As a vanguard in the social service sector, Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong (YMCA) has adopted the principles of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) in its management and service delivery, and has received multiple awards in recognition of its sterling performance since 2019.
The Standard spoke with Karl Lau, General Secretary of YMCA, on how this non-governmental organization has played a leading and proactive role in addressing global issues such as climate change, ageing population and sustainable development in the local context.
Lau points out that, unlike publicly-listed companies, YMCA is not obliged to submit annual ESG report, but as a global organization, it is committed to working on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as adopted by all members of the United Nations in 2015. So for the third year in a row since 2020, it has released an impact report that details its efforts in this respect.
“As a dynamic organization that evolves with the society over the years, YMCA must regularly assess the efficacy of its operations, environmental practices, and service delivery, utilizing the ESG as a globally recognized mechanism,” Lau explains.
He believes that ESG acts as a link with other collaborators. “In our interaction with service recipients, partners, corporates, and other organizations, ESG is a common language to work together to provide quality services to the people we serve on a global scale,” he adds.
To obtain a more comprehensive and objective view of YMCA’s impact on the social service sector, over 1,700 service recipients from various units have been invited by the Association to evaluate the effectiveness of YMCA’s services. The result shows that 96% of the interviewees indicated that YMCA’s services help improve their ability to recover from setbacks with more confidence, resilience, and emotional stability. There was almost unanimous agreement that the Association’s elderly services improved senior citizens’ mental and emotional wellbeing, and sense of self-worth.
Driving corporate social responsibility
YMCA is dedicated to promoting corporate social responsibilities (CSR) and provides a platform for businesses to encourage their staff to perform volunteer services in the community.
In partnership with more than 100 corporates, the Association has introduced the Y-Care CSR Scheme which has extended assistance to many low-income families. The initiative dovetails with the UN’s SDG 3 on ‘Good health and wellbeing’, SDG 4 on ‘Quality education’ and SDG 17 on ‘Partnerships for the goals’.
YMCA works in partnership with the Hongkong Land Home Fund on Empowering Youth to Fly, an all-encompassing program for families living in subdivided flats, assisting them in four major areas: academic assistance, growth support, health and wellbeing, and caregiver assistance. It is estimated that over 3,000 households in a number of low-income districts in Kowloon will benefit from this program.
YMCA also emphasizes opportunities for grassroots learning and participation in sports. Tencent Charity Foundation and Gaw Capital People’s Place are launching a Charity Sports Program since 2024. Being one of the beneficiaries, the Association is introducing the YM Buzzer program.
This initiative aims to develop abilities and interests while promoting youth and grassroots women’s mental health and social connection through a variety of sports activities such as basketball, volleyball, street workouts, and physical fitness.
Adopting YMCA Vision 2030 for a better future
In spearheading its future development, Lau says its emphases will be based on YMCA Vision 2030, a shared global strategy launched by The World Alliance of YMCAs since 2022, aiming to build a better world with four pillars: Community Wellbeing, Meaningful Work, Sustainable Planet, and Just World.
Lau points out that YMCA has always prioritized the next generation’s development and the development of a sustainable future. “It is crucial to foster the wellbeing and productivity of the next generation, especially taking into account the declining number of young people,” he emphasizes.
Lau identifies climate change as another urgent problem that merits global collaboration. “As part of its mission to improve the environment for future generations, we are dedicated to constructing a sustainable environment that fosters youth development, growth, and wellbeing,” he says.
One good example is YMCA’s long-standing collaboration with Arup, a global sustainable development consultancy. In early 2023, volunteer engineers and designers from Arup led school students on a guided tour of Yau Ma Tei to enhance their sense of conservation. In another on-going project, Arup’s volunteers guided secondary school students to apply their STEAM knowledge to come up with innovative ideas for the Association’s camp site at Wu Kwai Sha.
Lau appeals to businesses that share YMCA’s ESG values to join its Y-Care CSR Scheme, and also to encourage their staff to join the volunteer movement. The collaborated efforts could effectively address a wide spectrum of needs, including youths, elderlies, family services, rehabilitation, the mentally handicapped, and more.
“Corporates are more than welcomed to leverage our strong community network to implement their CSR programs,” Lau concludes.
Hong Kong United Times丨香港聯合時報丨HKUT 