On 3 November 2023, over 100 guests joined the EOC to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Racial Diversity and Inclusion Employer Charter (the “Charter”) at the ‘Racial DEI Progress: Gains, Gaps & Goals’ event held at HSBC – where the Charter was first announced in 2018.

With an aim to encourage and promote racial diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace, the Charter has attracted over 390 signatories within a span of five years. Among them, 29 signatories took a proactive step by submitting the first round of Advanced Annual Review Forms, which was rolled out last year to collect more detailed information about workplace racial D&I initiatives. The event on 3 November not only showcased these organisations’ commendable practices and accomplishments, but also featured a panel discussion and a fireside chat with D&I practitioners from various sectors. They explored different strategies and initiatives that companies can adopt to create racially diverse and inclusive workplaces.

In his opening speech, EOC Chairperson Mr Ricky CHU Man-kin, IDS said, “The Charter is a partnership. It is nothing without the signatory organisations that have committed to the nine listed goals to promote racial equality and inclusion in the workplace. The significant growth of the network serves as evidence of the increasing importance of racial equality, diversity and inclusion. However, there is still a long way to go in our journey to foster a truly inclusive and multicultural society.”

As the keynote speaker, Dr Allan ZEMAN, GMB, GBS, JP, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group, said, “Hong Kong’s long history of cultural diversity has always benefitted the city, aiding in its development and growth into the successful, first-world, international hub that it is today. To maintain this standing, we should continue to marshal all resources, including our home-grown, racially diverse talent pool.”

• Read the press release
• Read the Summary Report of the Advanced Annual Reviews of the Charter