Social Contribution
HKIA is not only a key transportation facility serving the people of Hong Kong, it also contributes to the social development of the city by strategically investing in the people and skills development for the aviation industry and creating a platform to support the development of local technology.
AAHK’s community investment vision:
“To contribute to the social and economic growth of Hong Kong, in particular Lantau and other neighbouring communities, by nurturing talent, realising the potential of individuals, and encouraging participation in aviation-related industries.”
We launched the EXTRA MILE project based on our community investment vision in January 2018. Supported by over 20 airport business partners, non-governmental organisations and social enterprises, the project is a collaborative platform that aims to develop and nurture talent, improve social mobility and drive the development of HKIA and the society.
Three programmes have been launched, namely “Working Holiday@Lantau”, “The Pioneer” and “EduCare”, which focus on working youth and non-Chinese speakers (NCS) in Hong Kong, and working parents at HKIA respectively.
Working Holiday@Lantau
A one-year work placement programme encompassing accommodation and exploratory elements to motivate working youth and facilitate their people skills development.
The Pioneer
A one-year work placement programme for NCS with leadership potential to nurture team leaders, who may act as a bridge between local supervisors and existing and potential NCS employees.
EduCare
A one-academic-year after-school care programme for Tung Chung primary school students whose parents are working at HKIA, covering tutorial services, exposure programmes and family support.
Q&A with Justin Li, Manager, Community Relations
How was the EXTRA MILE project developed?
“In response to stakeholders’ growing expectations of AAHK to contribute more strategically to the Hong Kong community, AAHK formulated a community investment (CI) vision in June 2015. Based on this vision, we developed a CI strategy which focuses on addressing human resources issues by “nurturing talent” and “unleashing the potential of individuals”. These set the direction for a feasibility study to identify the needs of our neighbouring communities, and to develop pilot project ideas that align with the focus of our CI strategy.
At the beginning of 2018, we launched the EXTRA MILE project with three pilot programmes, namely “Working Holiday@Lantau”, “The Pioneer” and “EduCare” targeting working youth, non-Chinese speakers (NCS), and working parents at HKIA, respectively.”
How does EXTRA MILE create business and social value, and benefit both HKIA and the community?
“The EXTRA MILE project goes beyond corporate social responsibility and adopts the concept of “creating shared value (CSV)” – it is a collaborative platform which helps AAHK and our airport business partners to attract and retain talent for the airport community while simultaneously generates social value through creating employment and upward mobility opportunities for the community.”
What are the key success factors in the EXTRA MILE project?
“One of the key success factors is the participation of airport business partners in the project. CSV is a relatively novel concept which is not yet fully understood by local business. To this end, we have taken a more pragmatic approach by highlighting the tangible benefit of attracting and retaining talent for the airport community. We are pleased that 15 airport business partners supported the project at the outset.
Our community partners [The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, HKSKH Lady MacLehose Centre, and Playtao Education Foundation Limited] also played an important role in the project. Their expertise and knowledge of our neighbouring communities, as well as their connections with the three identified target groups are crucial to the design of the pilot programmes and its proper execution.”
What are your memorable moments in this project?
“One of the participants was very nervous when speaking in front of other people even in his native language. He was originally employed as F&B Associate and was later rotated to a guest services position at an airport lounge. It was a touching moment to observe him at the reception desk confidently receiving overseas guests into the airport lounge.
Moreover, it is encouraging to see the positive responses from airport business partners. The number of companies participating in the project has increased to 23 from the original 15 at launch. Some companies even go the extra mile to support the project, for example, through fine-tuning their recruitment procedures and providing additional arrangements for job interviews with NCS.”
“I used to stay inside my comfort zone, but participating in the Working Holiday@Lantau programme allows me to step out. It enables me to understand my strengths so as to better plan my future career path.”
Molly Yuen, participant of Working Holiday@Lantau
To support our vision of establishing HKIA as the Hong Kong people’s airport, we proactively collaborate with local universities, research and development centres, incubators, and start-ups to explore, test and implement locally-developed technological solutions at HKIA.
We held the third HKIA Technovation Conference in November 2017 to explore data analytics and intelligence applications in driving efficient airport operations. The event was attended by over 650 participants from the airport community, government, and technology and innovation industries along with representatives of the airports of Frankfurt, London and Toronto.
Moreover, our Technovation Fund continues to provide funding support for the development of local technological solutions which could enhance HKIA’s operational efficiency. Examples of technological solutions tested and implemented at HKIA include:
- Autonomous Electric Tractor (AET) – A driverless tractor equipped with a global positioning system devise, video analytics cameras, Light Detection and Ranging sensors and a drive-by-wire system. Following a successful demonstration in June 2018, the AET is undergoing trials for further refining its machine learning capabilities.
- Indoor Multi-function Patrol Robot – A common autonomous platform with detachable functional unit on top. Proof of concept trials have successfully been carried out in public areas. Additional functionalities, such as collaborative learning, augmented intelligence and 3D vision, will be deployed in Q4 2018/19 to enhance its capability.
