Cross-Sector Endeavour Continues to Cultivate Corporate Social Responsibility

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - 6 July 2020 - Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) - The Citi-HKCSS Community Intern Program (CIP) is celebrating its 10^th year of providing internship opportunities for local university business students at local non-profit organizations (NGOs). Since its launch in 2010, nearly 700 interns have been nurtured through the program.

Co-organized by Citi and the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), Citi-HKCSS Community Intern Program is a first-of-its-kind cross-sector collaboration between academia, business and the NGO sector. Sponsored by Citi, the program aims to foster an exchange of knowledge, ideas and expertise between Hong Kong's emerging business leaders and local non-profit organizations, through an array of activities ranging from marketing, event management and fundraising to day-to-day operations for NGOs. Most importantly, the program enhances the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the participating business university students in Hong Kong.

Mr. Wayne Fong, Head of Corporate Affairs, Citi Hong Kong, said, "This year marks the 10^th year of our collaborative effort with HKCSS. We are delighted to have forged cross-sector partnerships for mutual learning and contribution between local university business students and local non-profit organizations. Over previous years, the program has served as a stage and a classroom for resourceful young people to excel and improve their expertise and ideas, while offering local NGOs more innovative solutions to anticipating challenges and a chance to build awareness in the sector. Citi has a firm commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility and strives to enable the economic growth and progress of different stakeholders in the Hong Kong community. We hope our future business leaders will carry with them a broadened understanding of community needs and continue to dedicate themselves to the betterment of society in their future careers."

Dr. John Fung, Business Director, The Hong Kong Council of Social Service said, "Without the strong and continuous support from Citi, this program would not have come into its 10^th year. Cross-sector partnerships and multiple beneficiary designs are niches of the program. NGOs have got solid manpower and innovative marketing support to improve their works. Local university business students are able to get in touch with different underserved groups and gain in-depth understanding of the social situation. This internship program offers comprehensive experiential learning opportunities to enhance the future skills of the youth, preparing them to be inclusive leaders with a social mindset. Today, I am very happy to have two alumni, who graduated in 2010 and 2015, here to share their career successes with attribution to early social exposure through the program. "

This year, 80 business students will do internships at 40 local NGOs during July and August. The CIP interns will provide strategic and operational assistance to their assigned NGOs in areas including but not limited to network building, brand-building, fundraising, social enterprise business, operations and community service support. To enhance their understanding and social mindset, the interns will receive 20 hours of comprehensive coaching on social service development in Hong Kong, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and cross-sector collaborations prior to the start of their internships. Some participating non-profit organizations provide services to a wide range of stakeholders, including low-income groups, the elderly, students with special needs, and persons with disabilities, while others promote nature conservation.

Photos:

1. (first row second and third from left) Mr. Wayne Fong, Head of Corporate Affairs, Citi Hong Kong and Dr. John Fung, Business Director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) pictured with the 80 interns at the induction event for the Citi-HKCSS Community Intern Program 2020.
2. 30 interns joined a workshop to learn the concepts of "Upcycling" and "Making by Doing" at a social innovation project called UpCycling Plus located at Hung Shui Kiu, Tuen Mun.