ICAC, DevB and CIC join hands to foster probity culture in construction industry
2023-5-4
To promote integrity management and a probity culture in the construction industry, the ICAC has teamed up with the Development Bureau (DevB) and the Construction Industry Council (CIC) today (May 4) in launching the Building a Clean and Fair Construction Industry Through Collaboration Anti-Corruption Summit and Commitment to Action Agenda.
The event which took place at the CIC Zero Carbon Park at Kowloon Bay was attended in person by around 90 leaders, company directors, managerial staff and practitioners of the construction industry, while about 2,000 practitioners joined online. Representatives of trade associations, institutes and workers’ unions pledged to comply with the Integrity Action Agenda to proactively combat corruption and illegal “referral fees”. The event also aimed to appeal to clients, consultants, contractors, professionals, specialist trade contractors, sub-contractors and workers to support, observe and implement corruption prevention measures such as probity provisions and to report corruption.
“A clean and fair working environment for the construction sector will not only help retain technical talents but also effectively attract new comers, inject new impetus and create a sustainable future for Hong Kong’s construction industry. All stakeholders should further enhance the industry's operation mechanism, implement the Integrity Management System, and strengthen practitioners’ corruption prevention awareness,” Director of Community Relations Ms Corinna Wong Kit-mui spoke at the event.
Wong noted that the Commission had strived to combat corruption and heighten practitioners’ awareness through system prevention and education. The graft fighter’s strategy was to deter and prohibit and ultimately, nurture a probity culture so that people in the industry simply did not wish to become corrupt. She called on the industry to actively participate in the Integrity Charter 2.0 and adopt the Integrity Management System by implementing integrity policies, integrity training and integrity risk management to enhance their capacity in resisting corruption. “It is imperative to tackle the problem at the root. Through education, we hope industry practitioners will adhere to professional ethics and cultivate an ethical culture in the sector,” Ms Wong added.
CIC Chairman Ir Thomas Ho On-sing, another officiating guest at the event, noted that the city’s development in the coming 10 years was expected to create business opportunities to the tune of $300 billion for the construction industry. However, a small group of people might be tempted to seek illegal gains in different positions in the sector. Industry leaders, heads of companies and managerial staff of construction projects should eliminate all loopholes which might lead to corruption and malpractices. Ho added that the CIC had been working closely with DevB and the ICAC to “vaccinate” the construction industry against corruption and establish a reputation for integrity so that practitioners would be able to share and enjoy achievements of the industry’s promising future.
At today’s event, Assistant Director of Corruption Prevention Mr Ricky Lai Wai-ki hosted a seminar on corruption prevention and integrity management in the construction industry. Lai shared with participants the Integrity Management System, the Construction Industry Integrity Charter 2.0 and ways to enhance the sector’s corruption prevention awareness.
Meanwhile, Principal Investigator of the Operations Department Ms Kate Cheuk Chi-yan, and Executive Director of the ICAC’s Hong Kong Business Ethics Development Centre (HKBEDC) Ms Mary Lau Kwok-mei joined a discussion session hosted by CIC Executive Director Ir Albert Cheng Ting-ning. They shared with participants how to deter illegal conduct and ways to establish a probity culture in the construction industry. Companies were advised to recruit and supervise employees instead of relying on intermediary agencies, render full assistance to the ICAC in its investigation work, and enhance construction workers’ corruption prevention awareness. To enhance participants’ understanding of various corruption risks in the industry and related criminal liabilities, ICAC officers shared with the meeting some convicted cases in relation to illegal introduction fees. Participants were also introduced to the Commission’s educational resources for the construction sector.
The event which took place at the CIC Zero Carbon Park at Kowloon Bay was attended in person by around 90 leaders, company directors, managerial staff and practitioners of the construction industry, while about 2,000 practitioners joined online. Representatives of trade associations, institutes and workers’ unions pledged to comply with the Integrity Action Agenda to proactively combat corruption and illegal “referral fees”. The event also aimed to appeal to clients, consultants, contractors, professionals, specialist trade contractors, sub-contractors and workers to support, observe and implement corruption prevention measures such as probity provisions and to report corruption.
“A clean and fair working environment for the construction sector will not only help retain technical talents but also effectively attract new comers, inject new impetus and create a sustainable future for Hong Kong’s construction industry. All stakeholders should further enhance the industry's operation mechanism, implement the Integrity Management System, and strengthen practitioners’ corruption prevention awareness,” Director of Community Relations Ms Corinna Wong Kit-mui spoke at the event.
Wong noted that the Commission had strived to combat corruption and heighten practitioners’ awareness through system prevention and education. The graft fighter’s strategy was to deter and prohibit and ultimately, nurture a probity culture so that people in the industry simply did not wish to become corrupt. She called on the industry to actively participate in the Integrity Charter 2.0 and adopt the Integrity Management System by implementing integrity policies, integrity training and integrity risk management to enhance their capacity in resisting corruption. “It is imperative to tackle the problem at the root. Through education, we hope industry practitioners will adhere to professional ethics and cultivate an ethical culture in the sector,” Ms Wong added.
CIC Chairman Ir Thomas Ho On-sing, another officiating guest at the event, noted that the city’s development in the coming 10 years was expected to create business opportunities to the tune of $300 billion for the construction industry. However, a small group of people might be tempted to seek illegal gains in different positions in the sector. Industry leaders, heads of companies and managerial staff of construction projects should eliminate all loopholes which might lead to corruption and malpractices. Ho added that the CIC had been working closely with DevB and the ICAC to “vaccinate” the construction industry against corruption and establish a reputation for integrity so that practitioners would be able to share and enjoy achievements of the industry’s promising future.
At today’s event, Assistant Director of Corruption Prevention Mr Ricky Lai Wai-ki hosted a seminar on corruption prevention and integrity management in the construction industry. Lai shared with participants the Integrity Management System, the Construction Industry Integrity Charter 2.0 and ways to enhance the sector’s corruption prevention awareness.
Meanwhile, Principal Investigator of the Operations Department Ms Kate Cheuk Chi-yan, and Executive Director of the ICAC’s Hong Kong Business Ethics Development Centre (HKBEDC) Ms Mary Lau Kwok-mei joined a discussion session hosted by CIC Executive Director Ir Albert Cheng Ting-ning. They shared with participants how to deter illegal conduct and ways to establish a probity culture in the construction industry. Companies were advised to recruit and supervise employees instead of relying on intermediary agencies, render full assistance to the ICAC in its investigation work, and enhance construction workers’ corruption prevention awareness. To enhance participants’ understanding of various corruption risks in the industry and related criminal liabilities, ICAC officers shared with the meeting some convicted cases in relation to illegal introduction fees. Participants were also introduced to the Commission’s educational resources for the construction sector.
Director of Community Relations Corinna Wong Kit-mui speaks at the event.
CIC Chairman Ir Thomas Ho On-sing says the Council cooperates closely with DevB and the ICAC.
Leaders of the industry pledge support for the Integrity Action Agenda.
Assistant Director of Corruption Prevention Ricky Lai Wai-ki (middle) hosts the seminar on corruption prevention and integrity management in the construction industry.
Principal Investigator of the Operations Department Kate Cheuk (third right) and Executive Director of HKBEDC Mary Lau (second left) share convicted cases relating to construction industry and ICAC's educational resources.