Always Moving: D&I at the Swire Group
- As Swire looks on proudly at our more than 200 years of history, we keep evolving with the times.
- And nowhere is that more true than on our diversity & inclusion (D&I) journey – as well as our actions that stem from it.
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As Swire looks on proudly at our more than 200 years of history, we keep evolving with the times. And nowhere is that more true than on our diversity & inclusion (D&I) journey – as well as our actions that stem from it.
Always Ambitious
D&I benefits the individual, the communities in which we operate, and society as a whole. By promoting D&I, we attract and retain people who can further our organisation. At Swire, we are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment for all our people regardless of their age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, relationship, family status, disability, race, ethnicity, nationality, or religion.
We believe in creating an environment where people feel comfortable at work and are able to realise their full potential. Under this principle, the D&I Department developed the Swire Pacific D&I Strategic Framework in 2019 establishing three goals, five diversity focus areas, and a five-year plan. The framework is guided by the Swire Group D&I Policy and provides a blueprint for John Swire & Sons (H.K.) (JS&SHK) and Swire Pacific operating companies to meet their D&I commitments.
In May, Swire Pacific was one of the 14 corporations in Hong Kong to receive an Equal Opportunity Employer Gold Award from the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) for our stance on gender, diverse abilities, family status, and race. The award recognises our commitment to D&I in the workplace, highlights Swire’s market leadership, and shows how we are using our influence to make a positive impact in the Hong Kong community.
Always Laying the Groundwork
A number of initiatives have been rolled out to support our goal. For example, the Swire Women’s Network, established in 2015, enhances our ability to retain potential female leaders and support the advancement of women’s careers by organising events, creating development opportunities, researching and developing policies, and building relationships with male allies and other NGOs. Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited, Swire Coca-Cola, and Swire Properties introduced its Male Allies initiative, engaging male colleagues in the gender inclusion conversation. Swire Properties is also one of the founding members of the Taikoo Women’s Inspire Network (“WIN”), a business network that aims to connect and create a community for women working for professional firms and companies based in the Taikoo Place area. Today, it has more than 200 individual and 47 corporate members.
In 2019, we introduced the Flexible Working Policy as a way to contribute to a more inclusive work environment, improve productivity, and enforce a better work-life balance. This was especially useful during the period of disruption experienced by Hong Kong since September 2019, as it allowed our colleagues to manage their working arrangements within clear guidelines. Last January, we rolled out a Parental Leave Policy in JS&SHK to support colleagues pursuing fulfilling and successful careers while raising children. The policy recognises all parents for their role regardless of their gender identities, sexual orientations, and family unit backgrounds.
Always Learning
In addition to the work we do internally, we see an importance in partnering with external communities. Under the Inclusive Community Fund by the TrustTomorrow initiative, which celebrates the Swire Group’s 150th anniversary in Hong Kong, we partner with the Zubin Foundation, CareER, the Resolve Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity. Our collaboration with Resolve enabled them to release the first-ever bilingual Equality Toolkit (English and Chinese) in October 2021, detailing how we can be better allies and active bystanders in our everyday Hong Kong lives. Compiled from the lived experiences of people from marginalised communities, the toolkit is free and can be downloaded on their website.
In the gender space, we specifically work with The Women’s Foundation to improve the lives of women and girls in Hong Kong by supporting their events and programmes such as the 30% Club Hong Kong Boardroom Series for Women Leaders, Male Allies Initiatives, Mentoring Programme for Women Leaders, and Reverse Mentoring Programme. We are also the strategic partner of She Loves Tech, the world’s largest startup competition for women and tech.
Everything that we do, from laying the groundwork internally to supporting external partners, draws us closer to cultivating an inclusive working environment for all. Join us as we continue our work in creating a positive impact in Hong Kong.