Introduced in August 2018, the EOC’s Racial Diversity and Inclusion Charter for Employers (RDI Charter) has stepped into its third year, aims to promote the implementation of inclusive and racially-diverse practices in workplace and uprooting unconscious bias. To date, the signatory number of the RDI Charter has exceeded 180, and the EOC is looking forward to achieving 200 signatories milestone soon.

To gain the momentum, the EOC could not show less gratitude to the two-year support of the 40+ early signatories. Two sessions of recognition ceremonies were organised on 2 July and 16 July to appreciate their great effort in fulfilling the pledges as one of the charter signatories. Without them contributing as excellent industry models on supporting racial diversity and inclusiveness, the Charter network could not have come this far and keep expanding. During the ceremonies, trophies were presented to the companies as a recognition of their devotion. Video highlights of the ceremonies will be uploaded onto the EOC website and the homepage of the RDI Charter.

Echoing the Charter, the EOC utilises varies platforms to assemble the signatories in putting racial diversity and inclusiveness in workplace into practice. For instance, we cooperating with the Zubin Foundation to mobilise our Charter signatories to engage with the local racial community, providing summer internship opportunities for locally educated EM tertiary students. We are pleased to have received over 30 responses from the signatories, offering over 100 placements. 

Besides, an online session on “Diverse Voices on Diversity” was successfully held on 3 June with nearly 60 participants. For upcoming events, the EOC will launch a video series in celebrating World Cultural Diversity Day 2021. You may visit the homepage of the RDI Charter for more information.


 

With no doubt, breast milk is the best source of nutrition for infants, protects them from array diseases and helps boost their health long-term. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), allowing women to breastfeed their infants at work helps balance their professional and personal lives while increase work productivity. In response, the World Breastfeeding Week (Aug 1- Aug 7) is an occasion which we could show respect to breastfeeding mothers and protect them from discrimination.

The EOC is especially joyful about World Breastfeeding Week this year with the amendments made on the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (SDO) put into effect from 19 June 2021, protecting women in Hong Kong from discrimination and harassment on the grounds of breastfeeding in key areas of public life, such as employment, education, and provision of goods, services or facilities (GSF). To cultivate a breastfeeding-friendly society with the new law implementation, the EOC launched a series of advertisements, guidance and leaflets, covering a variety of platforms, such as Facebook, Linkedln, EOC periodical “Equality Perspectives” and MTR advertisement, the general public and stakeholders can get a hold of how to comply with the law in practical settings. The EOC will also be presenting a Facebook campaign soon, stay tuned and you may visit EOC website for more information.   

We understand being new mothers is always tough, but grateful to have a number of NGOs in Hong Kong dedicated in protecting the rights of breastfeeding mothers and to shareing the joy of World Breastfeeding Week. Local supporting groups includes MaMaMilk, Hong Kong Breastfeeding Mothers’ Association and Family Health Service under Department of Health, visit their webpages for more details on creating a favourable breastfeeding environment. On a wider scope, World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also show great support to breastfeeding mothers around the globe.