ICAC joins forces with IT practitioners to build an ethical digital city
2001-11-27
ICAC Commissioner, Mr Alan Lai, today (Tuesday) called upon senior executives in the information technology industry to practise ethical management in order to effect a fair, efficient and transparent e-Business environment.
As a major step to reinforce a culture of probity in the private sector, the ICAC also launched today a new website to promote exchanges on business ethics.
In his opening address to 170 senior executives and managers at the “Leveraging Information Technology –'96 Ethics Perspectives for Managers Forum 2001”, Mr Lai noted that the advancement of information technology had brought new business opportunities, but at the same time it facilitated
criminal activities.
Mr Lai said an ethical management system was important in that the formulation of legislation to deal with IT-related crimes would not keep pace with technology development.
“Ethics is at the core of preventing corruption. Ethical management helps to reduce corruption, fraud, and an array of malpractices,” he said.
Mr Lai added that the Forum, an exemplary illustration of partnership building, marked one step further in the pursuit of a level-playing field for Hong Kong to become a world-class digital city.
The Forum was jointly organised by the ICAC, the Information Technology Services Department, six chambers of commerce and seven professional bodies to discuss the role of ethics in managing the challenges posed by technological advancement.
Four speakers from various organisations delivered keynote speeches at the Forum. They are: Director of Information Technology Services, Mr Alan Wong; Chairman of Securities and Futures Commission, Mr Andrew Sheng; Vice-president of Information Systems A udit and Control Association (Hong Kong Chapter), Mr William Gee; experienced IT practitioner, Mr Wilson Cheng.
At a lunch meeting at the close of the seminar, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ITX Services Ltd., Professor Charles Kao, also espoused his views on “Ethics in the IT Age”.
Meanwhile, Mr Lai and representatives of the six member organisations of the Hong Kong Ethics Development Advisory Committee (HKEDAC) launched the Hong Kong Ethics Development Centre (the “Centre”) website
( www.icac.org.hk/hkedc ) during the luncheon.
Established under the auspices of the ICAC's Community Relations Department in 1995, the Centre is tasked to foster business ethics in Hong Kong by providing consultancy services on the formulation of code of conduct, system control and staff training.
Its work is guided by the HKEDAC, which is supported by six chambers of commerce in Hong Kong.
The website launched today will serve as a forum for renowned leaders from the business sector to share their insights on practising ethics. It also has an on-line databank of practical and handy reference materials on ethical management.
The public can also subscribe to an E-mail Alert service that will keep them posted of new events and information.
As a major step to reinforce a culture of probity in the private sector, the ICAC also launched today a new website to promote exchanges on business ethics.
In his opening address to 170 senior executives and managers at the “Leveraging Information Technology –'96 Ethics Perspectives for Managers Forum 2001”, Mr Lai noted that the advancement of information technology had brought new business opportunities, but at the same time it facilitated
criminal activities.
Mr Lai said an ethical management system was important in that the formulation of legislation to deal with IT-related crimes would not keep pace with technology development.
“Ethics is at the core of preventing corruption. Ethical management helps to reduce corruption, fraud, and an array of malpractices,” he said.
Mr Lai added that the Forum, an exemplary illustration of partnership building, marked one step further in the pursuit of a level-playing field for Hong Kong to become a world-class digital city.
The Forum was jointly organised by the ICAC, the Information Technology Services Department, six chambers of commerce and seven professional bodies to discuss the role of ethics in managing the challenges posed by technological advancement.
Four speakers from various organisations delivered keynote speeches at the Forum. They are: Director of Information Technology Services, Mr Alan Wong; Chairman of Securities and Futures Commission, Mr Andrew Sheng; Vice-president of Information Systems A udit and Control Association (Hong Kong Chapter), Mr William Gee; experienced IT practitioner, Mr Wilson Cheng.
At a lunch meeting at the close of the seminar, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ITX Services Ltd., Professor Charles Kao, also espoused his views on “Ethics in the IT Age”.
Meanwhile, Mr Lai and representatives of the six member organisations of the Hong Kong Ethics Development Advisory Committee (HKEDAC) launched the Hong Kong Ethics Development Centre (the “Centre”) website
( www.icac.org.hk/hkedc ) during the luncheon.
Established under the auspices of the ICAC's Community Relations Department in 1995, the Centre is tasked to foster business ethics in Hong Kong by providing consultancy services on the formulation of code of conduct, system control and staff training.
Its work is guided by the HKEDAC, which is supported by six chambers of commerce in Hong Kong.
The website launched today will serve as a forum for renowned leaders from the business sector to share their insights on practising ethics. It also has an on-line databank of practical and handy reference materials on ethical management.
The public can also subscribe to an E-mail Alert service that will keep them posted of new events and information.