Sun Hung Kai Properties values the environment and practices eco-friendly property management for quality green living. Its property-management subsidiary the Hong Yip Service Company set up a horticultural school to train staff in landscaping theory and practice. The school sets a new standard in horticulture management for the industry and won a Most Innovative award in the Hong Kong Management Association’s 2009 Awards for Excellence in Training.

The awards recognize excellent training and development programmes in Hong Kong. Hong Yip has won certificates of merits in previous years and this year the ‘Seed for a Green Revolution Programme’ was highly praised by the judges as a creative new landscape training programme. Hong Yip received a Most Innovative award and certificate of excellence in recognition of its efforts to raise standards in property management.

Hong Yip encourages a proactive learning approach emphasizing dynamic learning through practices. It set up the horticultural school in 2007 to integrate landscaping and estate management, and published the first landscaping guidelines for property management on practical matters with case studies.

The school offers different training tailored for executives and gardening staff to ensure that they have the skills required. About 800 staff have completed the training so far. The feedback has been very positive and the course motivates staff who want to know the latest trends in quality property management.