Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) - Revoke the decision to immediately dismiss 3 000 employees in 3 years, intensify the contact with the employees making them participate in the bank development, take upon oneself social responsibility, create more jobs: these are the 4 "recommendations" that the Commission for the Pastoral Care of Workers of the diocese of Hong Kong has addressed to the Hong Kong office of HSBC (Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation). The Commission's declaration was signed on September 12, after the Bank, Sept. 7, had announced the layoffs, according to reports from the Kong Ko Bao (the Chinese version of the diocesan bulletin). Citing the encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, the Commission emphasized the ethical dimension of the economy.
Indeed, the announcement on behalf of HSBC, that earned HK $ 100 billion in Hong Kong last year, to dismiss 3 thousand employees over the next 3 years, had a huge social impact and, above all aroused fears in the current global crisis. According to the President of the Commission for the Pastoral of Workers of the Diocese of Hong Kong, “when a company functions well, with considerable profit, it must also consider rewarding its employees and society, and not only chase financial gain. Moreover, if the bank wants to shake up to get even more money, that is great, but it should focus on its investment projects and not on dismissals".(NZ) (Agenzia Fides 16/09/2011)
