HKJC's green efforts prove as good as gold

12/16/2011

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been honoured in the prestigious Hong Kong Green Awards for the second year in a row, recognising its long-standing commitment to promoting environmental protection.  At the 2011 presentation ceremony today (16 December), the Club received Gold Awards in both the Green Management (Large Corporation) and Green Purchasewi$e (Large Corporation) categories, taking its efforts a further notch forward from last year, when it received the corresponding Silver Awards.

Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the Club believed in leading by example.  "Our sustainability vision is a reflection of values that have guided the Club throughout its history," he observed.  "As a not-for-profit organization, donating more than HK$1.6 billion last year, we have long been committed to channelling gaming demand into community benefits that improve the quality of life of Hong Kong people."

To drive its sustainability efforts, the Club introduced a comprehensive Environmental Policy in 2009, at the same time establishing an employee-led Environmental Management Committee to devise and co-ordinate various green initiatives so that the Policy could be dovetailed into the Club's everyday business operations.  These initiatives include green procurement, green cleaning and waste recycling, as well as a sustainable growth framework specially designed for the Club’s property and construction projects.

Besides embedding sustainability concepts into its business operations, the Club is eager to serve as a catalyst in enhancing green awareness among Hong Kong people.  At a time when waste recycling was a novelty to many, the Club took the lead in collecting used glass bottles from its facilities and sending them to a charity organisation for processing.  Last year it collected 50 tonnes of waste glass for recycling, which not only helped produce 110,000 eco-bricks, but also created jobs and training opportunities in the recycling industry for the underprivileged.

Other measures taken by the Club to reduce energy consumption, water usage, waste materials and its overall carbon footprint have helped create more environment-friendly surroundings for its staff.  The Club's Green Procurement Guidelines, for example, govern the supply of a variety of office essentials ranging from copy paper to plastic bags and even vehicles.  The Club’s dining outlets have introduced biodegradable food containers and environment-friendly food packaging, and also deployed food waste decomposers.  Meanwhile, its betting operations have introduced 100% recyclable betting slips.  These concerted efforts resulted in a 5.2% reduction in the Club's carbon emissions in 2010/11.

To encourage staff engagement in the sustainability drive, the Club launched an HKJC Green Action programme last year, using a diverse range of activities to enhance green awareness among its 27,000-strong workforce.  This event has just concluded its second successful year under the themes of Green Mobility and Recycling.  In keeping with the Green Mobility theme, the Club recently organised its first CAR-less Day and Staff e-Drive initiative to let employees experience for themselves the merits of green transportation, as well as the pleasures of zero emission driving.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has become one of Hong Kong's best known and respected organisations, providing the public with world-class sporting entertainment as well as being the city's major non-Government community benefactor, now donating more than HK$1 billion a year to charitable and community projects.  It has been a part of Hong Kong through good times and bad, sharing the city's growth and development with its people, and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for future generations.