In an effort to extend care and concern to senior citizens, we co-organised the "CAREnival for the Elderly" together with three NGO partners, namely The Hong Kong Society for the Aged, Aberdeen Kai-Fong Welfare Association Social Service Centre and St. James' Settlement. About 300 elderly volunteers were appointed as ambassadors to encourage "hidden" senior citizens to reach out and expand their social network. Our volunteers also partnered with elderly volunteers to pay home visits to single elders in the community.

In 2010, our partnership programme with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) in support of the U3A network (the University of the Third Age) continued. This aims to promote lifelong learning and a better quality of life for retirees. Since the network was launched in 2006, 30 service centres have participated, organising more than 1,500 courses and providing about 22,000 learning opportunities to local retirees.

To recognise the achievements of retirees and to inspire others to make similar contributions to society, we organised the Outstanding Third Age Citizens Award again in 2010 and selected twelve outstanding senior citizens from different walks of life, who have set excellent examples in lifelong learning, serving the community and active aging.

To help nurture the future leaders of Hong Kong, we participated as a Corporate Partner of "CS4 Schools" (Corporate Sustainability For Schools), a two-year programme funded by the Hong Kong Government's Sustainable Development Fund and organised by the Business Environment Council. The programme is aimed at promoting sustainable development in the education sector.

In 2010, we delivered a school talk on "Hong Kong's Environmental Industry" and shared useful experience with students while arranging field trips and tours to give students an overview of the operation of the power industry.

Since 2009, we have been offering a summer vacation training programme to local secondary school students. This programme aims to enhance their understanding of the power industry and attract talented youngsters to the engineering field. In 2010, 14 trainees were chosen to receive four weeks of training covering power generation and electricity transmission work. Students were also taken on familiarisation visits to various facilities. We are encouraged that four out of the seven trainees who completed the programme in 2009 are currently pursuing their studies in engineering.

We encourage our staff to volunteer for worthy and meaningful causes and to make good use of their skills or know-how to contribute to the community. Our volunteers team, comprising over 870 employees, participated in over 60 voluntary services in 2010 rendering a total of 3,900 service hours.

In addition to monthly electrical inspections for the single elderly, plus home visits arranged under "CAREnival for the Elderly", our volunteers take a keen interest in supporting a variety of annual activities organised by local green groups. These include the yearly "Clean Up the World in Hong Kong" campaign organised by Green Power; the "Tree Planting Challenge", "Take a 'Brake' Low Carbon Action - Corporate Green Driving Award Scheme" and "Conscientious Recycling Charter" organised by Friends of the Earth, Hong Kong; and mikania removal work organised by the World Wide Fund For Nature Hong Kong as well as the Green Carnival organised by Green Council.

Our volunteers also served as eco-leaders to conduct guided tours under the "Green Lamma Green" programme jointly organised with the Conservancy Association. In 2010, a total of 16 eco-tours were held for 288 participants to learn about the ecology and history of Lamma Island. Our volunteers also took part in the "No Hill Fire in Lamma" campaign during Ching Ming and Chung Yeung Festivals to remind grave-sweepers of hill fire hazards, helping Lamma Island to achieve zero hill fire incidents during the two festivals.

Other activities supported by the Volunteers Team included selling flags and green tickets for charity.