Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study - Community Development / Foster Entrepreneurship

LiveWIRE was launched in partnership with The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups in April 2002 to promote the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst young people in Hong Kong and help them develop the skills needed to plan, launch and manage new business enterprises.

Individuals aged between 18 and 30 are taught essential business skills such as how to identify prospective areas to develop, write business plans to obtain financing, and develop and implement marketing campaigns.

To date, over 1,700 young people have joined the Shell sponsored LiveWIRE scheme, supported by a network of 57 voluntary mentors who are willing to dedicate their time and expertise. In 6 major themed seminars, the participants met with successful Hong Kong business people who shared their views on how to succeed in business. Twelve intensive workshops enabled young entrepreneurs to network and learn basic business skills, and 44 workshop graduates with a business plan were offered mentorship on a one-to-one basis or in small working units, with 7 of them setting up their own businesses. Since launch, we have received close to 8,000 public enquiries and recorded about 40,000 hits on the website.

By addressing a community need, Shell hopes to contribute toward a more buoyant economy and ultimately to develop more fulfilled individuals who can contribute in a meaningful way to Hong Kong economy.

Founded in 1992 in the UK, Shell LiveWIRE now operates in over 20 countries and regions around the world.