Tammy (Tammy Tam, Editor in Chief, South China Morning Post),

Phil (Phil Witherington, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Asia),

Distinguished guests and friends,

Good morning.

It is a pleasure for me to be here this morning and to have this opportunity to engage with so many esteemed DEI experts and leaders.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are about maximising people’s potential and giving everyone opportunities to thrive. Here in Hong Kong, the question of how we can get the most out of our local talent and attract the best and brightest from around the world is not just a theoretical issue but a challenge we need to solve in the here and now.

According to a 2023 study by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, three-quarters of surveyed employers say they are having difficulties in recruiting talent. Finding a solution for talent shortage is critical for the city’s competitiveness and for enhancing our reputation as a global hub for business and finance.

In recent years, we’ve witnessed a profound shift in the way people view work, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m sure many of you will agree that a competitive salary alone is not enough. A healthy workplace culture, being valued as an individual, and receiving personalised support at work have now become top priorities for many people as well.

In this environment, diversity, equity, and inclusion are not optional add-ons; they must become an essential value proposition for any successful business or organisation. It’s certainly encouraging to see the growing adoption of DEI in various fields, with many employers recognising their benefits and incorporating them into their core strategies.

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has long championed the business case for DEI. Our Anti-Sexual Harassment Unit has been instrumental in helping employers create harassment-free workplaces and in supporting individuals affected by sexual harassment. We’ve also been a vocal advocate of the diverse and rich pool of local talent, launching the Racial Diversity and Inclusion Charter for Employers in 2018 to encourage more companies to hire ethnic minorities, and showcasing the amazing talent and skills of people with different abilities in our community through various initiatives.

However, there is always room for growth and improvement. We need to take a refreshed look at DEI to further increase its impact. At the EOC, we believe we can achieve this by adding the letter “A” for accessibility to create a new framework – “DEIA”.

Over the years, the concept of accessibility has become almost synonymous with barrier-free facilities for persons with disabilities. But if we broaden the idea to include universal design principles, such as equitable use, flexibility, and intuitiveness, accessibility can mean creating better built environments, goods, and services for everyone.

Consider the automatic door as an example. It not only makes entering and exiting buildings easier for individuals with disabilities, but also for the elderly, parents with strollers, and even office workers scrolling on their phones.

To start the conversation on how we can make Hong Kong more accessible, the EOC released a guide on universal design for the catering industry in October last year. From creating ample space between tables for improved mobility to ensuring sufficient lighting, the guide provides numerous practical examples to showcase how even the simplest changes can significantly enhance accessibility for all.

But that was just the start. This year, we are launching the brand new Universal Design Award Scheme. I’m excited to tell you that the scheme opens for applications today, and we hope it will encourage more organisations to create public spaces that are usable by everyone and bring the idea of universal design into the mainstream.

In our digital age, accessibility means more than just the physical. We also need to ensure there are no barriers in the digital space. The EOC has already begun discussions on digital accessibility with the catering sector, and we will continue to explore accessible UX design with other sectors as well. We are also conducting research on the impact of the digital divide on ethnic minorities, and the findings will help us improve their access to public information, health care, as well as goods and services.

Beyond the physical and digital environments, accessibility also means eliminating attitudinal barriers, and this will require a fundamental shift in our culture. Current societal norms say that providing special accommodation is a burden and only benefits those with special needs. But reality tells us the exact opposite. Diverse and inclusive organisations are more agile and consistently perform better. In other words, when you accommodate one, you elevate everyone.

It’s time we made accessibility a permanent fixture in the DEI framework. With DEIA as the cornerstone of our development strategy, we can transform Hong Kong into a global talent magnet and tap into the talents and skills of the diverse communities in our city. I look forward to working with all of you to make this vision a reality and thank you once again for having me here today.