SFHK Welcomes Guide Dogs at All SF Stores Committed to Promoting Care and Inclusion, Helping the Visually Impaired Integrate into the Community
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(Hong Kong, October 31, 2024) To promote social inclusion and care for those in need, S.F. Express (Hong Kong) Limited (“SFHK”)announced that from today, all SF Stores welcome guide dogs. Notices stating “Guide Dogs Welcome” will be posted, and SFHK will collaborate with the Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association (“HKGDA”) to provide training and logistics sponsorship, offering comprehensive and considerate courier services for the visually impaired.
Thoughtful Services for the Public: Guide Dogs Welcome at All SF Stores
SFHK has 86 SF Stores across various districts, providing convenient courier and pickup services. Additionally, they offer a variety of value-added services for customers and app members, such as umbrella and power bank rentals, airport baggage check-in and delivery service, and more. This guide dog-friendly initiative aims to encourage community inclusion, allowing the visually impaired to enjoy the convenient courier services as well. Ms. Charlize Liu, Head of Public Affairs and Communications at SFHK, stated: “SFHK has always cared about the needs of the community. To enable more visually impaired individuals to enjoy our various courier services and facilities, we once again collaborate with HKGDA. Besides providing logistics sponsorship, we also offer relevant training for frontline staff to properly assist the visually impaired and their guide dogs, enhancing the customer experience with a friendly and inclusive environment.”
Training Employees to Provide Appropriate Assistance: Building Empathy through Experience
To enhance employees’ awareness of the visually impaired and guide dogs, SFHK recently co-organized a guide dog experience day with HKGDA. During the event, store staff and managers participated in a “blindfold walk” experience, led by guide dog trainers, to understand the daily needs of the visually impaired and the work of guide dogs, fostering empathy among employees. They also learned reception etiquette and important considerations, committing to the “3 Don'ts 1 Do” principle: “Don’t feed, don’t disturb, don’t reject, and do enquire,” ensuring appropriate assistance for the visually impaired and their partners.
Visually impaired individual Dick and his guide dog Wong Wong attended the event. He shared: “Previously, I would go out less often due to inconvenience. SFHK noticed our needs and organized staff training to help them understand our requirements, making courier services more accessible and encouraging the visually impaired to go out more.”
Leveraging Logistics Network to Give Back to Society: Employees Promote Social Inclusion Together
As a long-term partner, SFHK has been providing logistics sponsorship to HKGDA through the “SF Return Benefit” community care program since 2022, delivering dog food and medicine for guide dogs used by the visually impaired. Ms. Fianna CHI, a member of HKGDA’s Governance Committee, said: “The daily expenses of guide dogs are borne by the association and the visually impaired individuals. Each guide dog requires about 15 kilograms of dog food per month. We are grateful for the logistics sponsorship provided by SFHK, which ensures the safe and efficient delivery of dog food and medicine, reducing the financial burden on the visually impaired and allowing our association to allocate more resources to guide dog training.”
SFHK will continue to leverage its logistics network and resources to collaborate with various social welfare organizations, giving back to society and building a better community together.
About SF Express Sustainability, please refer to https://bit.ly/3C4YZT6.
About Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association, please refer to https://bit.ly/48pSlmk.
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To promote social inclusivity and care for those in need, SFHK has announced that effective immediately, all SF Stores will welcome guide dogs and visually impaired individuals. They will display signs saying "Guide Dogs Welcome" and collaborate with the Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association to provide training and logistical support, enhancing delivery services for visually impaired persons with more thoughtful and comprehensive assistance.
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Visually impaired individual Dick, along with his guide dog Wong Wong, attended the event and shared, "In the past, I would go out less often due to transportation difficulties. SFHK noticed our needs and organized employee training so that staff could understand our requirements. This makes using their delivery services more convenient and encourages visually impaired individuals to go out more often."
