Press Release and Media Coverage
Press Release
2024.03.20
"Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2023" Business Community Jointed Efforts to build a Smoke-free Hong Kong
Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) held the Awards Presentation Ceremony of “Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2023” on 20 March (today) to recognize the outstanding companies and organizations for their commitment and fruitful achievement to a smoke-free corporate culture. The Awards in 2023 scaled a new height with over 730 companies and organizations participating, an increase of nearly 40% as compared with Awards in 2019, proving that the business community is attaching more importance to the promotion of smoke-free culture. The Awards also received full support from 65 chambers of commerce and organizations from different industries, mobilizing their members to participate. At the same time, in collaboration with smoking cessation service providers, the Awards demonstrated the concerted efforts from all sectors, working together towards a smoke-free Hong Kong.
COSH organized the Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2023 together with the Occupational Safety and Health Council and Radio 1 of Radio Television Hong Kong with the aim to encourage businesses to promote smoke-free messages to their stakeholders including employees, customers and the general public on a continuous basis. The Awards presentation ceremony was co-organized by COSH and Radio 1 of Radio Television Hong Kong. Officiating guests included Mr Henry FAN Hung-ling, SBS, JP (Chairman, Hospital Authority), Prof LAU Chak-sing BBS, JP (Dean of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong), Dr FUNG Ying (Head, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, Department of Health), Prof LAM Tai-hing (Emeritus and Honorary Clinical Professor, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong), Prof Patrick WONG Lung-tak, (Chairman, Quit-Winners Club), Ms Bonnie YAU, (Executive Director, Occupational Safety and Health Council), Mr Vincent LEE Hin-wah, (Assistant Director of Broadcasting (Radio & Corporate Programming)), Mr Henry TONG Sau-chai (COSH Chairman), Dr Johnnie CHAN Chi-kau (COSH Vice-chairman cum Awards Organizing Committee Chairman) and Ms LAI Wai-yin (COSH Executive Director). Dr Libby Lee, Under Secretary for Health, also delivered a pre-recorded message to show her support for the Awards and tobacco control efforts. She encouraged the business community to continue supporting the Government's tobacco control policies and collaborate in building a more vibrant and healthier smoke-free society in the long run. Artist Mike Tsang also shared the benefits of smoking cessation and the harm of smoking, encouraging everyone to stay away from tobacco products.
Mr Henry TONG, COSH Chairman said, “The active promotion of a smoke-free culture by businesses is definitely a significant driving force in transforming Hong Kong into a smoke-free city. The winning companies and organizations have utilized the unique characteristics of their industries, demonstrated creativity, and implement smoke-free policies and measures that best suit their employees, achieving remarkable results that deserve recognition.” He also mentioned that it was the first time in the past 20 years that the Government had increased tobacco tax consecutively, which demonstrated the Government's determination in tobacco control. COSH hopes that the Government would annually review and adjust the tobacco tax based on the inflation rate, so as to prevent the tobacco companies from succeeding in their cunning schemes.
Dr Johnnie CHAN Chi-kau, COSH Vice-chairman cum Awards Organizing Committee Chairman pointed out, "The participation from companies and organizations sets a record, spanning across different industries including Government departments, banks, catering, property management, transportation logistics, and education, among others. With over 150,000 employees benefiting, it is evident that the Awards has gained recognition. Establishing a smoke-free work culture can effectively help employees avoid the harm of smoking, improve health, enhance work efficiency and morale, and at the same time build a positive image for the company. It is truly beneficial in every way." He also hoped that the Awards can generate a synergistic effect among different industries, incorporating a smoke-free culture into the community, and achieve an early realization of the Government's target of reducing the smoking rate to 7.8% by 2025.
The participants of the Awards were from a wide variety of industries. Three companies were awarded “Smoke-free Leading Excellence Gold Awards” for their continuous commitment; nine companies were awarded “Gold Awards”, eleven companies were awarded “Silver Awards”, one company was awarded “Outstanding Participation Award” and over 600 companies were awarded “Certificate of Merit”. In recent years, corporate development emphasizes the concept of ESG (Environmental, Social Governance). COSH introduced the "Outstanding ESG Smoke-free Involvement Award" and one company was honoured with this Award.
The Awardees came up with creative, diversified and effective measures to encourage their employees to quit smoking and build a healthy lifestyle, such as setting up smoking cessation supporting groups, providing incentives, complimentary Chinese medicine advice service and disseminating smoke-free information through the company's mobile phone application, successfully promoted smoking cessation among staff to create a smoke-free atmosphere.
For more information about the " Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2023", please visit: https://www.smokefreeleadingcompany.hk/en/awardees_list/lists/38/|Details|
2023.10.27
"Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2023" application deadline extension
The application deadline of “Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2023”is now extended to 17 November 2023 (Friday) due to an overwhelming response. The eligibility of“Smoke-free policy implemented period” will be also extended from 20 October 2023 to 10 November 2023. The Awards enrollment is free of charge. All government departments, companies and organizations from different industries are welcomed to join.|Details|
2023.09.21
COSH launched WhatsApp/ Signal Stickers
Smoke-free Ambassador “Wise Mike” launched a set of employee’s style WhatsApp/Signal stickers. You are welcome to download and share with colleagues, families and friends to promote smoke-free culture among workplace and achieve a smoke-free Hong Kong!
Click to download
|Details|
2023.09.15
Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2023 opens for application
Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2023 opens for application
Register for the 2023 Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards (smokefreeleadingcompany.hk)
|Details|
2020.08.21
Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2019 Concerted efforts of business community to create a smoke-free Hong Kong
Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (“COSH”) organized the Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards (“the Awards”) together with Occupational Safety and Health Council and Radio 1 of Radio Television Hong Kong (“RTHK”) in 2019. The Awards in 2019 scaled a new height with more than 530 companies participating, a 10% increase as compared with the Awards in 2016. Over 130,000 employees from a wide variety of industries were benefited, including banking, property management, retail, logistics, transportation, construction and government departments, etc. A special programme jointly produced by COSH and RTHK was broadcast today (21 August) during the programme “Healthpedia” on RTHK TV31 and Radio 1 to commend the outstanding companies and highlight their remarkable smoke-free policies. It was also the first live streaming Awards ceremony on Facebook reaching out more audience.
By uniting the enterprises and organizations, the Awards aimed to encourage businesses to support smoking cessation and spread smoke-free messages among employees, customers and people from all walks of life, in order to strive for a smoke-free Hong Kong. Over 80 major commerce chambers and associations fully supported the Awards by motivating their members to join. Besides, various smoking cessation service providers assisted businesses in setting up smoke-free workplaces and diverse policies.
Participating guests of the programme included Honourable Patron, Prof Sophia CHAN (Secretary for Food and Health), Co-organizer, Bonnie YAU (Executive Director, Occupational Safety and Health Council), Gold Awardees and Winners of the “Outstanding Smoke-free Community Involvement Award”, Connie LAM (Director of Human Resources, CLP Power Hong Kong Limited) and Jenny PONG (Director of Human Resources, Gammon Construction Limited) and Antonio KWONG (COSH Chairman). Singer, Candy LO shared her successful experience in overcoming the tobacco cravings and encouraged smokers to strengthen their quit will.
“Smoke-free policies at workplaces help motivate smoking employees to go smoke-free, improve work efficiency and minimize healthcare expenses which would achieve win-win-win situations for employees, company and the society.” said Antonio KWONG, COSH Chairman. COSH has organized tailored publicity programmes targeting industries with high smoking prevalence over the years. Some awardees had participated in these industry specific programmes before and now became the role models of their sectors. This year, COSH is going to launch a programme for housing management industry with an aim to enhance their role in advocating smoke-free culture.
Honourable Patron of the Awards, Prof Sophia CHAN, Secretary for Food and Health mentioned that company and organization support for smoke-free policies at workplace is essential in achieving a smoke-free Hong Kong. It is encouraging that there is an increasing number of companies concern the health of workforce and raise staff awareness on a smoke-free lifestyle. Promotion of smoking cessation services is one of the Government’s multi-pronged tobacco control policies. We will work closely with various partners to provide variety of smoking cessation services and explore ways to motivate smokers staying away from tobacco.
The Awards was first introduced in 2011 and was the fourth time in 2019 to mobilize businesses to promote smoke-free culture on a continuous basis. A judging meeting was held by an independent Judging Panel, including representatives from COSH, the Government, industry and academia in December 2019. The panel concluded that two companies received the Triple Gold Awards for their continuous commitment; 14 companies received the Gold Awards, and two of them also received the Outstanding Smoke-free Community Involvement Awards for their outstanding performance in promoting smoke-free culture in the community; 16 companies received the Silver Awards; and over 490 companies awarded the Certificates of Merit for recognition of their support.
A wide variety of smoke-free measures have been adopted e.g. smoking cessation reward schemes, creative smoke-free graphic designs and interactive education events. Besides, the businesses empowered non-smoking employees and their family to encourage smokers to quit and create a supportive atmosphere for smoking cessation. To conclude, management support, substantial resources allocation and collaboration with smoking cessation service providers were proven to be critical in effective implementation of smoke-free policies.
For more information about Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards, please visit www.smokefreeleadingcompany.hk. |Details|
2020.01.27
“Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2019” – Coping with Tobacco Cravings by Mindfulness Meditation
Second session of "Coping with Tobacco Cravings" workshop was co-organized by Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health and Radio 1 of Radio Television Hong Kong. The mindfulness workshop aims to assist smoking employees to curb the tobacco cravings and kick the habit by relieving stress and strengthening the quit will. Please click here to view the highlight video (Chinese version only).
|Details|
2019.10.11
“Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards 2019” – Coping with Tobacco Cravings by Street Workout (Chinese version only)
A “Coping with Tobacco Cravings” workshop was co-organized by Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health and Radio 1 of Radio Television Hong Kong. The street workout workshop aims to assist businesses in motivating smoking employees to develop healthy habits and replace smoking by doing exercises. Please click here to view the highlight video (Chinese version only).|Details|
Media Coverage
2024.03.27
香港無煙領先企業大獎2023︳逾700企業機構參與 攜手推廣無煙文化
(HK01)
(Chinese version only)
2024.03.27
香港無煙領先企業大獎2023 逾730間企業機構攜手推動無煙文化
(Hong Kong Economic Times)
(Chinese version only)
2023.10.27
香港無煙領先企業大獎五度舉行 鼓勵企業機構踴躍參與共建無煙香港
(Ming Pao)
(Chinese version only)
2023.09.21
香港無煙領先企業大獎2023啟動 糅合ESG元素 推動無煙城市
(Hong Kong Economic Times)
(Chinese version only)
2020.03.30
「香港無煙領先企業大獎2019 鼓勵企業倡導無煙文化」
(HK01)
(Chinese version only)
2020.03.30
「嘉許傑出表現企業 宣揚無煙企業文化」
(Hong Kong Economic Times)
(Chinese version only)