以同理心驅動企業追求卓越，攜手共建更美好香港

在專注於財務表現、市場拓展與科技創新的同時，香港商界開始反思一個更深層次的問題：在這個瞬息萬變、社會議題層出不窮的環境下，企業如何才能持續卓越，同時為社會作出實質貢獻？許多成功的商界領袖不約而同指出：答案之一，就是「同理心」——而企業推動義工服務，正是培育這份關鍵能力、創造共享價值的重要途徑。

同理心：創新與高效協作的根源

在設計思維（Design Thinking）中，「同理」（Empathy）是一切創新的起點。要精準洞察客戶需求、開發具競爭力的產品與服務，團隊必須深刻理解使用者真實的處境與感受。而義工服務，正是企業內部的「同理心沉浸式體驗」。當員工走出辦公室，親身接觸社區中不同群體——無論是面對數碼落差的長者，還是尋求資源的基層家庭——他們獲得的是一手社會洞察。這種體驗不僅能激發創新思維，幫助團隊看見未被滿足的社會需求，從而啟發更具包容性與人文關懷的商業解決方案，例如普惠金融或無障礙科技，開拓新市場機遇；同時也能促進團隊融合，當來自不同部門的同事為共同公益目標協作時，能有效打破內部壁壘，建立跨職能的信任與默契，這份在義工項目中鍛鍊出來的協作能力，將直接反饋到日常工作效率的提升。

賦能員工：在貢獻中實現自我，提升歸屬感

個人的幸福感與成就感，很大程度上源於「對他人有所貢獻」的價值感，真正的歸屬感與自我實現自我，離不開社會性的貢獻——只有透過幫助他人，個體才能深刻感受到自身的存在價值與人際連繫。

企業若能提供有組織的義工服務平台，其實是一項極具策略性的人才投資：一方面，研究一致顯示，當員工認同理同公司的社會價值觀，並透過工作參與公益活動時，員工對組織的忠誠度與歸屬感會顯著提升，從而有效提高敬業度與留任率；另一方面，在義工服務中面對真實而多元的挑戰，能自然鍛鍊員工的領導力、溝通技巧、適應力以及解決複雜問題的能力，這些正是未來領袖不可或缺的關鍵軟實力。

企業獨特的角色：構建香港社會凝聚力的關鍵支柱

在促進「社會凝聚力」方面，企業擁有獨特且關鍵的角色。這個角色，其他組織難以替代——不僅因為企業掌握的資源與網絡，更因為它們在社會經濟中的核心位置，帶來了一種天然的責任與影響力。

首先，企業能夠匯聚並調動規模化的資源。相比單一慈善團體，企業可以系統性整合其核心優勢——無論是專業人才、技術、管理知識，抑或資金——然後精準投放至社會有需要的地方。例如，透過「專業義工服務」，企業可以幫助社福機構升級IT系統、優化營運，或者提升宣傳效能。這種基於專業技能的支援，所產生的「槓桿效果」與持續性，往往比一次性捐款更深遠。

其次，企業是搭建跨界別橋樑、促進社會共融的理想平台。企業日常營運已經連繫員工、客戶、合作夥伴等多元背景的人。有組織的義工活動，可以主動創造機會，讓來自不同行業、階層的同事，與社區中的長者、基層家庭、少數族裔等有真正、深入的交流。這種「貼地」的接觸，正是打破隔膜、消除偏見、建立社會互信最實在的方式。

企業能夠發揮策略性的領導與示範作用。當企業將義工服務與社會責任深度融入ESG策略與業務核心時，所發出的信息是有力而持久的。這樣做不僅塑造負責任的品牌形象，更可以影響整個產業鏈、同行、甚至整個商界，帶動更多資源一起關注並建設社會凝聚力，產生更廣的示範效應。因此，企業在構建社會凝聚力上的角色，遠遠不止是「參與」，更在於運用其獨特的組織能力、網絡與影響力，成為推動社會包容與團結的主動引擎。這份承諾，亦是企業為香港未來邁出的重要一步，同時也是實現長遠發展的穩固基石。

將善意轉化為可持續的競爭力

推動義工服務，並非額外的營運成本，而是對人力資本、創新能力及社會資本的策略性投資。將義工服務深度融入企業文化與發展藍圖之中。讓我們引領員工在服務社會的過程中，收穫更深刻的市場洞察與個人成長，最終轉化為驅動企業卓越發展、與香港共創繁榮未來的雙重動力。

這不僅是企業的責任，更是智慧的選擇。

Beyond the Ledger: Empathy-Driven Excellence for a Better Hong Kong

In this highly capitalized city, the Hong Kong business community has long relied on financial performance, market share, and technological innovation as the gold standards for measuring success. However, in the face of accelerating social change and increasingly complex challenges, business leaders must reflect on a more fundamental question: Can the pursuit of profit alone guarantee long-term, sustainable excellence? Our answer is clear: it cannot. For companies to achieve true resilience and impact, a core value must be embedded in their operational DNA—and that value is Empathy.

Organized corporate volunteer service is precisely the most effective pathway for Hong Kong businesses to cultivate this critical capability and create shared value.

Empathy: The Catalyst for Innovation and Efficiency

In the high-speed commercial world, empathy is often dismissed as a mere "soft skill," yet it is, in fact, the bedrock of innovation. Design Thinking has long established that empathy is the starting point for discerning all customer needs.

Corporate volunteer service offers employees a rare "empathy immersion experience." When our staff step away from their desks and personally engage with groups facing real-world challenges—such as seniors struggling with the digital divide or grassroots families seeking resources—they gain unfiltered social insights. This experience is powerful because it:

1. Catalyzes Innovation: It prompts teams to identify unmet social needs, inspiring more inclusive and human-centric business solutions, such as inclusive finance or barrier-free technology, thereby carving out new market opportunities for the company.

2. Enhances Collaboration: Volunteer activities unite colleagues from diverse departments under a common goal, effectively breaking down organizational silos and fostering cross-functional trust and rapport. The collaborative capability honed during this service directly translates into improved daily operational efficiency.

   
   

Investing in Talent: Fostering Belonging Through Contribution

The future of any enterprise hinges on the engagement and loyalty of its talent. Research consistently indicates that an individual's sense of happiness and belonging to an organization is intrinsically linked to the value derived from "contributing to others."

By providing a systematic volunteer platform, a company makes a highly effective strategic investment in its human capital:

• Boosted Loyalty and Retention: When employees identify with the company's social values and can realize those values through work-related philanthropic activities, their loyalty and sense of belonging to the organization are significantly reinforced.

• Honing Leadership Soft Skills: Addressing real community challenges naturally sharpens crucial soft skills indispensable for future leaders, including leadership, communication, adaptability, and complex problem-solving abilities.

  
  

The Unique Corporate Mandate: A Pillar of Social Cohesion

In building Hong Kong's social cohesion, corporations play an irreplaceable, central role. This stems not only from the vast resources and networks they command, but also from the inherent responsibility brought by their pivotal position in the socio-economic structure.

1. Effective Resource Mobilization: Corporations possess the ability to systematically integrate their core strengths—including professional talent, technology, management expertise, and capital. Through Pro Bono Volunteering, a company can help social welfare agencies optimize their IT systems or enhance their operational efficiency. The resultant "leverage effect" and sustainability of this skill-based support far surpass those of simple cash donations.

2. Facilitating Cross-Sector Inclusion: Companies are ideal platforms for bridging societal gaps. Organized volunteer activities actively create opportunities for staff from diverse industries and social strata to engage in "ground-level," meaningful interaction with community members. This is the most tangible way to dismantle barriers, eliminate prejudices, and build social trust.

3. Demonstration and Leadership: When a corporation deeply embeds social responsibility and volunteer service into its ESG strategy and core business, it sends a powerful and enduring signal. This not only shapes a responsible brand image but also influences the entire supply chain, peers, and the wider business community, mobilizing resources to focus on social cohesion and creating a broad ripple effect.

   
   

The Intelligent Choice for a Sustainable Future

Promoting volunteer service is by no means an operational expense; it is a strategic investment in human capital, innovation capability, and social capital.

We urge all Hong Kong businesses to transition this goodwill and commitment from a peripheral activity to an integral part of their core corporate culture. Let us lead our employees to gain profound market insights and personal growth through community service, ultimately transforming this effort into a dual engine that drives corporate excellence while co-creating a prosperous future for Hong Kong.

This is not merely a social obligation—it is the most intelligent business choice for the long term.