Manulife, Herbert Smith Freehills and Hyatt Join Forces to Unleash Hidden Talent Among Hong Kong Students Through Empowerment

HONG KONG – University students from diverse backgrounds in Hong Kong and Singapore have recently completed the challenge of developing recommendations for how corporations could further strengthen community partnerships. The assignment is the core focus of this year’s Diversity Champion Internship Program (DCIP), which is co-organized by Manulife, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Hyatt, which offers participants real-life experiences for their future career development.

Now in its third year in Hong Kong and held for the first time in Singapore, students were tasked with finding ways for companies to engage with the community more effectively, specifically via NGOs and other community-led organizations, and to think strategically about how to build and support sustainable partnerships and the wider business ecosystem.

Students immersed themselves into the operations of Manulife, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Hyatt to experience first-hand their operations – ranging from job-shadowing and simulation activities to workshops and lectures – all while gaining a deeper understanding of the insurance, professional services, and hospitality industries and identifying opportunities for these sectors to build closer collaborations with the communities in which they operate. Students presented their findings and insights at the program’s graduation ceremony to executives from Manulife, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Hyatt, who will consider their input for potential deployment at their companies.

Sudesh Thevasenabathy, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Asia, Manulife, said: “The Diversity Champion Internship Program has been incredibly transformative for both Manulife and the students involved. By providing such a unique opportunity for students from diverse backgrounds, it helps to further remove systemic barriers and promote greater equity and access in the workplace. At Manulife, our mission is to drive inclusive economic opportunities, accelerate a sustainable future, and empower health and well-being for everyone in the community. We are proud to be a co-organizer of the program, and we look forward to taking it to more markets in Asia in the coming years.”

Simon Chapman KC, Partner and Regional Head of Disputes, Herbert Smith Freehills, commented: “At Herbert Smith Freehills, it's part of our strategic vision to be the leading international al law firm for diversity and inclusion. Programmes like this allow us to take a step forward and say to our clients and communities that we're committed to working together to achieve our vision for a more diverse and inclusive world. We are proud to have supported these inspiring future leaders to take the first steps in their careers. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Hyatt and Manulife as we develop the program in Hong Kong and Singapore.”

Gordon Chan, Senior Vice President of Legal, Asia Pacific, Hyatt, said: “We at Hyatt believe that inclusion and diversity is a vital cornerstone of business and is fundamental to helping us achieve our purpose, of caring for others so they can be their best. We are proud to continue our collaboration with Manulife and Herbert Smith Freehills for a third year and to expand this Diversity Champion Internship Program into Singapore, offering students industry knowledge and experiences that they can use in their future careers. The passion and perspective the interns brought to the program has been inspirational. We look forward to continuing to invest in and grow this unique and meaningful initiative, engaging more promising young talent and continuing to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce of the future.”

The DCIP is an interactive, multi-industry placement opportunity for university students who face advancement challenges through their race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic background and/or disability. The goal is for co-organisers to leverage the academic and life experiences of students to further enhance the respective companies’ diversity, equity and inclusion programs, while at the same time provide students with the opportunity to potentially realize their ideas in the corporate world.

All three companies are committed to creating an inclusive work environment for both interns and staff, and that includes making accessibility adjustments to their workspaces, such as accessibility bathrooms, flexible working arrangements, and assistive technology where needed. From the application process to the program itself, each company ensured that the interns would be accommodated according to their needs.

Quinn Wong, a final-year Psychology & Counselling student from Chinese University of Hong Kong, said: “It was eye-opening to learn about the diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that large companies like Manulife, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Hyatt have implemented. The internship gave us a view on how companies unleash the potential of employees from various backgrounds that could generate the best outcome for team members, the companies, and customers. The highlights of the program were definitely the immersion sessions and one-on-one engagements with staff from various functions within the companies. I would highly recommend this program to students who want to gain experience in the corporate world.”

Susma Rai, a first-year Legal Executives student from HKU SPACE PO Leung Kuk Stanley Ho Community College, said: “When presented with an opportunity, grasp it with both hands, and that is exactly what I did. Having participated in this internship, I acquired valuable skills, such as teamwork and networking and, most importantly, built self-confidence. During one of the coaching sessions, one of the coaches told me that “confidence comes from being brave” and indeed it does. This experience also allowed me to gain insights into the work cultures of three different industries. This is of great value and importance for people from different backgrounds. It was apparent that diversity, equity, and inclusion were highly valued at the three companies. Having the opportunity to meet so many passionate people and who were willing to assist and share their knowledge was definitely a worthwhile experience.”

Miko Leung, a second-year Law student from Chinese University of Hong Kong, said: “The internship is truly a rewarding experience. It allowed me to see the bigger picture of how the industries operate, and how diversity, equity, and inclusion contribute to the betterment of their companies, staff, and customers. In particular, I found the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the companies to be impactful on employees’ well-being and contribute to making the workplace discrimination-free.”

Chloe Ng-Brossard, a final-year Biotechnology student from Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, said: “There really is no other experience like it. Aside from the cross-industry exposure and the insightful conversations we had with senior staff members at the three companies, the internship program allowed us to take what we have learned during the month to potentially apply our newfound insights in the corporate world. Completing the final project with my fellow interns was very fulfilling, as we were able to use our knowledge and experience to help improve the diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at the three companies.”

Manulife, Herbert Smith Freehills, and Hyatt worked with CareER, Oliver James Ability, and AMBER Foundation to identify and recruit student candidates for the DCIP. Students were selected based on their merit and the opportunities that they have had throughout their studies but, most importantly, their understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

About Manulife Hong Kong

Manulife Hong Kong has been a trusted name for more than 125 years. Since our operations started in Asia in 1897, we have grown to become one of the top-tier providers of financial services, offering a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to about 2.5 million customers in Hong Kong and Macau. We are committed to helping make decisions easier and lives better for our customers.

Manulife Hong Kong, through Manulife International Holdings Limited, owns Manulife (International) Limited, Manulife Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited and Manulife Provident Funds Trust Company Limited.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2022, we had more than 40,000 employees, over 116,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 34 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

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