The 3rd edition of the “Deignan Award for Responsible Entrepreneurship”, co-organised by Wofoo Social Enterprises, Macau Ricci Institute, and the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), started yesterday to accept applications through November 2, Stephan Rothlin S.J., chairman of the award steering committee announced in the launch ceremony yesterday.
The launch ceremony for the “Deignan Award for Responsible Entrepreneurship” was held at USJ campus in Ilha Verde.
The award recognises small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong and Macau with fewer than 100 employees that demonstrate how moral principles serve as a core competitive advantage, achieving outstanding commercial success while fulfilling social responsibilities, according to the statement released by the organisers yesterday.
This year’s judging process will select three outstanding SMEs each from Hong Kong and Macau with substantive business operations for at least one year. Enterprises with GBA supply chains, manufacturing, or client networks are especially welcome to enhance their market reputation and social impact, the statement said.
The statement added that the judging process includes company interviews, site visits, and data verification. Results are expected to be announced in mid-January next year.
Rothlin underlined that by choosing “The Ethical Edge” as the theme of the award, carrying forward Fr. Alfred Joseph Deignan’s vision in the artificial intelligence (AI) era, the competition aims to help business leaders understand that true leadership stems from inner morality and care for others. He noted that although small -medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have fewer resources, their diverse backgrounds and more direct business models enable them to invest time and expertise in corporate philanthropy and social contribution more effectively.
Fr. Alfred Joseph Deignan, S.J. (1927–2018) was a Irish Jesuit missionary who spent over 65 years dedicated to education, spiritual leadership, and community service in Hong Kong and Macau. Soft-spoken, kind, and widely respected, he left a profound legacy as one of the region’s most influential educators, according to Google AI Mode.
USJ Vice-Rector Prof. Alexandre Lobo noted the critical role that responsible information dissemination plays in today’s complex business environment, adding that the public don’t know if the information being disseminated is right or wrong so that the discussion coming to the ecosystem of small- and medium-sized enterprises becomes important.
Stephan Rothlin S.J., chairman of the award steering committee (10th from right), and participants pose for a group photo during the launch ceremony for the “Deignan Award for Responsible Entrepreneurship” on the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) campus in Ilha Verde yesterday. – Photo: Ida Cheong
