June 2013 Vol 28 No 5

10 20 Yunnan

Optimising Healthcare Assets and Development in Hong Kong

A New Era in Waste Management for Hong Kong12

ConfidenceRising

Not For Sale

www.bri tcham.com

HONG KONGINBritain

2013

The Standard Chartered Bank&

British Chamber of CommerceAnnual Ball 2013

Friday 13th September 20137.30pm - TILL LATE

GRAND BALLROOM GRAND HYATT,

HONG KONG

Dress Code : Circus Freaks and Big Top Chic

Please visit , www.britcham.com/annual-ball-2013 for more information. Please contact stephanie@britcham.com for sponsorship opportunities .

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Contents18

Lifestyle: Yunnan20

5 Chairman’s Message

6 Business Confidence Rising

8 Supply Chain Visibility

10 Optimising Healthcare Assets and Development in Hong Kong

12 A New Era in Waste Management for Hong Kong

14 Legal and Workplace Implications of Communicable Diseases

17 YCIS

18 Hong Kong Youth Need Creative Suicide Prevention Programmes

20 Lifestyle: A Tour Through Mystical Yunnan

22 Recent Events

24 Member Discounts

26 Member Get Member 2013

28 News & New Appointments

29 New Members

31 Shaken Not Stirred

Business Confidence Rising6

Creative Youth Suicide Prevention Programmes

EditorSam Powney

DesignWinnie LiLilian YuKen Ng

Advertising ContactCharles Zimmerman

Project ManagementVincent Foe

Jointly Published by Speedflex Medianet Ltd andThe British Chamber ofCommerce in Hong Kong1/F, Hua Qin International Building340 Queen’s Road Central, Hong KongTel: 2542 2780Fax: 2542 3733Email: info@speedflex.com.hkEditorial: sam.powney@speedflex.com.hkAdvertising: charles@speedflex.com.hk

British Chamber of Commerce SecretariatExecutive DirectorCJA Hammerbeck CB, CBE

General ManagerCynthia Wang

Marketing and Communications ManagerEmily Ferrary

Special Events ManagerBecky Roberts

Events ExecutiveMandy Cheng

Business Development ManagerPhillippa Cook

Membership ExecutiveLucy Jenkins

AccountantMichelle Cheung

Executive AssistantJessie Yip

SecretaryYammie Yuen

Office AssistantSam Chan

© All published material is copyright protected. Permission in writing from the Publishers must be obtained for the reproduction of the contents, whole or in part. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily the opinions of the Publishers. The Publishers assume no responsibility for investment or legal advice contained herein.

Room 1201, Emperor Group Centre, 288 Hennessy Road, WanchaiTel: 2824 2211Fax: 2824 1333Website: www.britcham.com

Britain in Hong Kong

By the time you read this, our 25th Anniversary Celebration will be in the past but perhaps it is still appropriate to reflect on our first 25 years in this edition. I am sure many may be puzzled that the British Chamber is so youthful in Hong Kong, given our city’s history. The answer lies in the role of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, now over 150 years old, which was the natural home for so many companies that have been started by British interests since the founding of the city. Indeed, many of our Sterling Members were amongst the earliest companies to join the HKGCC. With the handover approaching, the idea of establishing a British Chamber separately from the General Chamber clearly made a lot of sense. And so in 1988 our Chamber flickered into life. It is a tribute to those who put their energy into it in those “infant” days that we are now a mature and respected voice of business here.

We have a unique position. Our base of members includes three rather different groups. First, those long established businesses whose history is part of Hong Kong’s and remain important members of the HKGCC; second the more recently arrived multinationals who represent a key part of the growth in Hong Kong of regional headquarter businesses; and last but equally important, the growing number of SMEs and new start ups that play such a key role in the Hong Kong economy. Few international Chambers can draw on the perspectives and expertise of such a wide spectrum in their memberships.

This is a vital part of the success of the Chamber in two key respects. First, when lobbying the administration and political parties on issues that matter for business success in Hong Kong, we can authoritatively present a very broad range of interests and views. Second, and equally as important, this diversity of members enables a great depth of cross learning and assistance between them. All of you, and our hard working management team led by Christopher for most of the last 25 years, have developed an organisation in which truly “members help members”. This not only creates tremendous value for our membership, it fosters a spirit of friendship and mutual support, even between competitor businesses, that is very precious. This spirit is, for me, the biggest cause for celebration of the last 25 years, which gives me so much optimism in the future of our Chamber.

Britain in Hong Kong 5

Nick Sallnow-Smith

Chairs of Specialist Committees

Business Angel ProgrammeNeil OrvayAsia Spa & Wellness Limited

Business Policy UnitTim Peirson-SmithExecutive Counsel

China CommitteeTim Summers

Construction Industry GroupDerek SmythGammon Construction

Education CommitteeStephen EnoBaker & McKenzie

Environment CommitteeAnne KerrMott MacDonald Hong Kong Limited

Financial Markets CommitteeRichard WinterQuam Limited

HR Advisory GroupBrian RenwickBoyden Search Global Executive

ICT IT CommitteeCraig ArmstrongStandard Chartered

Logistics CommitteeMark MillarM Power Associates

Marketing & Communications CommitteeAdam O’ConorOgilvy & Mather Group

Real Estate CommitteeJeremy SheldonJones Lang LaSalle

Scottish Business GroupJohn BruceHill & Associates

Small & Medium Enterprises CommitteeViktoria KishInternational Study Programmes

Strategic Supply Chain ForumDominic JephcottVendigital Limited

Women in Business CommitteeSheila DickinsonThe Fry Group

YNetwork CommitteeAlison Asome

MessageChairman’s

4

The Economic Outlook

The results of the survey, carried out by the British Chamber of Commerce and marketing consultants TNS, has revealed that the Chamber members’ optimism for the coming 12 months has increased from 71% at the start of 2012 to 84% at the start of 2013. Confidence in the business environment in the mid-term future remains relatively stable but drops 2% from 88% to 86% for 2014, and then drops a further 1% from 87% to 86% for 2015. Confidence in Hong Kong’s business environment five years from now increases by 4% from 85% to 89%. 93% of Chamber members believe that the current global economic situation is likely to have an impact on their business going forward.

Hong Kong as a Place to do Business

Satisfaction with Hong Kong as a place for doing business continues to be extremely strong with 96% of Chamber members describing the business environment as ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ satisfactory. Hong Kong’s competitive trading conditions continue to drive the most satisfaction amongst Chamber members, however the high cost of labour and property are proving increasingly unsatisfactory. The six items scoring the highest satisfaction ratings, with scores of 96% or higher are geographical location (100%), public security and safety (100%), taxation system (99%), free port status (99%), infrastructure (97%) and communications (96%). Other attributes have seen a significant improvement over

the past 12 months including public security, freedom of press, the RMB settlement and a level playing field for business (up 8%). The consistency of Hong Kong’s positive business attributes is demonstrated in the relative stability of the satisfaction ratings for many issues. The high cost of doing business vs the quality of labour in Hong Kong proves to be the biggest driver of dissatisfaction for Chamber members with the items which continually report the lowest levels of satisfaction declining even further over the past 12 months: availability of high quality personnel (down 9%), the availability of low cost labour (down 12%), commercial rents (down 4%), residential rents (down 4%).

The Government

The Hong Kong Government’s report card is mixed. Whilst satisfaction with the legal and regulatory systems, civil service efficiency and government leadership remain relatively stable, satisfaction with a stable government and political system has declined significantly over the past 12 months and satisfaction with government leadership remains low.

The survey saw a 2% increase in members’ satisfaction with the government’s long-term strategy. 50% of members feel that the government has the right strategy to maintain and enhance the competitive advantages of SAR. A further increase of 5% was seen with only 56% of members feeling satisfied with Government’s effort to simplify regulations and reduce bureaucracy. Language education still continues to cause concern for Chamber members with only 47% of those surveyed feeling satisfied with the Government’s efforts to provide bilingual and trilingual graduates and managers to meet the present and future economic challenges of Hong Kong. When asked about importing staff from outside Hong Kong, 80% of members believe in its importance of reducing the difficulty in doing so.

Small and Medium Enterprises

On issues affecting Small and Medium Enterprises and government initiatives, 52% consider the re-introduction

Business ConfidenceRising

The British Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Business Confidence Survey reveals that Britcham’s members have a more positive outlook for the Hong Kong business environment in the coming 12 months compared to last year.

Conducted by the British Chamber of Commerce and marketing consultants TNS every year since 2001, the Annual Business Confidence Survey allows members of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong to express broad views on business and government issues through an online questionnaire. Overall, the outlook is bright. Perhaps unsurprisingly for a survey of business leaders, there is more wholehearted confidence in the business environment than on government management as a whole, but the report nevertheless shows great appreciation for government measures in many areas, particularly regarding economic and environmental policy. Nevertheless, many Britcham members clearly foresee the potential business impacts of ongoing citywide issues in healthcare, schooling and employment.

C ove r S t o r y

of the training allowance as an important issue which the government could help to address, whilst 64% think that the application of fair competition practices within government departments is an issue that should be addressed, to allow small companies to compete for government contracts. 50% of members surveyed consider the streamlining of the application processes for capital expenditure assistance for SMEs an important issue which the government could also help to address – an increase of 6% from last year. 71% believe that either abolishing the provisional tax payment based on the previous year’s profits or reversing the percentage payable, so that the amount is minimised, is important to their business. When asked about the various government schemes that are in place for SMEs, 45% of SMEs rate the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme as very or somewhat effective. 34% believe the Microfinance Scheme is somewhat effective whilst 66% say it is not effective. 47% believe the Export Credit Insurance is somewhat effective and a similar 47% believe that both the Export Credit Insurance and SME Loan Guarantee Schemes are somewhat effective.

The Environment

Members’ satisfaction with government’s environmental strategy has increased from last year. However the results are still concerning with 86% of members surveyed feeling dissatisfied with the government’s effort to improve air quality, and 70% feeling the same about the efforts being made to reduce water pollution in the harbour and coastal areas of Hong Kong. 54% believe that the air quality has a significantly negative impact on the competitiveness of Hong Kong as a place to do business, 41% believe it has some impact, and only 4% believe it has no impact on Hong Kong’s competitiveness. 93% of members are willing to accept the principle of polluter pays – similar to last year.

Education and Quality of Life

With regards to the quality of life in Hong Kong, similar results were found to last year with 73% of members still recognising the effort made by Hong Kong Government to encourage the expansion of international schools to create more places as important to their business competitiveness. But the majority of members (67%) are dissatisfied with the Government's actual efforts in encouraging the expansion of international schools in order to create the appropriate number of places. There was a 5% increase from last year in the number of members whose employees currently have children waitlisted for schools in Hong Kong (20%), whilst

29% of members’ organizations are intending to bring employees with their families, including school age children, to Hong Kong within the next 12 months which is a 9% increase from last year.

Members’ satisfaction with the healthcare sector also remained similar to last year with 39% of members feeling confident with the Government’s strategy to reform it, whilst 53% expect the projected aging population to have an impact on their businesses.

The majority of members (70%) say there is no case for Standard Working Hours in their sector. But opinion is split on the potential impact. 39% say the introduction of Standard Working Hours will have no impact on their business, 37% believe it will have a moderate impact, and 24% of members say it will have a significant impact on their business.

On minimum wage, 56% of members agree that the rise in minimum wage will have no impact on their business and on the proposed introduction of Paternity leave in Hong Kong, 66% of Chamber members support it.

Language proficiency in Hong Kong

Satisfaction with language proficiency of English shows a decrease of 11% over the past 12 months (from 72% to 61%), while satisfaction with Mandarin shows an increase of 11% (from 72% to 83%).

Business in China

Finally, with regards to doing business in China, 61% of members expect to make an investment, or further investments in the PRC which is a 13% decrease from last year.

53% of members agree with reports that doing business in the RC is becoming increasingly difficult, 4% less than last year. Expectations for the material benefits brought about by the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement began at a high in 2002 when 70% of members expected CEPA to have a positive impact on their business. The expectation has since declined steadily with only 34% of members now expecting to reap some benefits.

For more information about the latest Annual Business Confidence Survey please contact Emily Ferrary, Marketing & Communications Manager, The British Chamber of Commerce.

Britain in Hong Kong 76

Supply chains have developed, evolved and morphed into complex ecosystems with multi-layered inter-dependencies, frequently spanning the globe, crossing time zones, cultures and languages.

At the same time, the traditional growth consumer markets in Europe and North America are experiencing varying degrees of economic, social and political uncertainties, which intensify the continual challenge of forecasting demand and result in high degrees of variability in our supply chains, driving the need for improved visibility.

Visibility – essential but elusive

In order to sense a problem it must be visible. Developing visibility is a process combining technology and partnership. Technology is at such an advanced stage that we can see and measure virtually every aspect of the supply chain. To be used effectively, however, the available technology needs to be shared with openness and trust amongst partners throughout the supply chain ecosystem.

Providing Visibility can and will provide companies with early warning systems that alert the relevant participants when events are deviating from the plan, enabling adjustments to be promptly implemented, thus empowering the supply chain ecosystem to increased performance levels.

However, as our businesses have become more global, their supply chains inevitably involve multiple different organisations

configured together by the principal into a unique supply chain ecosystem, within which the principal encourages and expects collaborative behaviour amongst the participants – easier said than done!

Hence, successful multi party collaboration becomes critical for success. Collaboration includes the open and cooperative sharing of information on a needs-to-know basis with constituent partners throughout the ecosystem – for the overall efficiency and performance of the supply chain, without compromising proprietary data. For successful collaboration, over and above technology integration, it is important to have managers representing the partners to work diligently in building and nurturing organisational relationships, such that the managers are individually and collectively responsible and accountable for collaborative projects. These relationships need to be maintained throughout downturns so that when the upturn arrives there is still a strong bond between companies.

However, as modern supply chains resemble complex ecosystems rather than linear chains, the suppliers, manufacturers and service providers that work together to service one client’s supply chain, are often fiercely competing against each other to win business to service

Supply Chain VisibilityMark Millar,

Logistics Committee Chairman

B u s i n e s s

a different client’s supply chain. Indeed, whilst each company has their own supply chain ecosystem over which they have control, that same company will most likely be a participant in several other supply chain ecosystems, for example for its customers and suppliers. These structural aspects are the root cause of some of the inherent difficulties in achieving successful collaboration.

The Challenge Ahead

Globalisation continues to accelerate and introduces additional strains on supply chain performance. The increase in complexity is further expanded as dynamic supply chains involve multiple stakeholders and this is further driving the essential need for a collaborative approach. Most significantly, it is demanding new mind-sets to shift beyond our traditional comfort zones and deploy more trust amongst supply chain partners and extended stakeholders, in order to improve visibility and thereby optimise performance.

IBM’s Global Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) Study identified Visibility as the biggest single challenge impacting their supply chains, with 70% of over 400 CSCOs from 25 countries saying that their inability to ‘see’ information was inhibiting their ability to act. They reported struggling with overwhelming and fragmented data as well as lacking the ability to make sense out of the information.

IBM CSCO Study: Percentage who report this challenge impacts their supply chain to a significant or very significant extent

Supply chain leaders wrestle with five major challenges

55%

CostContainment

Supply ChainVisibility

RiskManagement

Increasing Customer Demands

Globalization

70%

60%56%

43%

The threat of information blind spots is understood by supply chain leaders, but they were not confident or optimistic that they are leveraging their valuable information for meaningful competitive advantage. Only 16 per cent of respondents reported being effective at integration and enabling visibility of information across the supply chain with their external partners.

To make matters worse, whilst visibility was the top challenge, it was by no means the top priority. There was little evidence that organisations have programs and activities in place to remedy the lack of visibility. Even successful deployment of technology does not necessarily help the situation – frequently resulting in an explosion of data, without generating much additional information. The issue is often not about having too little information, but rather too much.

Whilst technology can provide the conduit for increased information visibil ity, the bigger challenge is that organisations need the courage to step outside of their comfort zones to truly collaborate and openly share information, adopting a more trusting approach amongst customers, suppliers and even competitors.

When it works, it works very well – a recent IBM report quoted Greg Linder, Director of Supply Chain Operations at True Value “The better data you have, the better decisions you can make. Having end-to-end visibility allows us to pick and choose the high priority alerts and then drill down into the cause of the alert.”

Reliance on Quality Data

Even when we have the technology engines seamlessly integrated and synchronised, there will still be challenges in providing clean fuel. To successfully extract information upon which decisions can be made, it is essential to focus on maintaining high levels of integrity across all three key attributes of good quality data:

• Accuracy: the data must be accurate in order to provide any sense of meaningfulness; recall the budget review meetings where different parties have different numbers!

• Completeness: missing data can and will distort the information derived and can therefore impact supply chain decisions as badly as incorrect data.

• Timeliness: data that arrives too late may as well be data that is missing; in the world of high velocity supply chains, the need-for-speed applies to bits and bytes, as much as it applies to cartons and pallets.

Conclusion

From the organisational relationships to the technological interfaces, integration of all the supply chain participants is essential to enable the visibility required to empower efficient and effective performance in the execution of your supply chain. Once again this reinforces the need for successful collaboration between and amongst the multiple business partners coexisting within the supply chain ecosystem. A ‘single version of the truth’ is the elusive goal, whilst being ‘only as strong as your weakest link’ is the harsh reality.

Mark Millar provides value for clients with independent, external and informed perspectives on their supply chain strategies in Asia – including China and ASEAN. His presentations, seminars and corporate briefings help companies to improve business operations, plan more effectively, and increase the efficiency of their supply chain ecosystems. Mark serves as Chairman of the Logistics Committee at the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. mark@markmillar.com

Britain in Hong Kong 98

In his latest Budget address, Financial Secretary John Tsang provided several indications of the importance the government places on providing high quality health care services to the population of Hong Kong.

Overall, the recurrent expenditure on medical and health services will be almost $50billion in the year, which represents an increase of $2.7 billion compared with 2012-13 figures. A significant percentage of this capital spend will be on building new assets or on improving existing facilities, to try and address three main issues over the coming year.

Responding to the Needs of a Growing Elderly Population:

Within his speech, Tsang cited projections that in twenty years, Hong Kong would have only two workers for every dependent elderly person, a massive shift from the 1980s when the ratio was closer to 10 to one. This change will have massive implications for both healthcare and the wider public sector, particularly as average life expectancy rates are due to rise further over the coming years, and the consequent cost spend can only grow further.

Hong Kong’s Healthcare Market –

Lessons from the Budget

How can we create a Hong Kong fit for the elderly?• The need to offer Hong Kong’s growing elderly population

better access to healthcare is not in question, however the issue is not just about creating more facilities but ensuring the right types of assets are built. An increasingly aging population brings with it a change in the type of diseases which are more prevalent including cardio-vascular illnesses, dementia and other aged link conditions such as diabetes and orthopedic and joint problems.

• With a need to provide specific care for more elderly people, the solution lies not just in creating additional capacity but in ensuring that the next generation of hospitals and senior care homes, have the right level of skills in place to meet the particular demands of this set of patients.

• In addition to healthcare, the other area for consideration is providing the right type of housing. With many children having to move away for work, the development of homes which suit the elderly better and provide a safe environment to live in and a community where life can be enjoyed, is something that most countries across the world are investing in at the moment.

• The key to success will be ensuring that these new facilities operate as efficiently as possible, and that the staff who work there have access to and are trained in using the sophisticated technology that they need to do their jobs as well as possible.

Karen Prosser, Head of Social Infrastructure, EC Harris Asia-Pacific

B u s i n e s s

Optimising Capital Expenditure to Deliver International Class Facilities:

The government has recognised that the current hospital buildings in Hong Kong no longer meet the delivery needs of modern healthcare. To address this, significant spend needs to be made to improve a number of key facilities in the region. Within the Budget, the Financial Secretary revealed plans to invest capital in redeveloping several prominent hospitals including Kwai Chung Hospital, Queen Mary Hospital, Kwong Wah Hospital and the Tseung Kwan O Hospital.

One thing is certain though – whatever hospital is built now, will need to change in the future to meet the differing ways that healthcare will be delivered. Therefore, it will be important to ensure that any $ spent on improving a hospital is made with a long term view, to ensure that the operational costs of the building will be minimised and that flexibility can be achieved for the life of the hospital building.

What are the key areas to focus on?• It may sound counter-intuitive but a new building does not

always bring improvement in healthcare. Examples from the USA and the UK have shown that massive investment in health infrastructure does not always result in increased productivity or better patient outcomes unless optimisation of service delivery is considered at the same time.

• In order to gain most benefit from this investment, it will be important that the assets developed are designed in a manner that fully optimises the space so that every square foot is utilised and aligned with the way clinical services are being delivered in line with the demands and needs of the local patients. A well-designed asset should also provide a good working environment for staff which allows them to move through the building easily and minimises the time it takes for patients to move through the appropriate clinical pathway.

• Whilst the cost of building is high, the annual cost of operating an asset is actually higher when you consider this is a cost you pay each year for the life of the building. Failure to factor this is in at the very outset could ultimately impact on the cost and quality of service that operators can offer patients at a later date.

• Improvement in Community Services can reduce the workload of the major hospitals. Within the Budget it was pleasing to see $2.54 billion allocated to the Hospital Authority to help meet community demand for medical services. Developing a better primary and community care system will be just as important as building new hospitals. Reducing the number of people who visit the emergency wards for stuff that could be treated in local clinics, will reduce the burden on hospital staff and allow them to focus more time on patient care and delivering better health outcomes.

Reducing the Operational Cost of Managing Existing Healthcare Assets:

Headlines detailing the increased capital expenditure for new and redeveloped hospitals have followed the Budget

however an equally important po in t that was la rge ly overlooked was around the increase in annual operating expenditure within the public sector.

Recurrent expenditure in essential services across education, medical and social services is estimated to reach HK$170 billion this year, which represents an increase of 10% compared with 2012. This is not an insignificant amount and is likely to drive a renewed focus on understanding where operating costs are incurred, and how assets can be better managed to keep this cost to a minimum.

How can rising operational costs be addressed?• Developing an efficient design for modern day healthcare

delivery is crucial. By changing the design and some of the established processes around how an asset is used, it is possible to make big improvements both in operational efficiency levels and the cost incurred in delivering clinical services.

• There is a need to identify how a hospital is performing both clinically and operationally against the best in the world. A crucial first step is in carrying out an in-depth review of the asset to understand where exactly costs are incurred within a hospital and then benchmarking this against industry competitors. Having this insight on the ‘As Is’ performance of the asset allows owners to identify where improvements need to be made and to identify clear and achievable ‘To Be’ performance targets to work towards.

• A final step to consider is around implementing a proactive performance management approach to operating a healthcare facility. We have found that by doing this, property operating costs can typically be lowered by up to 15% which frees up significant capital to invest in other key areas.

Moving from Intention to Delivery

In summary, there were a lot of positive intentions outlined within the Budget on how to improve Hong Kong’s healthcare sector. The Government has been bold in making capital available for this, however the challenge now will be on ensuring this money is spent wisely and in the right areas.

There are lots of lessons, both positive and negative, that can be taken from international projects across the globe. Some of the approaches in other markets can be adopted and applied within the context of this market and will help to drive a more efficient and effective delivery of healthcare services within Hong Kong, which is what the government is ultimately seeking to achieve.

Britain in Hong Kong 1110

Last month’s 2nd edition of the International Conference on Solid Waste held in Hong Kong drew international attention and attracted representatives from private sector, government as well as prominent academics involved in waste management research to the territory. Among the p romis ing advances presented at the conference, perhaps the most exciting findings come from the areas of waste-to-energy technologies (WTE), refuse-derived fuels (RDF) and biotechnology progress, for instance in the field of plastic-degrading bacteria.

The conference also confirmed the trend of a shift in research focus away from Gasification, a specific method used to derive energy from carbonaceous organic waste by converting it to a mixture of gases called Syngas, which is then combusted. Instead, the focus is back on biological treatment solutions that capture energy using generators powered by biogas derived from dry fermentation of organic waste.

Luckily, Hong Kong now has people in government who recognise the urgency of the problem and are committed to driving solutions instead of just treading water like their predecessors. Also, a number of committed academics are applying their hearts and minds to the cause. The environment bureau appears to be steering a differentiated course of combining established, mature solutions with innovative, bolder approaches to addressing Hong Kong’s waste problem, as opposed to an attempt to kill all birds with one stone.

Hong Kong’s very specific waste situation is characterised by a shortage of space and time, an abundance of available food waste, which can in large parts be easily collected separately from other waste (e.g. from hotels and restaurants) as well as high population density. In addition, it is currently unthinkable – and perhaps rightly so – that mainland China will ever accept even a single kilogram of waste exported from Hong Kong. Perhaps it is only fair that we in Hong Kong should deal with our own waste. Subsequently, some more time will have to be bought by extending the North East New Territories Landfill, an undertaking due to be tendered this summer. This will hopefully be one of the last landfill extensions before Hong Kong is ready to transition to 21st

century waste management.

A New Era in Waste

Managementfor

Hong KongRobert Günter

Founder and CEO, Gellert Eco Ltd., Hong Kong

Waste management paradigm

Prevention / reduction at source

Reuse

Recycling

Recovery (Waste to energy)

Incineration

Reclamation

Landfill

Landfill disposal is to be the last resort

E nv i ro n m e n t

side effects such as the space requirements, pungent odours from organic digestion and incinerator smokestacks. Offensive odours are easily dealt with by employing negatively aerated in-vessel composting/fermentation technology, whilst the space required, well that is just something which will in future have to be made available as an investment in our city’s ecological equation. Nevertheless, we can already see that covered solutions are favourable for Hong Kong due to their ability to be built over.

Those who oppose the approach of composting organic municipal waste due to the lack of a market for large amounts of compost and fertiliser do so without taking the environment into account. The net amount of greenhouse gases emitted during proactive, systematic composting is far lower than in the amount emitted from uncontrolled rotting in landfill. In addition, high-tech sorting facilities will increase the already high abundance of organic feedstock, further enhancing Hong Kong’s potential to become a leader in deriving fuel, energy and fertiliser from waste, whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The numbers: Waste disposal at landfills (2011)

Waste typeAmount disposed of at HK landfills per day in 2011

Domestic Waste 5’973 tCommercial Waste 2’360 tIndustrial Waste 663 tTotal Municipal Solid Waste 8’996 tConstruction Waste 3’331 tSpecial Waste 1’131 tTotal Waste 13’458 t

Over thirteen thousand tons of waste are disposed of in Hong Kong’s landfills every day

Domestic waste output of Asian cities per capita

Rank City Amount of domestic waste generated per day

1 Hong Kong 1.36 kg2 Seoul 1.08 kg3 Tokyo 1.03 kg4 Taipei 0.88 kg

Hong Kong remains the continent’s top domestic waste generator

A modern MBT plant concept

An exciting future perspective for Hong Kong, perhaps further down the line, is the concept of decentralised biogas plants. Ever increasing efficiency and scalability of biogas plants make it viable to run one plant with the organic waste generated by 4000 to 5000 inhabitants. The food waste and sewage collected could effectively be strained and fermented in decentralised plants underneath housing estates, and the resulting biogas used to power generators running air conditioning systems in the same estate. This is likely to be one focus of cutting edge research and future developments in the field.

Finally, if we turn the focus from innovations in waste management to what is actually causing the problems Hong Kong faces, we see a glaringly obvious need to reduce the current excessive environmental burden of the population and businesses who reside in the territory. Hong Kong remains the city with one of the world’s highest outputs of municipal waste. Consuming less and reusing more are the two key elements of waste prevention.

In summary, a combination of internal and macro factors lend Hong Kong the opportunity to act as an ideal test bed for innovative waste management solutions. Thanks to its great potential for waste reduction, Hong Kong is poised to catapult itself from the trailing edge straight to the forefront of municipal waste management and environmental impact mitigation. Hopefully the entire Pearl River Delta will follow suit.

Gellert Eco founder Robert Günter is an economist with an MBA in Life Sciences. Contact Robert on rgu@gellert-eco.com or visit www.gellert-eco.com

It does not take too much imagination to predict that fifteen years or so down the line, Hong Kong will feature not only a number of high-tech mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plants, converting a combined total in the region of 1000 to 1500 tons per day of food waste to biogas, and turning the resulting digestate into compost. In addition, two or three large incineration facilities will be needed to focus primarily on the three waste-to-energy objectives: destruction of pollutants, the recovery of energy and above all the reduction of waste volume urgently needed in Hong Kong. If implemented successfully, this will allow Hong Kong to join the ranks of countries like Switzerland, the Netherlands or Singapore, who send virtually nothing to landfill, or have even banned landfills outright. As for the resulting compost and organic fertilisers, Hong Kong could easily export these valuable waste-derived goods to the north and overseas.

Whilst incineration of residual waste has possibly the worst reputation of all waste management approaches (second only to open dumping), this is in fact one of the areas in which the most considerable technological advances have been made over the years. Continual process improvements and the vast amount of experience gathered from the hundreds of modern plants built around the globe have led to improvements both in energy recovery efficiency levels and emissions prevention. Modern smokestack filters are built to the most stringent European standards and contribute to making incineration of residual waste a mature and viable part of Hong Kong’s waste management strategy. In addition, the toxin risk associated with waste incineration of yesteryear has all but disappeared due to a drastic reduction of dioxin in our municipal solid waste. Nevertheless, incineration will continue to be met with popular resistance, also due to the troubles encountered with low-tech waste incineration across Hong Kong in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Compared to the blissfully invisible and predominantly odourless greenhouse gases being emitted by the ton from the organic matter disposed of in our landfills, responsible and modern waste treatment has more sticky and sensitive

Britain in Hong Kong 1312

Hong Kong has already experienced Severe Acute

Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) during which there were 898

cases and 179 deaths. The insurance industry paid out

over HK$105.28M in SARS related claims.

Many believe there is a threat of serious outbreaks of readily

transmitted diseases such as avian flu virus H7N9 and the

new coronavirus (NCo V) (“health threats”). This article

seeks to highlight and act as a reminder of some of the

employment issues that may cause.

Paid Sick Leave

Under the Employment Ordinance (“EO”) an employee is

entitled to paid sick leave (at 4/5ths of their average monthly

wages) during a period of sickness provided the following

are satisfied:

• There is an appropriate medical certificate;

• The sick leave is not less than 4 consecutive days; and

• The employee has accumulated sufficient sickness

days.

An employee accumulates an entitlement to sickness

allowance days as follows:-

• In the first year of employment – 2 paid sickness

allowance days for every month of employment;

• Thereafter at 4 paid sickness allowance days for each

month up to a maximum entitlement of 120 paid

sickness allowance days.

Protection from Termination

If an employer terminates an employee’s employment

during a day on which the employee is:

• absent from work through sickness; and

• is entitled to be paid sickness allowance

he commits a criminal offence under the EO punishable by

a fine, currently $100,000. The employer is also liable for

the sickness allowance the employee would have earned,

pay in lieu of the notice period, an additional 7 days wages

and potentially an additional terminal payment of up to

$150,000.

Legal and Workplace Implications of Communicable Diseases

Russell Bennett, Partner, Tanner De Witt

L e g a l

The Employer’s Safety Obligations

However, the EO does not deal with many other issues

that would arise in the event of an outbreak of health

threats. The general position under the Occupational

Safety and Health Ordinance (“OSHO”) is that employers

must ensure that a safe place of work is provided to all

employees. Examples of the employer’s duty are:

• To provide information, training and supervision as

may be necessary to ensure the safety and health of

employees;

• To maintain the workplace in a condition that is safe

and without risks to health; and

In addition to statutory duties under OSHO, employers

owe a duty of care to ensure safety in the work place.

Practical Steps

Therefore, where there is a risk that employees will be

exposed to an infectious disease, employers must take

reasonable steps to prevent this from happening.

Employers should develop policies and procedures in

order to discharge their duty of care. The contents of such

policies and procedures are to a large extent governed

by the nature of the employer’s business. However, there

are some common measures that employers should

consider implementing. These include:

• Keeping employees up to date on any outbreak of a

health threat, any major developments and the

contingency plans which are being put in place. The

World Health Organisation website is a useful source

of information and currently includes a section on the

new coronovirus. (See http://www.who.int/csr/

don/2013_05_09_ncov/en/index.html)

• Identify personnel who may have contact with people

affected by any health threat;

• Require staff to report to the employer any symptoms

associated with contracting the disease;

• Prepare contingency plans to operate the office from

an alternative location or, from home if the employee’s

work can be carried out remotely;

• Reduce the amount of business travel particularly to

areas which are known to be infected;

• Should an employer suspect or know that an

employee may be infected promptly request that the

employee remains at home. In the case of suspected

infection the employee should be requested to stay

at home until they can confirm that he/she is not

infected;

If a risk of a health threat being transmitted from person to

person arises within the workplace and the steps being

taken by the employer to reduce this are reasonable and

proportionate the employees are obliged to comply with

the employer’s directions. This may include implementing

measures which the employer reasonably requires in order

to protect the health and safety of all employees. Examples

of steps (depending upon the level of risk) include the steps

mentioned above and also measures such as:-

• Directing employees to work from home either generally

or in split shifts to minimise risks of infection of the

whole workforce;

• Requiring employees to disclose situations which may

cause a higher risk (travel to affected areas, contact

with any known sufferers of the disease);

• If the risks increase and medical advice recommends

such a step, maybe even the compulsory wearing of

face masks.

“Suspending the employment” during an outbreak

By the Employer

Unless there is an express provision in the contract

permitting the temporary suspension of employment, the

employer does not have a unilateral right to suspend

employment without pay or force employees to take unpaid

Britain in Hong Kong 1514

leave. If the employer suspends the employee’s duties and

their entitlement to payment of wages and other benefits,

this would usually be a serious breach of contract entitling

the employee to claim constructive dismissal. In that

situation the employer would be liable for all amounts due

– as if the employer had expressly terminated the

employment without notice. This includes pay in lieu of

notice, any long service pay/severance pay/terminal

benefits, accrued holiday pay and a pro-rata of any fixed

annual bonus.

Employers should therefore act carefully in seeking to

impose any proposed reduction in benefits due to

economic circumstances arising from an outbreak of any

health threat and the temporary suspension/reduction in

the employee’s duties. Employers should seek to agree any

such suspension or period of unpaid leave.

By the Employee

Similarly employees do not have a unilateral right to

withdraw their services and insist on remaining at home. If

employees refuse to perform their duties without sufficient

grounds then they will not be entitled to payment for those

days of unauthorised absence and also run the risk of

Summary Dismissal.

In some limited circumstances where there is a serious risk

to the employee’s health and safety, an employee may

legitimately decline to follow the employer’s directions.

However this is only if doing so would unduly increase the

level of risk to the employee’s health and safety to an

unacceptable level. However, in general the employee

would need to demonstrate a genuine and serious risk and

not merely a perception or a slight increase.

In the absence of serious and genuine risks, employees

should perform their duties and seek to liaise with their

employers to agree reasonable arrangements for the

minimization of any perceived risks.

Possible claims for compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance “ECO”

Employers should also be reminded that employees can

claim compensation for work related diseases under the

ECO. This provides that an employee will have the right to

recover compensation in respect of the contraction of a

disease if that amounts to a personal injury by accident

arising out of and in the course of employment.

Discrimination

Where it is confirmed that an employee has a health risk

disease, the employer must ensure so far as reasonably

practical that other workers are not exposed to risk of

contracting the disease. In this context the following would

not be considered discriminatory where action was taken

and where such act was reasonably necessary to protect

public health:

• Complying with quarantine measures;

• Taking precautions against the spread of disease.

In addition under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance

and Family Status Discrimination Ordinance it is lawful for

an employer to ask an employee with infected family and

relatives to stay at home and take paid leave.

However, it is likely to be discriminatory if an employer

dismisses an employee merely because the employee had

or is suspected to have a disease or an employee’s family

member has or may have a disease.

Disclaimer: This publication is general in nature and is not intended

to constitute legal advice. You should seek professional advice

before taking any action in relation to the matters dealt with in this

publication.

Russell BennettPartner, Tanner De Wittrussellbennett@tannerdewitt.com+852 2573 5000

Russell Bennett is a partner at Tanner De Witt and he specialises in employment and commercial litigation. He has extensive experience in acting for both employers and employees, with particular emphasis on high-value employment disputes in the financial sector. He advises on all aspects of employment law, termination entitlements, post-termination restrictions, bonuses, discrimination, drafting employment contracts, handbooks and other HR related documentation as well as health and safety matters.

L e g a l

An education feature brought to you by YCIS

YCIS exposes children to multicultural environments from a young age.

Co-Teachers act as role models for the students by creating a respectful and co-cultural learning environment.

Innovative Bilingual

Programme Builds Bright

Future for YCIS

Students

The ease with which little Maja, a Year 2 student at Yew Chung International School (YCIS), can speak her native language of Polish in one breath, then switch between fluent English and Chinese in the next is nothing short of impressive.

Only 7 years old and already trilingual, Maja is proof of an innovative language curriculum at YCIS that places Western and Chinese co-teachers in Early Childhood and Primary classrooms to instruct students in both English and Mandarin in various subjects. This one-of-a-kind programme creates an environment in which children learn to seamlessly switch between the multiple languages from a very early age.

YCIS Unique Co-Teaching Model“My daughter is able to live her life in a much more complete way having this opportunity to study three languages,” Maja’s mother, Monika, said. “The bilingual aspect of the school was a very important factor when choosing it for our daughter.”

The co-teachers create a unique syllabus that incorporates Mandarin and English into lesson plans while also working together to facilitate a multicultural learning environment that draws upon the students’ and teachers’ diverse backgrounds.

Dr. Betty Chan, Director of YCIS, believes by expos ing ch i l d ren to mu l t i cu l t u ra l environments from a young age (as early as six-months old) they develop a deep and innate acceptance and appreciation of all cultures and perspectives. Dr. Chan stresses that teachers at YCIS must also learn to accept and value their teaching partner’s cultural differences to be effective co-teachers.

“Our students represent over 30 different nationalities. Each one of them brings their own set of cultural experiences that are

shared throughout the year with their classmates and teachers,” Melissa Lang, a Primary Co-Teacher, said. “We not only learn about academic subjects, but about the world around us through the different experiences each one has had. It’s truly the bringing together of the best from the East and the West.”

In addition to Mandarin language study, YCIS students are also required to study Chinese culture, including literature, art, history and traditional festivals. This curriculum enables them to better comprehend the complexities of local value systems and non-verbal s ign i f iers, which leads to improved communication skills.

Rewarding Bilingual EducationFurthermore, the co-principals model is implemented in YCIS’s Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary sections, which reflects the importance of bilingual education across all school levels. The Western and Chinese co-principals serve as partners in the operations and administration of the school. They consult each other, arrive at consensus and together implement decisions throughout the school. Together with the co-teachers, the co-principals act as role models for the students by creating a respectful and co-cultural learning environment.

“We have a unique international philosophy for educating students for the 21st century,” Julie Foster, YCIS Primary Western Co-Principal, said. “Competency in knowing at least two world languages is the norm at YCIS, and interact ing cultural ly and confidential ly inside and outside the classroom allows for students to understand the rewards of bilingual education.”

Yet there is also the challenge of ensuring students do not lose their native languages. YCIS encourages parents of these families to speak with their children at home in languages other than English and Mandarin. Teachers also make use of native languages in the classroom when there is an opportunity, for instance, requiring students to write poetry or other assignments in their languages from back home.

Vincent Leung, a 2001 YCIS graduate, was hired by the prestigious Pei Partnership Architects in New York City. “I feel that it would have been an impossibility for me to get this job had it not been for studying at YCIS, as I was not only (enthusiastically) hired as an architect, but also for my fluency in speaking, reading and writing English and Chinese, as well as my cultural grasp of both worlds. It’s a perfect balance that I find has put me in an incredible advantage to get this job.”

Britain in Hong Kong 1716

A total of 4 teen suicides have taken place over the past 4 months in Hong Kong. The cases involved young people between the ages of 15 to 16, with the reasons ranging from a parent’s divorce / dispute, a break-up with a boyfriend, and to poor academic results. Such a tragic turn of events has had a devastating impact on the families and friends of the young victims, and continues to have a rippling effect in the surrounding community that is in a state of shock. Based on such incidences, the history of youth suicide in Hong Kong and the enormous challenges our young people are facing today, there is an urgent need for society to come together and create effective platforms for our young people, to express their issues and find appropriate support and resources to address them. Our young people are simply not doing as well as they used to and are struggling to find their way in one of the most pressurised cities in the world.

According to the 2011 census there were 860,002 young people between the ages of 15 to 24 living in Hong Kong. These youth comprise various countries of origin, gender, abilities, socio-economic backgrounds, as well as sexual orientation. Many continue to face in silence a wide range

of life-threatening issues, including: drug and alcohol addiction, violence and abuse, self-harm and negative body image, as well as suicide ideation (having thoughts of suicide).

Suicide amongst young people in Hong Kong is a very serious issue that is rarely spoken of, something that continues to be swept under the carpet and is considered taboo. Whether it is due to cultural reasons, stigma, or ignorance, there has b e e n v e r y l i t t l e d i s c u s s i o n concerning youth suicide within our various institutions, including our

schools, community centres, or even in our homes. More specifically, unlike the United Kingdom, United States or Australia, the SAR government does not have a strategy on suicide prevention. For schools throughout the city, principals, teachers, and social workers are not required to be trained in suicide prevention and intervention, unlike practices in certain American states.

Recent research from Dr. Paul Yip, Director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, Hong Kong University, found that in a sampling of 715 youth, 3 out of 10 Hong Kong youth aged 15 to 19 have admitted to contemplating suicide, 6% had

Hong Kong Youth Need Creative

Suicide Prevention Programmes

Chung Tang, Executive Director of KELY Support Group

C h a r i t y

considered suicide in the past year, and 2.8% had actually attempted suicide (Teen Suicide: Latest Survey, SCMP, 21, May, 2013). The profile of young people who are committing suicide in Hong Kong are usually young males who suffer from chronic low self-esteem and are unemployed. These males often do not have the ability to express their issues, and are unwilling to find support during their most difficult moments (Paul Yip, The University of Hong Kong Bulletin, June 2011).

The above trends are evidently very troubling, since many Hong Kong youth have become increasingly hidden, often choosing to stay in their rooms, shunning their friends and family, and communicating through their computers and smartphones. Coupled with this trend is the increasingly high unemployment amongst youth 15-19 years of age, which is usually 3 to 4 times higher than for the average adult in the city. These young people, because of the lack of opportunities available to them, become increasingly vulnerable and find themselves sinking into a world of depression, chronic low-esteem and even substance abuse.

Since having been established over 22 years ago, KELY Support Group (KELY) has worked tirelessly to help young people across the city find their inner strengths to address their issues through positive peer support, leadership development and mentorship. As a youth-centred organisation, we firmly believe that the lives of all young people are indeed precious and valuable. Not only must they be our next generation of leaders and contributors, they are more importantly, our children, our family and our friends, indeed people we ought to protect and nurture.

Last year, KELY was very fortunate to have received a grant of HK$978,624 from the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong which was matched by the Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged, to implement an 18 month suicide prevention programme entitled “There’s Always Tomorrow 2”. The programme aims to help some of the most vulnerable youth from schools in Kwai Tsing,

Shum Shui Po and Kwun Tong to express their thoughts about youth suicide through youth-friendly focus groups, learn prevention and interventions techniques taught by suicide prevention psychologists and specialists, engage their peers through performance arts including choreographed percussion, drama and rope skipping. We also held the first youth-driven conference and musical drama on young suicide in Hong Kong. Currently in its 8th month, the programme has made significant inroads into the local education system, and has for the first time facilitated an open dialogue between students and teachers on traditionally taboo topics such as self-harming and bullying.

Based on initial focus group findings, young female students were better able to disclose some of their innermost fears and concerns with regards to their friends, school and family life. Out of the many students, one spoke of a friend who had suicidal thoughts, but felt extremely helpless since she didn’t have the confidence to help. She stated that through the suicide prevention training, she is now better equipped to help that person and any others in need.

Another student talked about how she was bullied during her primary school years for being different, and how this has had a lasting negative effect on her self-esteem and self-worth. She mentioned that although things improved in high school, she never really felt strong enough to tackle her inner demons. However, as a result of the drama training, she was able to truly reflect and begin to feel confident in overcoming any challenges that heads her way.

Through the educational workshops, several students disclosed to us that they thought self-harm (for example, making small cuts to one’s arm), was an effective way of dealing with their stress and unhappiness. One 14 year old girl felt that this was the only way to address boredom, and gain attention from others. Fortunately, through our various workshops, these female students learnt healthier ways to deal these issues.

As we move further into the programme, we have witnessed the enormous impact we have had on the students we have been working with so far. Through the generous support, understanding and the vision we share with the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, we are able to make a tremendous difference to some of the most vulnerable young people in our local community. We are grateful to the Chamber for believing in our work, and enabling us to develop much needed creative platforms for young people to address such a difficult and rarely spoken of topic. Most importantly, we thank the Chamber in helping us save young people’s lives in Hong Kong.

Britain in Hong Kong 1918

A Tour through Mystical Yunnan

Nikki Pang, Regional Marketing Manager, Lightfoot Travel

China’s southwest province of Yunnan is unique and inspiring. Northern Yunnan is where the great China

tectonic plate meets the Tibetan Plateau, creating huge mountain ranges with towering snow-capped peaks.

The resulting dramatic altitudes and range of climates come together to create some of the most beautiful

scenery in the country. Yunnan is one of the most ecologically, geologically and ethnically diverse places in

the world, creating a fascinating destination for travellers looking to experience a different side of China.

Lightfoot Travel recently visited the region, taking in the historic old town of Lijiang, the dramatic Tiger Leaping

Gorge, the fabled Shangri-La, and the soaring Meili Snow Mountains that lie on the Tibetan border.

LijiangThe bustling city of Lijiang is often the starting point on a tour through Yunnan. Set against the backdrop of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Lijiang’s old town is a beautiful maze of winding waterways, shingled roofs, and narrow cobbled streets filled with stalls laden with brightly coloured scarves and tapestries. While Lijiang is overrun by tourists from about midday, it’s worth getting up early, doing a bit of shopping, and spending a few hours getting lost in some of the town’s quieter corners.

Accommodation – Banyan Tree LijiangThe Banyan Tree holds the honour of being in what is quite possibly the most beautiful spot in Lijiang. The iconic view from the main entrance of a pagoda set against the snowy mountain will take your breath away and keep your camera busy all day as the light changes against the peak. The villas are spacious, beautifully designed, and most have large garden areas to relax and breathe in the fresh mountain air. The dining options exceeded our expectations, and Bai Yun, their Cantonese and Yunnan restaurant set beside a koi pond, included delicious local specialties such as braised Lijiang mutton with wild mushrooms and fried yak’s meat with locally grown vegetables.

Tiger Leaping GorgeWhether you’re an avid hiker or enjoy the occasional stroll now and then, Tiger Leaping Gorge is a great stop on the Yunnan circuit. There is an extremely touristy viewing platform

at the bottom of the valley, but avoid this at all costs and instead opt for a walk on the upper path. Only from up above can you appreciate the sheer size of this massive canyon.There is the choice of walking the entire 20-kilometre ridge, or you can join at certain points and take on much shorter sections of the trail. Our hike was a nice 2-hour walk followed by a stopover at Halfway Guesthouse for the evening. Clean and simple, it enjoys sweeping views of the gorge. The guesthouse’s Inspiration Terrace is a fantastic spot to rest your legs, enjoy an ice-cold Harbin beer, and chat with the other travellers as the sun sets over the rugged mountain tops.

L i f e s t y l e

Bespoke travel company Lightfoot Travel (www.lightfoottravel.com) is an Asia-based tour operator specialising in tailor-made holidays, honeymoons, short breaks, boutique accommodation and private villas in Asia and beyond. For more information please call +852 2815 0068 or email info@lightfoottravel.com

Shangri-LaAs you drive from the Tiger Leaping Gorge to the legendary Shangri-La, the scenery starts to change and you begin to realise what all the fuss is about. Rolling fields full of grazing animals stretch for miles with snowy mountains in the distance, and Tibetan stupas line the road with their prayer flags fluttering in the wind. One of the highlights of Shangri-La was visiting the Songzanlin Monastery. Built in 1679, it is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan,

and also the most important monastery in southwest China. Take a guided tour of the monastery, cycle to nearby Napahai Lake or explore the nearby mountains and valleys on horseback. A memorable experience was waking at dawn one morning, watching the sun rise over the fields, and trailing behind a lone monk making his daily rounds along the monastery’s outer walls.

Accommodation – Songtsam Retreat at Shangri-LaSongtsam Retreat is comprised of a series of Tibetan stone houses set against a hillside overlooking the back of the Songzanlin Monastery. Cosy is the most apt

word for this beautiful property, with warm fireplaces in every room and plenty of nooks and crannies to curl up with a good book and a glass of locally produced Shangri-La wine (surprisingly tasty!). The Tibetan food is delicious, the staff are superb, and the sound of clanging cowbells from animals grazing in the neighbouring fields is both calming and hypnotic.

DeqinThe road to Deqin winds along the scenic mountains of Northern Yunnan through lush, beautiful alpine forests. The highest point is the Baima Mountain Pass at 4,292 metres, which warrants a photo stop and walk around for those who have never experience high altitudes before! The region is home to a stunning chain of glaciated peaks, many of which rise more than 6,000 metres into the air. At sunrise and sunset the soft light illuminates all 13 peaks which is breathtaking. Activities in the region include guided hikes, horseback riding in the glaciers and visiting local families. We thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the lodge’s rooftop terrace with a cup of tea, and taking in the views of the Meili Snow Mountain Range.

Accommodation – Songtsam MeiliHovering at 3,600 metres, Songtsam Meili is a cosy, 17-bedroom lodge with phenomenal views of the mountain range. The rooms feature large beds and fireplaces, and there is a comfortable library that serves afternoon tea. In the evening, we enjoyed individual hot pots filled with fresh tofu, vegetables and mushrooms, followed by a singing and dancing extravaganza that had guests and staff doubled over laughing and ending in a “train” as we paraded through the lobby.

Britain in Hong Kong 2120

Women in Business Panel Event – How Women use Soft Power to Succeed in the Corporate WorldWednesday 15th May 2013We were delighted to join with the French Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday 15th May to organise a Women in Business Panel Event discussion, sponsored by Mazars, about Women’s use of Soft Power in the corporate world. The subject for the debate was inspired by Muriel de Saint Sauveur’s thought-provoking book ‘A Woman’s World, A Better World?’. Muriel, Group Diversity Director of Mazars, was joined by Joanna Hotung, Founder of Kid’s Gallery, and Nick Marsh, Managing Director of Harvey Nash. The event was hosted by Bloomberg in their Auditorium and we were pleased to have Angie Lau, Markets Reporter for Bloomberg, as the moderator for the discussion. The panel looked at the meaning and use of soft power in the corporate world today and how and why these skills are essential in today’s increasingly globalised and challenging world.

sponsored by

R e c e n t E ve n t s

The Frogs’ Legs & Les Rosbifs: A Joint Chamber Networking DrinksWednesday 8th May 2013On May 8th 2013, we were delighted to co-host a combined Franco-Anglo mixer with the French Chamber of Commerce at The French Window. The event celebrated the success of both Chambers in Hong Kong and the long-standing friendship of both nations. Many a glass of wine and croque-monsieur was had by all and everyone had a lovely time at the event. In addition, a lucky draw was held and attendees had the chance to win dining vouchers at The French Window and Assagio, Champagne and mini candles by diptyque.

Britain in Hong Kong 2322

Food a

nd Beve

rage

and Ac

commoda

tion

Accor | Members will receive 10% discount on top of the lowest rates that Accor’s Asian hotels are offering on the day. This applies to over 1600 Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Thalassa & Orbis hotels worldwide. You will also receive 5% discount on top of the best unrestricted rates for hotels including ibis (in specific countries), All Seasons & Hôtel Barrière. For more information please contact Regina Yip on 2868 1171 or email regina.yip@accor.com

Dot Cod | All members of the British Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong will receive a 10% discount on the bill. For more information please call 2810 6988 or email dotcod@hkcc.org

Renaissance Harbour View Hotel | Members will receive a 10% discount on the total bill at award-winning Dynasty Chinese Restaurant , a l l day d in ing at Cafe Renaissance, Scala Italian Restaurant and the Lobby Lounge. To make a reservation please call 2802 8888

The Mira Hong Kong | Members will be given special room rates, a complimentary upgrade and fantastic discounted rates on the Spa suite package (subject to availability). For more information please contact Connie Kwan on 2315 5666 or email connie.kwan@themirahotel.com

W Hong Kong | Members will receive 15% off the lunch buffet in Kitchen and dinner in Sing Yin Monday to Friday, and 10% off in all venues at al l other t imes. For more information or to make a reservation please call 3717 2222

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong | 15% discount on food and beverage at The Grill and 10% discount on treatments upon spending HK$1,000 at Plateau Spa. To make a reservation please contact The Grill on 2584 7722 or the Plateau Spa on 2584 7688

Le Méridien Cyberport | Members can book a Smart Room at the special rate of HKD1,600 including a daily eye-opening buffet breakfast (subject to availability). You will also receive 20% discount at 5 of the hip restaurants and bars that the hotel has to offer. Furthermore, when you book the 21-day long room package at HKD23,100 you will receive a ‘Round Trip Limousine Service’. For more details please call 2980 7785

Hong Kong Skycity Marriott Hotel | Members will receive a 10% discount on the total bill at Man Ho Chinese Restaurant, SkyCity Bistro, Velocity Bar & Grill, and The Lounge (Promotion does not apply to alcoholic beverages). To make a reservation please call 3969 1888

Alfie’s | Members of the British Chamber of Commerce can benefit from a 10% discount at this chic restaurant in Hong Kong. To make a reservation please call 2530 4422 or email booking.alfies@keeclub.com

Berry Bros. & Rudd | Members can benefit from a 10% discount on all retail prices as well as receiving invitations to free tastings and other wine events during promotional period. For more information please call 2907 2112

Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong | Members will receive a 20% discount on food only in MoMo Café. To make a reservation please call 3717 8888

Member DiscountsThere are many great benefits of being a member of The British Chamber of

Commerce. One of those is the Member Discounts programme which is an

exclusive package of discounts that range from discounted car rental, reduced

hotel accommodation, airfares and even relocation costs.

Every six months we invite members to prepare a tailor-made offer to all the

members of the British Chamber. You can find these benefits listed below and for

more details please visit our website www.britcham.com

Terms and Conditions apply. All member discounts are subject to availability. If you are interested in providing a tailored offer to our members or for more information please contact Emily Ferrary on 2824 1972 or email emily@britcham.com

Busine

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ces

Virgin Atlantic Airways | Special offers to London are available exclusively for members of the British Chamber of Commerce. Please call 2532 6060 for more details or to make a reservation

British Airways | As a member of the British Chamber of Commerce you can enjoy exclusive offers from British Airways. For more information please visit : www.britcham.com/memberdiscount/british-airways

Colourliving | As a member of the British Chamber of Commerce, you can enjoy a 10% d iscount on a l l norma l pr ice merchandise when shopping at Colourliving in Wanchai. Please call 2510 2666 or visit www.colourliving.com

sense of touch | Britcham members will receive 20% off all treatments on their first visit upon a total spend of $1,000, 10% off facials and massages in all subsequent visit as well as a $1,000 treatment coupon when purchasing a $10,000 cash package. For more information please call 2201 4547

Allied Pickfords Hong Kong | Allied Pickfords will extend a free local move for any Home Search completed by SIRVA Real Estate. For more information please call 2823 2089 or email olivier.jourdan@sirva.com.hk

Avis | Members can receive up to 20% discount off standard rates on car rental bookings. To make a booking please call 2882 2927 or visit www.avis.com.hk

VisitBritain | British Chamber members can get 5% on all purchases from VisitBritain’s online shop by entering the code TR7DE67! at the checkout.

Please visit www.visitbritaindirect.com/world for further details.

Regus | Britcham members will receive a complimentary six-month Businessworld Gold card that gets you access to 1,200 business lounges in prime central city business locations in Asia and around the world. For more information or to accept this offer please visit www.regus.hk/localpartnership and enter the activation code APHKBCC in the Promotional Code box.

The Hive | The Hive is offering one additional month’s membership at no extra charge for any member who signs up for 6 months. For further details, please visit www.thehive.com.hk

Compass Offices | Compass Offices, Hong Kong’s largest Serviced Office provider, offers members a 10% year round discount on meeting rooms, a free one hour Telepresence or Video Conferencing session and a 3 month complimentary Virtual Office package. For more information please call 3796 7188 or email hksales@compassoffices.com

Lightfoot Travel | British Chamber members will receive 5% off all holidays booked with Lightfoot Travel. Please call +852 2815 0068 or visit www.lightfoottravel.com for further details

Lifest

yle

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Britain in Hong Kong 2524

MEMBER GET

MEMBER

Cafe Deco Bar & Grill Sunday Brunch

For the most amazing views of Hong Kong, Cafe Deco Bar & Grill is a great brunch option. Indulge in a wide variety of delicious specials whilst overlooking The Peak’s spectacular view every Sunday and public holiday from 11am to 3pm at Cafe Deco Bar & Grill. Guests can pay $468 inclusive of free flow Clair diamant blanc de blanc N.V., Nugan 3rd Generation semillion & Chardonnay, Chateau Fontaubert Bordeaux and soda. For kids aged between 3 and 11 years old brunch costs $238. This brunch features Canadian sustainable sea urchin specials for customers to feast upon and a kid’s entertainer to keep the little ones occupied.

Cellarmaster Wines

The British Chamber is delighted to announce the launch of the 2013

‘Member get Member’ Campaign which will run from April 2013 – March 2014. As part of this new scheme we are pleased to announce that any new member who signs up through this referral programme will receive a complimentary bot t le o f Champagne Pommer y, cour tesy of Cellarmaster Wines.

I n a d d i t i o n , i f y o u successfully introduce a company to us that results i n t hem j o i n i ng t he Chamber, you will receive a fantastic dinner for two courtesy of a top restaurant in Hong Kong.

Make a successful referral to the British Chamber

of Commerce and enjoy a fantastic meal for two!

2 0 1 3

If you happen to refer the most new members to the Chamber, you will win a stunning prize: A complimentary brunch for four at Cafe Deco Bar & Grill, courtesy of Cafe Deco Group.

MEMBER GET

MEMBER

So what are you waiting for? Spread the word throughout your network to enjoy a complimentary meal for two at one of these fantastic member restaurants:

To enter:• Consider who among your contacts might be interested in joining the Chamber• Email phillippa@britcham.com with the name and contact details of your suggested company• If appropriate, contact your suggested company and let them know that the Chamber will be in touch• The Chamber will follow up with each suggestion directly• If your referral is successful, the Chamber will contact you with details of how to book your dinner

Terms & Conditions• You must be a member of the British Chamber to be eligible for this offer• The dining vouchers will only be provided if your referral results in a new member for the Chamber• This offer is valid for all members whose referral results in a new Corporate, Overseas or Startup member of the Chamber. It does not

apply to Additional members or additional YNetwork members• The Chamber will allocate the restaurant vouchers. Members will not be able to choose which restaurant they visit and must adhere

to the terms and conditions

The Bostonian, The Langham, Hong Kong

This well-established restaurant has been a Hong Kong favourite for well over a decade. Located at the lower lobby level of The Langham, Hong Kong, The Bostonian has an excellent reputation for its superb steaks, and more recently its fully sustainable seafood menu. Featured by one of Hong Kong’s influential restaurant bibles, “The Hong Kong Best Restaurant Guide” since 2000 and recommended by The Michelin guide, the Bostonian is a hallmark for impeccable service and exceptional food. Guests can indulge in a tantalising array of fresh seafood from around the world at the “Raw Bar”, including home-made smoked salmon, prawns, crabs and freshly shucked oysters. The enticing menu also includes gourmet favourites such as maine crab cakes, sautéed foie gras, clam chowder, as well as separate menus for the restaurant’s specialties – the Boston lobster galore, seafood sharing platters and Bostonian grill.

cafe TOO, Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong

The innovative cafe TOO brings casual dining to a higher level of creativity. Their ten cooking theatres, each featuring a different culinary style, are showcases for the best of international cuisine as well as stages for their chefs’ engaging performances.

Café Renaissance, Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong

Café Renaissance is the perfect place for all day dining. Located on the Mezzanine floor, the 210-seat all-day dining café serves a wide variety of dishes from all over the world. Café Renaissance serves wholesome breakfasts, chef crafted lunches and dinner buffets plus à la carte menu daily and brunch on weekends, in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. In addition to the great array of fresh seafood delights using the freshest ingredients, guests can also enjoy a tantalizing array of international favourites and local specialties from live cooking stations.

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BSI Asia Pacific HQ moves to Hong KongBSI, the business standards company, has relocated its Asia Pacific headquarters from Singapore to Hong Kong. Mr David Horlock, Managing Director of the Asia Pacific Region for BSI explains: “Hong Kong is a competitive location for regional headquarters in the Asia Pacific and is a vibrant city that is full of energy. We see a lot of opportunity to expand our certification and trainings and Hong Kong is the ideal location to do business in Asia, especially mainland China.”BSI provides solutions for organisations of every size and the means to tackle the challenges they face – be it good governance, resilience, supply chain issues or effective environmental and energy management. BSI will also maintain a presence in Singapore and will continue to deliver our clients the necessary solutions that will help them turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence.

London Residential Property Looks Set for a Long BoomLeading independent global property consultancy Knight Frank LLP has released its London Residential Review Summer 2013 – the Currency Edition, which assesses the impact of the weak pound on the prime London property market, now and in the future. The weak pound has make property in Prime Central London even more enticing to foreign investors seeking safe havens and will continue to do so until 2018. Prime Central London (PCL) property prices rose 0.7% in April, and stand 17% above their March 2008 peak in sterling terms. Overseas buyers accounted for 52% of all £2 million or above homes sold in prime central London (PCL) between March 2012 and March 2013. Prime London homes for Hong Kong dollar denominated buyers in March 2013 are currently 11% below pre-crisis peak in March 2008 allowing for currency fluctuation, but the report makes clear that over the next five years buyers using HKD will continue to see a significant discount on London property. For Euro-denominated purchasers seeking an investment outside the Eurozone however, PCL prices have risen 9%.

China Clarifies Tax for Foreign Enterprises Regarding Secondment On 19 April 2013, China’s State Administration of Taxation (SAT) issued a new circular, Announcement 19, to provide guidance on when cross-border secondment of expatriates by foreign enterprises into China may create a PRC taxable presence. According to KPMG, Announcement 19 is a welcome development for multinational companies (MNCs) doing business in China, reducing uncertainty as to when a foreign enterprise can create Chinese Corporate Income Tax (CIT) exposures through its secondment arrangements. It may also facilitate the process of obtaining tax clearance by a Chinese company when it seeks to make reimbursement remittances overseas pursuant to secondment arrangements. The new circular fills in some of the remaining gaps in the CIT Law whose rules for the taxation of non-residents have been progressively developing since its introduction in 2008.

CBRE has announced the appointment of Mr. Kendrew Leung as a Senior Director to its Hong Kong Asset Services business with immediate effect. Mr Leung joins from Savills, where he was most recently Managing Director of Savills Property Management Limited. In his new role, Mr. Leung will focus on implementing strategic business development initiatives relating to property and local facilities management and tenancy administration in Hong Kong. He will identify new business opportunities and develop proactive strategies for the team, as well as act as focal point of contact for a number of key clients. Mr Leung will report directly to Mr. Gerry Kipling, CBRE’s Executive Director for its Asset Services businesses in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.Mr. Leung has over 30 years of experience in asset, property and facility management in Hong Kong, Macau and China. He was President of the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies from 2008 to 2010 and also the Honourable member of both the Hong Kong Institute of Housing and Institute ofShopping Centre Management. Prior to joining CBRE, Mr. Leung served as the Director of BEAM Society Ltd from 2009-2012. He has previously worked for Savills, Jones Lang Wootton and Hong Kong Land.

Gary Stevenson has been promoted to Director – technical and training at BDO. He provides advisory services to the BDO Assurance practice. He is primarily focused on the application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Hong Kong Reporting Standards (HKFRS) by listed issuers in Hong Kong and Singapore. Prior to joining BDO, Gary worked for another major accounting network’s technical department in its UK, China and Hong Kong member firms and also its international IFRS team. He has substantial experience of the application of IFRS by issuers listed on the AIM market in UK. He has accumulated 16 years experience in major international accounting firms. Gary is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. He holds a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Economics from Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

New Appointments

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CORPORATEWilkinson Eyre Asia PacificDominic Bettison  Managing DirectorTel 3182 7180d.bettison@wilkinsoneyre.com19/F, 1 Wellington Street, Central, Hong KongArchitecture/Interior & Urban Design

Innovation Programmes & Projects Asia LtdRichard BeavenDirectorTel 2824 8189richard.beaven@innovation.co.uk2/F, Shui On Centre, 6-8 Harbour Road, Wanchai,Hong KongManagement Consultants

Forth Capital (HK) LimitedGraham BrownManaging DirectorTel 3975 5721grahambrown@forthcapital.com1001, Ovest, 77 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan, Hong KongBusiness Services

PageGroupAndy Bentote  Senior Managing DirectorTel 2530 6162andybentote@michaelpage.com.hk611, One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong KongRecruitment

Payne SolicitorsGregory Payne  PartnerTel 2528 5529payne@payne-legal.com1301-1303, 13/F, 135 Bonham Strand Trade Centre,Hong KongLegal

Haymarket MediaJonathan Hirst  PublisherTel 3118 1500jonathan.hirst@haymarket.asia23/F, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central,Hong KongMedia

Cazenove Capital Management LimitedSandy Dudgeon  Managing DirectorTel 2168 0710sandy.dudgeon@cazenovecapital.com8/F, Two Exchange Square, Central, Hong KongAsset Management

ADDITIONALPracticus LtdMaria Brusuelas  Operations and Sales ExecutiveTel 6346 4190maria.brusuelas@practicus.com.hk1801 Winway Building, 50 Wellington Street, Central,Hong KongManagement Consultants

Serco Group (Hk) LimitedMax HerrimanSenior Projects AdvisorTel 2907 0118max.herriman@serco-hk.comSuite One, 11/F, Sino Plaza, 255-257 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong KongFacilities Management

Forth Capital (HK) LimitedJim MackieFinancial ConsultantTel 3975 5719jimmackie@forthcapital.com1001, Ovest, 77 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan,Hong KongBusiness Services

Forth Capital (HK) LimitedMartyn LudlowFinancial ConsultantTel 3975 5718martynludlow@forthcapital.com1001, Ovest, 77 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan,Hong KongBusiness Services

John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd.Anna ThompsonChief Operating OfficerTel 2761 8400anna.thompson@airhongkong.com.hk33/F, One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong KongConglomerate/Holding

STARTUPCooper Claridge-WareChristopher Claridge-Ware  DirectorTel 9222 7076ccw@ccw-global.com2201-07, Towe Two, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay,Hong KongInsurance

OVERSEASA & C Associates LtdAndy Skowronski    DirectorTel +44191 3843438askowronski@ancassociates.com2 Broome Court, Broompark, County Durham,DH7 7SXUnited KingdomTraining

INDIVIDUALHong LiTel 3978 9712hong_li@tnc.orgRoom 811, Stanhope House, 734 King’s Road, Quarry Bay,Hong Kong

YNETWORKSerco Group (Hk) LimitedBeth Brisco  Business Development ManagerTel 2907 0118beth.davidson@serco-ap.com.auSuite One, 11/F, Sino Plaza, 255-257 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong KongFacilities Management

HarneysJeannie Leung  Business Development Manager, AsiaTel 9810 1983jeannie.leung@harneys.com7502 International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong KongLegal

BTViolet JiangBusiness Development GraduateTel 9604 3464violet.jiang@bt.com38/F Dorset House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong KongTelecommunications

BTPhilip McManusBusiness Development GraduateTel 2290 3089philip.mcmanus@bt.com38/F Dorset House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong KongTelecommunications

BTAlbert ChanBusiness Development GraduateTel 2532 3574albert.chan@bt.com38/F Dorset House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong KongTelecommunications

Britain in Hong Kong 29

New Members28

Thank you for your continued support

The British Chamber’s Sterling Members

The Jones Lang LaSalle 5-A-Side Corporate Football Tournament!

In Association with the YNetwork of the British Chamber of Commerce

A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

DATE: Wednesday 28th August, 2013

TIME: 6.30pm – 11.30pm

VENUE: Astro Pitch & Dining Room Hong Kong Football Club, Happy Valley

For further information please contact Lucy Jenkins at lucy@britcham.com

25th April 2013, Collins & Kent International Ltd

Cheuk Wong and Aaron So (IP Global)

Dionne Hui (ESF), Natalie Li (Fun Raising Events (Asia) Ltd)

Neville Metcalfe and Tarun Warriar (Eversheds), Chris Taylor

Alice Rensy (Alice Rensy Productions), Cynthia Alfieri

Robert Günter (Gellert Eco), Keira Mackenzie-Smith (Learning Curve Solutions)

Kath Wong (Berkeley), Stephanie Rose (British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong), Ivy Chau (Berkeley)

Chris Lloyd (Leodan), Philipp von dem Knesebeck (K5 Ventures)

Niall Archibald (Kroll Advisory Solutions), Mark Hollinworth (Globaleye)

Scherzade Westwood and Nicole Cavanagh (OLN), Patrick Williams (British Consulate-General)

Llewelyn James (IP Global), Alicia Tores (Collins and Kent International), Bruce Fox (AGS Four Winds)

Chris Bryan (PwC), Hector Drake (FTI Consulting)

Nick Anscombe, Emily Ferrary (British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong)

Eric Davis and Christine Knok (KPMG) Mark Hollinworth (Globaleye), Bruce Fox (AGS Four Winds)

Britain in Hong Kong 31

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