University of Hong Kong student Winnie Chan Wing-kit is adamant that business ethics isn't just a bunch of wishy-washy concepts to pay lip service to. 'It's vital for a business,' said Ms Chan, a third-year business administration and law student who scooped the first prize at a competition on global business ethics last Saturday. 'University students doing an internship or a part-time job should pay attention to business ethics,' she added. Integrity, accountability, respect, honesty and responsibility were among the pillar values. The competition was the culmination of a programme preparing university and senior secondary students for the workplace organised by Junior Achievement Hong Kong, a non-governmental organisation promoting entrepreneurship. As part of the programme, students were presented with a case study of employees facing ethical dilemmas at all levels of a fictional company. They also explored personal and ethical values through seminars and debates with peers and members of the business world. At a forum after the competition, Dr Stephen Wong Sui-fai, president of gas marketing for greater China and Japan for ExxonMobil Hong Kong, which sponsored the programme, said young people should treat others the way they wanted to be treated. 'You will then have a very good foundation to be successful because you will have gained respect, and the company will give you more responsibilities and treat you fairly.'
