a record high of 1 614, more than a fourfold increase compared with 2008, when the awards were launched. A total of 48 organisations won gold, silver or bronze awards this year, and 146 received certificates of merit. To commemorate the HKAEE's 10th anniversary, the 10th Anniversary Special Awards were also presented to 24 companies/organisations to recognise their continuous support for the HKAEE. The HKGIA aims to encourage local organisations to tackle environmental challenges using new ideas that will benefit the environment. The three assessment criteria are level of innovation, environmental achievements and cost-effectiveness, and practicability and contribution to society. Among the 60 entries this year, seven gold awards, silver awards, bronze awards or certificates of merit were granted. The Hong Kong Green Organisation Certification (HKGOC) aims to benchmark the green performance of organisations and encourages them to sustain their environmental initiatives in waste reduction, energy saving, carbon reduction and indoor air quality improvement, as well as to strengthen environmental attributes in products. Participating organisations are commended as HKGOs if they can demonstrate certain environmental achievements such as possessing certificates under the HKGOC, winning HKAEE awards, signing any of the environment-related charters launched or supported by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government or possessing a valid ISO 14001 certificate. To date, over 1 300 organisations in 15 different industry sectors have attained HKGO status. At the ceremony today, representatives from 460 organisations which became HKGOs in 2017 were presented with certificates in recognition of their environmental achievements. In his welcoming remarks, the Chairman of the Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC), Mr Lam Chiu-ying, said that the assessment process for the awards and certification is very rigorous and comprehensive. The final adjudication for the 2017 HKAEE was chaired by Mr Lam; the ECC Vice-chairman, Mr Hui Yung-chung; the Chairman of the Awards Committee on the HKAEE, Mr Thomas Ho; and the Convenor of the Education Working Group under the ECC, Ms Sylvia Chan. The adjudicating panels also comprised representatives of major business chambers, professional bodies and government departments. Also attending today's ceremony were the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing; the Chairman of the Environment and Conservation Fund Committee, Mr Douglas Woo; Mr Hui; Mr Ho; Ms Chan; the Permanent Secretary for the Environment/Director of Environmental Protection, Mr Donald Tong; and representatives of the joint organisers. The HKAEE and the HKGOC are jointly organised by the ECC, the Environmental Protection Department, the Advisory Council on the Environment, the Business Environment Council, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Hong Kong Chinese Importers' and Exporters' Association, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Hong Kong Productivity Council. The HKAEE and HKGOC are sponsored by the Environment and Conservation Fund. The 2018 HKAEE and HKGIA are now open for applications while the HKGOC accepts applications all year round. The ECC will hold a number of seminars in May and June for winning organisations to share their experience of going green. Organisations wishing to learn more about the HKAEE and the HKGOC may obtain details at the seminars. For more information, please visit the website at www.hkaee.gov.hk or call the hotline 2788 5903. Ends/Friday, May 4, 2018 Issued at HKT 17:38 NNNN