The Zonta Club of Kowloon, Hong Kong, partnered with the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association (HKSME) to co-organized a Sexual Harassment in the Workplace forum on 27 November for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong.

The forum offered participants a valuable opportunity to acquire understanding of the legal protections for sexual harassment. The event highlighted the business advantages for implementing anti-sexual harassment measures, including staff retention, increased productivity and enhanced professional image. Conducted in a hybrid format, the forum attracted more than 80 companies, including employers, management personnel, and human resource staff from SMEs in various fields, including construction, real estate, manufacturing, professional and business services, accommodation and food service industries.

Speakers at the Forum includes:

• Ricky Chu Man-kin, chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission.

• Club President Ada Fung.

• Andrew Kwok , chair of the Hong Kong Small & Medium Enterprises Association.

• Winnie Teoh, the club’s advocacy committee chair and Past International Director.

• Wong Lok-yung, the organizer of Hong Kong Women Workers’ Association.

Ricky said, “Combating workplace sexual harassment has always been a priority for the EOC. With enhanced understanding of the issue, we hope more SMEs will adopt a proactive and professional approach to prevent and handle sexual harassment in the workplace.”

Andrew said, “As responsible employers, companies should adopt reasonable measures to prevent workplace sexual harassment. They also want to know practical and feasible ways to implement internal policies to prevent possible legal responsibilities.”

Ada advocated that we should give zero tolerance to any sexual harassment behavior in the workplace. She and the club hope that the forum will strengthen understanding of this issue and encourage the creation of a harassment-free working environment.

Winnie advised findings from a survey sponsored by the club in 2021, that found sexual harassment in the workplace was highly prevalent in Hong Kong. The study recommended that employers should implement anti-sexual harassment policies and provide appropriate training for employees.

Lok-yung offered suggestions on effective measures to prevent sexual harassment in employment.

The three co-organizers will continue to address the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace in the coming years.