Activities

“A Glance of The Best” video The Hong Kong Smoke-free Leading Company Awards received over 730 applications, a significant increase of 40% as compared with 2019, benefiting more than 150,000 employees from a wide variety of industries. A wide variety of effective smoke-free measures have been adopted. COSH has invited the winning companies to share the ways and experience in promoting the smoke-free culture. 2023 Awards Presentation Ceremony 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/