Adhering to the spirit of Building Homes with Heart, SHKP is committed to developing quality properties that meet the needs of both homebuyers and the community. Recently, SHKP was named one of the Top 10 Developers in Hong Kong by BCI Asia for the 13th straight year. Developers and architectural firms in seven Asian jurisdictions, including Hong Kong and Singapore, are judged on various criteria for this annual award, which recognizes the awarded organizations’ achievements in endorsing and promoting excellence in construction and sustainability throughout the industry.

Many young people spend their long summer vacation working as summer interns to gain knowledge about the workplace and identify their work interests. This year, SHKP launched several summer internship programmes to help university students in Hong Kong and the mainland obtain valuable work experience.

Thirty young students participate in the Summer Internship Programme (Hong Kong)

This year, 30 university students are participating in the company's Summer Internship Programme, taking part in two months' training and internship work. The interns are assigned to various departments and engage in daily work under the guidance of experienced colleagues to identify their strengths and unleash their potential. The company also organizes various training workshops to help the young students equip themselves. If the interns perform well during this period, they will have an opportunity to join the Graduate Trainee Programme and become members of the SHKP family.

Four young people embark on internships on the mainland

SHKP also supports the Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland and Overseas, which is initiated by the government. Four young participants will embark on an eight-week internship programme in SHKP offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and engage in retail leasing work. The company also provides the interns with accommodation and transport support, enabling them to have a valuable internship experience without any worries. 

Working overseas is a precious opportunity for young people to broaden their horizons and gain valuable life experience. Following the previous edition in 2021, SHKP again supported the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme, initiated by the government, providing young people with training opportunities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The company enrolled six university graduates from leading local or mainland universities. After completing orientation training, the trainees will be stationed in offices in Guangzhou or Zhongshan to gain experience with various projects in different departments. Experienced colleagues based in the GBA will serve as mentors to help the newcomers adapt to the work culture and life in the GBA.

The company has always placed great emphasis on developing young talent. Recently, Chairman and Managing Director Raymond Kwok and other senior executives had an engaging dialogue with university students in a meeting arranged by Project Melo, a not-for-profit organization supporting youth empowerment. During the exchange, Mr. Kwok shared his perspectives on personal development, encouraging the students to learn more about the opportunities for growth and development in the Greater Bay Area and to build a strong social network. He also advised them to remain curious and resilient in a rapidly changing world. The students very much enjoyed the discussion and found the tips useful and inspiring. 

Hong Yip has supported an age-friendly culture and provided older people with opportunities to unleash their talent and expertise in the workplace over the years. Recently, Hong Yip became the sole company in the property and facility management sector to receive the Age-Friendly Employer Award under the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Partnership Scheme 2022.

Hong Yip believes that the older employees bring a wealth of work experience and knowledge to the company, which are beneficial to team building, thus extending the official retirement age for frontline staff to 70 years of age. Depending on their expertise and work experience, the older employees are offered positions as contractual consultants, trainers or auditors in various departments to pass on the corporate culture, and their knowledge and experience to the next generation of employees. In addition to supporting the Post-50 Internship Programme, organized by the Employees Retraining Board, Hong Yip launched the Mentorship Training Programme, equivalent to Qualification Framework Level 3, to groom senior employees to become mentors of new employees. Retired employees were appointed to be mentors of the programme and to conduct regular assessments. 

Wetland Seasons Park, developed by SHKP, was awarded the Grand Award in the Hong Kong Residential (Multiple Buildings) category in the Quality Building Award 2022, the highest honour in the category. The award is recognition of Wetland Seasons Park's achievements in urban-rural integration and striking the right balance between development and conservation.

SHKP Executive Director Robert Chan said: "Wetland Seasons Park, located next to Hong Kong's only Wetland Park, enjoys a unique ecological landscape. Despite facing challenges in the planning, design and construction phase, the various teams worked closely together in the spirit of Building Homes with Heart and strived for excellence in all aspects of the project. The development now offers residents a healthy lifestyle, promoting nature conservation (Green), physical and mental wellness (Wellness), and smart living (Smart), and helping to build a sustainable community in Hong Kong."

The Quality Building Award is a prestigious biennial event in the industry, jointly organized by the Hong Kong Construction Association, The Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers, The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, The Hong Kong Institute of Housing, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency, the Hong Kong Chapter of the International Facility Management Association, and The Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong. The award aims to recognize project teams that demonstrate excellence and teamwork in designing and constructing quality buildings. This year's theme is "Smart | Sustainable | Superior".

The Quality Building Award 2022 received 42 entries, and after a rigorous judging process that included site visits and presentations, Wetland Seasons Park was selected as the winner in the category by a 15-member panel of industry leaders.

The ICC Light and Music Show recently presented a brand-new two-minute animation, called Infinite Timing, illuminating Victoria Harbour and taking the public on a special time journey. Starting from today, the light show will be displayed every evening from 7 to 10pm, transforming the façades of the International Commerce Centre into Hong Kong's tallest 'clock tower'. The animation reminds us of the quick passing of time via various devices and inspires us to cherish the present and live life to the fullest.

SHKP places great emphasis on sustainable development, and its property management subsidiaries Kai Shing and Hong Yip are committed to fostering green management. In recognition of their remarkable performance, both companies clinched multiple awards at the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE), which is jointly organized by the Environmental Campaign Committee, the Environment and Ecology Bureau, and nine other organizations.

Thirty-nine properties managed by Kai Shing certified as Hong Kong Green Organizations

New Town Plaza, New Town Tower and Metropolis Plaza, which are managed by Kai Shing, received the Gold Award this year. New Town Plaza and New Town Tower have actively leveraged innovative technology and implemented various environmental and decarbonization measures. For instance, they reduced construction waste by over 160 tonnes by encouraging leaving tenants to keep their decorations when moving out. Metropolis Plaza established a green association and launched various activities and initiatives to promote a low-carbon lifestyle, including a food waste recycling programme, and an organic farm on the podium, which allows the residents to enjoy farming.

In addition, 39 properties managed by Kai Shing were certified as Hong Kong Green Organizations for their excellent performance in four environmental areas: waste reduction, energy saving, carbon reduction and indoor air quality improvement.

Hong Yip projects recognized as Outstanding HKAEE Promotional Partners

Park Central (Shopping Arcade), Tsuen Wan Plaza (Shopping Arcade), Royal Peninsula and New Tech Plaza, which are managed by Hong Yip, were recognized as Outstanding HKAEE Promotional Partners for their efforts in promoting the HKAEE and inviting their business partners to participate in the award. The headquarters of Hong Yip and 245 of the properties it manages were also certified as Hong Kong Green Organizations.

To attract more young people to join the hotel industry, the Hotel Division of SHKP and the College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) recently organized an open day for the SHKP Hotels x PolyU CPCE Experiential Learning Programme, which provides more than 200 internship opportunities for CPCE students. The open day was well received and attracted nearly 500 students.

Providing a two-year experiential learning programme

SHKP and PolyU CPCE signed a memorandum of understanding on a two-year experiential learning programme, which is open to all CPCE students. The programme provides the participating students with more than 500 hours of training at nine SHKP hotels: Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, W Hong Kong, Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour Hong Kong, The Royal Garden, Royal Plaza Hotel, Royal Park Hotel, Royal View Hotel and Alva Hotel by Royal. Upon completion of the internship, the students will receive a certificate of completion and will have priority in being considered for full-time positions at these hotels after graduation.

The open day was recently held at PolyU CPCE's West Kowloon Campus. It featured booths set up by the nine hotels and introduced the relevant job opportunities in various departments and the latest developments in the industry. Michael Lam, Deputy Vice President (Asset Management) of the Hotel Division of SHKP, said the hotel industry has strong demand for manpower, as the number of visitors is expected to shoot up with the removal of all anti-pandemic measures. By offering training opportunities in various departments in the hotels, SHKP hopes that the internship programme will encourage more students to join the industry, providing new blood and creating a win-win situation for both the hotels and the students.