144 | Commerce and Industry
management, marketing, financial and professional business services in the critical initial years of these companies.
Hong Kong Productivity Council
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) promotes productivity excellence among Hong Kong Companies.
Pursuant to a consultancy study completed in 2002 on its role, management and operations, HKPC has repositioned its service focus to provide integrated support to innovative and growth-oriented Hong Kong firms across the value chain. The principal sectoral focus is on manufacturing, particularly in Hong Kong's foundation industries, and related service activities. The main geographical focus is Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta. Anchored on its core competence of manufacturing technologies, information technologies, environmental technologies, and management systems, the work of HKPC is guided by three strategies: to enhance manufacturing technology and process upgrading, to tap new manufacturing opportunities arising from the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, and to provide regionalisation and globalisation support to improve the cost-effectiveness of manufacturing activities.
Other Trade and Industrial Organisations
The local business community has a strong and well-established culture in forming trade and industrial associations to represent their interests. The Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce are among the oldest and most influential trade and industrial associations in Hong Kong. There are numerous other associations representing specific sectors or interests. In addition, various overseas chambers of commerce represent the interests of businesses from, for example, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Federation of Hong Kong Industries is a statutory body which promotes and fosters the interests of Hong Kong's industrial and business communities. It has more than 3 000 member companies. Major services include the issuing of certificates of origin, organisation of overseas study missions, promotion and endorsement of products with the Hong Kong Quality Mark, and the provision of English Language Skills Assessment Tests. The federation categorises its members into 27 groups covering major industries and services. It also organises the annual Young Industrialist Awards of Hong Kong and the consumer product design category of the Hong Kong Awards for Industry.
The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong is a member of the International Chamber of Commerce and has a membership of nearly 3 700. Services provided include the issue of certificates of origin and the organisation of industrial and trade promotion activities. It runs the Testing and Certification Laboratories which provide technical back-up services, including materials, consumer product and environmental testing, pre-shipment inspection, and technical consultancy services.