Issue 4 2008 > Going Green in a Special Way
Corporate Social Responsibility
Going Green in a Special Way
The Crown Hong Kong staff again took the opportunity to support a great cause by dressing "special" for work. The branch chose a very special theme that highlighted their support for the environment, and according to some members of staff, the office was notably colorful and as green as open grasslands.
Members of Crown Hong Kong's staff
On September 30, the entire staff wore green to work, though it was neither Christmas nor St. Patrick's Day. It was however, another "Dress Special" day, organized by Community Chest, Hong Kong. The Community Chest was established in 1968, as an independent, nonprofit organization. They work to accomplish daunting fundraising targets, year after year, and allocate these funds entrusted by the public to 144 social welfare agencies. These agencies provide services to the elderly, the mentally and physically impaired, children, youth and families at risk, the formerly mentally ill, ex-offenders, the terminally ill, and many others.
Crown Hong Kong gladly supports this fundraising event every year, but why the color green this year? The reasons are simple: they first wanted to demonstrate that they are "environmentally friendly;' and secondly, hoped the splashes of green throughout the office would be a refreshing reminder of this event throughout the day, while working at their computers.
About Dress Special Day
The idea of dressing casually on a working day, to raise funds for charity, was introduced to Hong Kong, by The Community Chest of Hong Kong, in 1993. Dress Casual day is a popular fund-raising event. The number of participants is increasing every year. In order to increase the involvement of the participants in the event, different competitions are held every year. All the participating organizations and schools also carry out some internal functions to show their support. The recent changes in office dress codes in Hong Kong have prompted the working public to dress casually for work. Therefore Dress Casual day was renamed Dress Special Day in 2006. Last year, with the support of about 480,000 participants from 1,300 organizations, schools and government departments, almost US $2.5 million was raised.
Each year, souvenir stickers are given to participants to show their support for the event and their care for the needy. Participants can also keep the souvenir stickers as a memento.
Well-done to Crown Hong Kong for supporting this wonderful cause!