Volunteering
GRI 413
HKEX Aspect B8, KPI B8.1, B8.2
HKEX Aspect B8, KPI B8.1, B8.2
Volunteering
GRI 413
HKEX Aspect B8, KPI B8.1, B8.2
HKEX Aspect B8, KPI B8.1, B8.2
Our Growing Community of Ambassadors
Swire Properties strives to take a leading role in creating positive community impacts, and our people play a vital role in creating connections with our communities. The Company encourages our employees to actively give back to the community in the spirit of philanthropy and volunteerism.
The Swire Properties Community Ambassador programme unites our families and friends, Swire retirees, our business partners, office workers at our managed portfolios, our customers and the service users of our charity partners in the spirit of giving. Together, we create sustainable value through innovative programmes that enrich people’s lives and entire communities.
The ever-growing Community Ambassador network operates through our Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland and Miami developments. Its programmes, initiatives and events focus on creating positive impacts through placemaking, youth development, social inclusion, community-building and sustainable development.
We also provide tangible benefits to our Community Ambassadors. For every 10 hours of voluntary service they complete, our employees are eligible to receive one extra day of leave, capped at two days per year.
Community Ambassador Programme Volunteer Hours, by focus area
84Activities supported
5,313Number of Community Ambassadors involved
12,696Total volunteer hours
Community Investments and Contributions in 2024
HKD90million
Total value of cash contributions
HKD6.8million
Total value of in-kind contributions
Community Ambassador Events in Hong Kong
LITTLE FASHION FOR LOVE
LITTLE FASHION FOR LOVE
Our Community Ambassadors launched a new initiative in 2024, “LITTLE FASHION FOR LOVE”, a pre-loved kidswear charity sale. This collaboration between St. James’ Settlement Green Little and the Quarryside community space combined the promotion of green lifestyles and sustainable fashion with family volunteering and a desire to foster a culture of sharing.
In late January 2024, more than 500 Ambassadors and other stakeholders donated their time, effort and more than thousands of children’s clothing to make the “LITTLE FASHION FOR LOVE Pre-loved Kidswear Charity Sale and Fun Day” a success. The sale raised more than HKD60,000 for St. James' Settlement, while adults and children alike enjoyed themselves at various “go-green” workshops and activities that explored music, art, sustainability and sports during the fun day out at Quarryside.
The initiative received a Silver Award at the Construction Industry Volunteer Awards Scheme 2024, organised by the Construction Industry Council. Our CAs are now planning and organising a second version for early 2025.
BOOKS FOR LOVE @ $10
BOOKS FOR LOVE @ $10
“BOOKS FOR LOVE @ $10”, one of Swire Properties’ largest and most popular annual community outreach events, returned for its 12th year in 2024. The event promotes the joy of reading in a green and affordable way while contributing to the meaningful cause of child welfare.
For 2024, we ran a citywide book collection campaign throughout January, with over 320,000 preloved books collected by the end of the month. In March and April, we hosted the two-week online charity book sale, offering more than 17,000 good quality pre-loved children’s books, along with special offers and reading “surprise packs”. The sale received an overwhelming response, raising more than HKD200,000.
The traditional eight-day in-person BOOKS FOR LOVE book sale was held in May. Alongside the sale itself, we held a series of engagement activities to promote the love of reading. These included “Storytelling Showtime”, with 10 story partners and 600 free spots for public participation; three themed cosplay parades; fairy tales for young readers to stimulate their creativity and imagination about the world of books; and a 360-degree camera, giving visitors an immersive photo opportunity.
The initiative brought 45,000 book lovers to the two venues at Taikoo Place (ArtisTree and Berkshire House) and raised a new record of HKD1.36 million for charity, with the proceeds going to the Treasure Trove platform to support children’s welfare. More than 6,000 volunteers from different generations were mobilised, including our Community Ambassadors and volunteers from our two NGO partners. They supported the book sorting, online book scanning and book sale operations. The initiative also helped engage our tenants in community work. Eighteen of our office and retail tenants participated in the book-sorting sessions, alongside school partners and seven volunteer service teams from the civil service.
In Miami, inspired by the Hong Kong BOOKS FOR LOVE, we held the Reverse Book Fair from 19 to 23 August. The Miami community gathered at Brickell City Centre’s Garden Deck and donated several hundred books. These were sorted and categorised by our Community Ambassadors and then donated again through various partner organisations to public schools and underprivileged families in Miami.
BOOKS FOR LOVE is one of our CA programme’s biggest successes, empowering literacy in the community and creating a long-lasting and inspirational love of reading for young people. We intend to grow the initiative in the future to engage more tenants and business partners in volunteer work and attract more partners to support our community efforts.
My Construction Hero
My Construction Hero
Running for the fourth consecutive summer, this popular Community Ambassador engagement initiative, held in partnership with our Projects Department, aims to spark young people’s interest in the construction industry and in the concept of building vibrant communities.
My Construction Hero provides an eye-opening opportunity for our little Ambassadors to explore various construction and engineering topics. Over the past three years, they witnessed the live construction of Two Taikoo Place. This year, 60 little Ambassadors explored the rich biodiversity of the newly opened Taikoo Square and Taikoo Garden, learning more about placemaking for the next generation.
Community Ambassador Events in the Chinese Mainland
Walk for Love 2024
Walk for Love 2024
As part of Swire Properties’ greater community outreach efforts, over 1,100 dedicated Community Ambassadors across the Chinese Mainland volunteered for our annual “Walk for Love” charity project to support youths who need a helping hand. This year, the Ambassadors walked 459 million steps, or more than 287,000 km, both at a physical event and remotely via a dedicated online pedometer app. The team also raised funds to purchase 490 cotton-filled vests to be donated to children at the Wenle Central Boarding School in Qinghai Prefecture, where most of the students are orphaned, abandoned or from single-parent or low-income families.
This year, colleagues in Sanya joined the walk for the first time, while Community Ambassadors from Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Xi’an and Chengdu returned to support this worthwhile initiative.
INDIGO CAs Support the Hearing Impaired
INDIGO CAs Support the Hearing Impaired
On World Hearing Day on 3 March, Community Ambassadors from INDIGO participated in a charity activity at Olympic Forest Park. Wearing “Running for Hearing” vests and ear-shaped headgear, the participants promoted ear health awareness. INDIGO’s Moving Club members also contributed to an online fundraising effort by “donating” the steps they had walked. The funds raised will help the hard of hearing receive treatment.
INDIGO Community Ambassadors Leave No Trace
INDIGO Community Ambassadors Leave No Trace
In celebration of Earth Day 2024, INDIGO Community Ambassadors joined the “Leave No Trace” initiative, run by an organisation that provides innovative approaches to education, skills, research and science to help people care for the outdoors. During a workshop on 23 April, participants discussed ways to minimise their environmental impact when enjoying natural and cultural heritage areas. On 27 April, more than 20 CAs visited the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall to pick up litter while jogging. Over their eight kilometre trek, they collected more than 15 kg of trash.
Supporting Frontline Workers and Neighbourhoods
Supporting Frontline Workers and Neighbourhoods
Our Community Ambassadors demonstrated their care for workers at and around our properties throughout the year – providing summer supplies to food delivery drivers, couriers, sanitation workers, and shared bike service staff; holding “Mr Fix-it” projects to look after recreation centres and parks; and making the 2024 Spring Festival special for the people in our neighbourhoods across the country.
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