Galaxy Entertainment Group has highlighted the important role IR operators can play in their local communities via its array of CSR initiatives in Macau in 2020.
A recurring theme in discussions over Japan’s first integrated resorts is the need for operators to provide tangible benefits to the local community. But what does that look like in practice?
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To find the answer, we took a deep dive into the work of one of Asia’s leading integrated resort operators, Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG), in its home base of Macau over the past six months.
Among the most active when it comes to supporting the Macau community, GEG – which operates Galaxy Macau and StarWorld and is looking to develop an IR in Yokohama – has been particularly busy in the CSR field since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Its COVID-19 initiatives have included MOP$200 million (US$25 million) in financial contributions, comprising MOP$75 million to provide care for frontline healthcare workers in mainland China, MOP$20 million (US$2.5 million) to Hubei Province – where the COVID-19 outbreak originated – to assist in relief efforts, and MOP$5 million to support prevention initiatives in the local Macau community. GEG also subscribed to HK$100 million of SME-themed COVID-19 Impact Alleviation Social Bonds issued by Bank of China (BOC) Macau in response to the government’s call to support affected SMEs in overcoming their financial challenges during the COVID-19 epidemic.
The proceeds raised have already been used to provide special loans and reduce the financing costs of Macau SMEs by providing health care and medical supplies.
In February, GEG donated one million face masks to the Macau SAR Government, Zhuhai City Government and Hengqin New Area Government at a time when accessing safety equipment was becoming increasingly difficult due to demand. The donation included 500,000 masks to Macau and another 500,000 to Zhuhai and Hengqin.
It also assisted local organizations with sanitation efforts. Working with global hygiene expert Rentokil, GEG began carrying out high-efficient air sanitizations at local social service organizations such as Kai Hong Centre and Kai Lung Centre of the Macau Association for The Mentally Handicapped, Rehabilitation Centre for the Blind of Macau Holy House of Mercy, the Association of Parents of the People with Intellectual Disabilities of Macau, Fuhong Society of Macau and many more.
It isn’t only about COVID, though.
Since the turn of the year, GEG’s community support has seen the company provide parenting skills training via special workshops to more than 100 staff members to help them enhance their parent-child relationships during the pandemic. The “Happy Parenting” skills training program targeted team members with children aged between 2 and 7.
In June, with Macau’s typhoon season approaching, GEG worked with the Public Security Police Force, the Social Welfare Bureau, the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau of the Macau Special Administrative Government, and Peng On Tung Tele-Assistance Service Center of Macau to raise awareness for disaster preparedness by organizing an “Emergency Preparedness Talk” on how to evacuate from low-lying areas during major storms and typhoons for more than 60 Peng On Tung users and GEG volunteers. GEG then arranged volunteers to visit the homes of the participating elderly and delivered disaster preparedness “Family Care” kits and other household supplies.
The company has also been active in implementing environmental measures, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Macau Coca Cola at the start of the year to create a circular system for all branded bottles of GEG and its properties, designed to increase the recycling, reuse and reduction of plastic waste.
Under the circular system program, branded (PET) bottles of GEG and its properties are recycled and delivered to a Taiwanese supplier approved by Coca-Cola to be processed into food grade plastic pellets that comply with the standards of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States and the European Food Safety Authority of the European Union. The manufacturing process of recycled PET (rPET) pellets reduces the carbon footprint by up to 63% and such pellets are then used by Macau Coca-Cola to produce new recycled bottles.
All of GEG’s branded bottles are now manufactured through this system.
“Sharing a vision for this program, GEG and Macau Coca-Cola are sparing no effort in fulfilling our corporate social responsibilities in environmental protection,” said GEG Chief Operating Officer – Macau, Kevin Kelley, at the time.
“We believe this partnership will lead the industry by example, and GEG can further support Macau’s development as a green city, comfortable for residents and visitors.”
Since the start of January, GEG has announced more than 20 CSR initiatives – setting an example for what it means to be a good corporate citizen.
