Labour and Welfare Bureau Honors 215 Employers for Supporting Inclusive Employment of Persons with Disabilities

2025-10-10 19:25 Last Updated At：19:38

"Caring Employer" Medal Presentation Ceremony 2025 held today

The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) held the "Caring Employer" Medal Presentation Ceremony 2025 today (October 10) at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Auditorium, Hong Kong Palace Museum, West Kowloon Cultural District, to commend employers who actively engage persons with disabilities (PWDs), thereby fostering an inclusive workplace and promoting the employment of PWDs.

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"Caring Employer" Medal Presentation Ceremony 2025 held today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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"Caring Employer" Medal Presentation Ceremony 2025 held today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, delivered a video speech, congratulating the 215 awardees of the "Caring Employer" Medal (the Medal) and the "Caring Employer" Medal Design Competition (the Competition), and appealing for joint efforts to support the employment of PWDs.

The Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Ho Kai-ming, and Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Mr Philip Lo served as the officiating guests and presented the Medals. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Ho thanked the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and relevant assessment panels for their support in taking forward this initiative. He appealed for greater focus across the community on the abilities of PWDs, and called on enterprises to provide more employment opportunities for PWDs to develop their potential.

Mr Lo expressed sincere appreciation and congratulations to the awardees for their contributions to inclusive employment, as well as for their role in fostering cross-sector collaboration. He said that the Hong Kong Jockey Club would continue to connect with more employers through the Jockey Club Collaborative Project for Inclusive Employment, thereby promoting training and job matching, assisting PWDs in integrating into the workplace, and encouraging inclusiveness as a core corporate value.

About 400 guests, individual awardees, and representatives of commercial and social welfare organisations attended the presentation ceremony. During the ceremony, in addition to award presentations and inclusive performances, representatives of some awardees were invited to share their experiences in fostering workplace disability inclusion.

To recognise employers who actively engage and support PWDs and foster an inclusive workplace, the LWB launched in early 2025 the Diverse Abilities．Inclusive Workplace Recognition Scheme on the basis of the existing Talent-Wise Employment Charter, and collaborated with the Jockey Club Collaborative Project for Inclusive Employment funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust to jointly take forward the Medal. Following the assessments, a total of 185 organisations were awarded the Medal - Level 1: Disability Inclusive Supporter, Level 2: Disability Inclusive Employer, and Level 3: Disability Inclusive Pioneer, as well as the Thematic Awards: Inclusive Buddy Award, Inclusive Collaboration Award, and Inclusive Innovation Award.

The Competition received some 680 entries. Following the assessments, a total of 30 outstanding entries across five categories (Tertiary Institute and Open Group, Persons with Disabilities Group, Special School Group, Secondary School Group, and Primary School Group) were awarded prizes. The champion design of the Tertiary Institute and Open Group was selected as the emblem of the Medal.

Please refer to the attachments or the LWB's website (www.lwb.gov.hk/en/highlights/charter_scheme/s4.html) for the lists of awardees.

CHP Reports Four New Legionnaires' Disease Cases, Urges Public to Maintain Water Systems and Follow Safety Precautions

DH announces latest situation of Legionnaires' disease cases

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (November 17) reported the latest number of Legionnaires' disease (LD) cases, and reminded the public of the importance of using and maintaining properly designed man-made water systems, adding that susceptible groups should strictly observe relevant precautions.

From November 9 to 15, the CHP recorded two imported and two community-acquired LD cases. All four patients had underlying illnesses.

Imported cases

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The first case involves a 69-year-old male patient who joined a package tour to Beijing from October 27 to 31 (during the incubation period). Preliminary investigations revealed that the patient's itinerary overlapped with locations visited by two imported cases announced last week. Those two cases involving a family participated in a different package tour to Tianjin and Beijing from October 26 to 30. The CHP does not rule out an epidemiological link between the three cases. The CHP is conducting genomic analysis of Legionella bacteria from the patients' samples. The CHP's investigation is in progress. The CHP has proactively contacted individuals who joined the affected package tour groups to offer health assessment and medical surveillance. No other group members have been found to have contracted LD so far. The CHP has also notified the health authorities in the Chinese Mainland of the cases and informed the Travel Industry Authority.

The second case involves a 72-year-old male patient who also travelled to the Mainland during the incubation period.

Community-acquired cases

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A 70-year-old male patient living in Wong Tai Sin District; and

A 69-year-old male patient living in Kowloon City District.

The CHP is conducting epidemiological investigations to identify potential sources of infection and high-risk exposure.

As of November 15, 144 LD cases had been recorded this year. In 2024 and 2023, there were 135 and 121 LD cases respectively.

Men, people aged over 50, smokers, alcoholics and persons with weakened immunity are more susceptible to LD. Some situations may also increase the risk of infection, including poor maintenance of water systems; living in areas with old water systems, cooling towers or fountains; using electric water heaters, whirlpools and spas or hot water spring spas; and recent stays in hotels or vessels.

Legionellae are found in various environmental settings and grow well in warm water (20 to 45 degrees Celsius). They can be found in aqueous environments such as water tanks, hot and cold water systems, cooling towers, whirlpools and spas, water fountains and home apparatus that support breathing. People may become infected when they breathe in contaminated droplets (aerosols) and mist generated by artificial water systems, or when handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes.

Immunocompromised persons should:

Use sterile or boiled water for drinking, tooth brushing and mouth rinsing;

Avoid using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices; and

If using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices, fill the water tank with only sterile or cooled freshly boiled water, and not water directly from the tap. Also, clean and maintain humidifiers/devices regularly according to manufacturers' instructions. Never leave stagnant water in a humidifier/device. Empty the water tank, wipe all surfaces dry, and change the water daily.

The public should observe the health advice below:

Observe personal hygiene;

Do not smoke and avoid alcohol consumption;

Strainers in water taps and shower heads should be inspected, cleaned, descaled and disinfected regularly or at a frequency recommended by the manufacturer;

If a fresh-water plumbing system is properly maintained, it is not necessary to install domestic water filters. Use of water filters is not encouraged as clogging occurs easily, which can promote growth of micro-organisms. In case water filters are used, the pore size should be 0.2 micrometres (µm) and the filter needs to be changed periodically according to the manufacturer's recommendations;

Drain and clean water tanks of buildings at least quarterly;

Drain or purge for at least one minute infrequently used water outlets (e.g. water taps, shower heads and hot water outlets) and stagnant points of the pipework weekly or before use;

Seek and follow doctors' professional advice regarding the use and maintenance of home respiratory devices and use only sterile water (not distilled or tap water) to clean and fill the reservoir. Clean and maintain the device regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions. After cleaning/disinfection, rinse the device with sterile water, cooled freshly boiled water or water filtered with 0.2 µm filters. Never leave stagnant water in the device. Empty the water tank, keep all surfaces dry, and change the water daily; and

When handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes:

Wear gloves and a face mask;

Water gardens and compost gently using low pressure;

Open composted potting mixes slowly and make sure the opening is directed away from the face;

Wet the soil to reduce dust when potting plants; and

Avoid working in poorly ventilated places such as enclosed greenhouses.

The public may visit the CHP'sLD page, theCode of Practice for Prevention of LDand theHousekeeping Guidelines for Cold and Hot Water Systems for Building Managementof the Prevention of LD Committee, and the CHP'srisk-based strategyfor prevention and control of LD.

Labour and Welfare Bureau Honors 215 Employers for Supporting Inclusive Employment of Persons with Disabilities

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