Sands China has been forging ahead hand-in-hand with its suppliers, including local SMEs, and it continues to do so.
Recently, Sands China Ltd. honoured some of its most outstanding suppliers at a joint event at The Londoner Macao, while emphasizing the success stories of Sands China’s ongoing partnerships with its local small and medium enterprise (SME) suppliers.
The company also recognised local SMEs graduating from its procurement training programme and ran a business matching session to connect them with representatives of various Sands China departments.
[L]Danny H. Y. Cheung, Managing Director, Genyield Construction Co., Ltd, [C] Waylan Ho, CEO of Burgeon Rent A Car Limited, [R] Un Man Fu, General Manager of Agencia Comerical Carne Gelada e Comida Fu Cheong Limitada
[L] Victoria Kuan, Director-General of Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center, [C] Amy Chan, General Manager of Macaufacture Medical Suppliers Limited, [R] Johnny Sit, CEO of Chi Ao Cultural Company Limited
Held annually, the Sands Supplier Excellence Awards is an initiative of Sands China’s parent company, Las Vegas Sands Corp., and acknowledges the cooperation and services of some of the company’s most noteworthy suppliers worldwide.
Winners of 2022 Sands Supplier Excellence Awards
Sands China acknowledged the cooperation and services of some of the company’s most noteworthy suppliers in 2022. Eight winners were awarded across six categories:
Corporate Culture & Sustainability:
Glory Global Solutions (Hong Kong) Ltd
Project Management:
Genyield Construction
Company Limited
Confluent Inc.
Cost Management:
Hot Land Culture Media Co Ltd
Quality Management:
Kingwood International
Enterprises Limited
Service Excellence:
Rider Levett Bucknall
Macau Limited
Burgeon Rent A Car Limited
Small/Medium Enterprise (SME):
Agencia Comercial Carne Gelada e Comida Fu Cheong Limitada
Award winners in Macau are selected each year by a judging committee composed of Sands China executive management.
Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd., said: “Sands China is very pleased to recognise this group of exceptional suppliers with this 10th edition of the Sands Supplier Excellence Awards, which has become an annual celebration for us.”
Dr. Wilfred Wong, President of Sands China Ltd.
The Sands Procurement Academy, meanwhile, delivers practical knowledge to local SMEs to help them gain experience and capacity for working with large-scale international corporations as suppliers. It does so by sharing business knowledge and skills to promote the development of their businesses.
The training programme is co-organised with the Macao Chamber of Commerce and the Macau Productivity and Technology Centre (CPTTM) and is a first-of-its-kind industry training.
It is a component of Sands China’s longstanding support of Macau’s SMEs as part of the company’s Local Small, Medium and Micro Suppliers Support Programme.
After initially targeting a few key categories of local suppliers, the academy has been open to all local SMEs in Macau since 2019 – giving a broader range of SMEs the opportunity to benefit from the skills and knowledge offered by the academy’s professionals.
Victoria Kuan, Director-General of Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center, has expressed enthusiasm on developing capacity building programs for the SMEs, such as workshops and training courses related to business value creation, technology applications and international management standards.
“We could also tailor some pilot schemes for their suppliers related to enhancement in quality service and management system or product certification,” she said.
“As we join forces to help the SMEs grow and develop, it’s a win-win situation for the large enterprises too as these SME suppliers would also become their more valued partners,” Kuan added.
The bureau has regular training series on “Business Startup and SMEs’ Operations” that cover topics ranging from business planning, financial management, marketing strategy, online marketing tactics and commercial trade, etc.
At the Sands Procurement Academy graduation, Sands China recognised 79 local SMEs. A total of 451 suppliers have enrolled in the academy since its founding in 2017, and 417 have graduated to date.
What the graduates say…
“Sands China provided us with a lot of knowledge on how to get into the international market. As we’re still in the starting phase of our business, we have learned a lot on how to become an effective supplier to large-scale companies. One of the things that is relevant is quality – they have set a standard for us and through their courses, we’re slowly learning to get there. Their legal department has definitely helped us as well, as they provided a guide to help us familiarize ourselves with the current legal terms. Without this course, we wouldn’t have the same know-how for business, especially for working with international companies.”
Johnny Sit
Chief Executive Officer
Chi Ao Cultural Company Limited
“The course has enhanced our confidence to offer medical products to large-scale enterprises and has boosted our brand image. The four key factors they shared with us, in order for companies like ours to be effective, are: price, quality, timely delivery and sales service. With these principles, my business is able to serve a wider audience.”
Amy Chan
General Manager
Macaufacture Medical Suppliers Limited
“We are glad to honour the 11th and 12th cohorts of local suppliers to graduate from our Sands Procurement Academy. We understand the hardships being experienced by local suppliers during the pandemic, and we are grateful for their partnerships with us, as we work together to continue offering world-class service and experiences at our integrated resorts,” Dr. Wong said.
Procurement reaches nearly MOP9.9b in 2021
Sands China has remained committed to procuring locally and helping Macau’s SMEs grow as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts. Sands China’s total procurement spend in 2021 was MOP9.9 billion, of which 91% went to Macau enterprises, including over MOP2.1 billion to local SMEs.
As Sands China upholds the business philosophy of supporting the growth of local SMEs, it aims to provide valuable and practical lessons to local firms.
Echoing the city’s mandate for operators to assist and prioritize local firms, Sands China makes sure it continues to boost its efforts to nurture their growth and development.
The company has long been investing back into the community that it serves to help it thrive and grow, contributing to the development of local enterprises along the way.
By holding the Sands Supplier Excellence Awards and the Sands Procurement Academy graduation ceremony at the same event, Sands China gives the academy’s graduating SMEs a chance to gain encouragement and inspiration from seeing some of Sands China’s most outstanding suppliers, including local SMEs, being recognised.
Besides the awards and the graduation ceremony, Sands China also set aside time to shine a spotlight on some of its local SME suppliers at the event.
Sands China has been collaborating with local Chinese and English-language newspapers to publish a series of inspiring stories about SMEs forging partnerships and growing together with Sands China.
More than 100 stories have been published since 2016 – offering a glimpse into local SMEs’ quest for success and self-improvement and how they have elevated their capabilities through working with a large international corporation like Sands China.
Framed copies of the stories that were published in 2022 were presented to the respective SMEs as souvenirs at the event, with Sands China congratulating them on their successes.
Finally, at the end of the event, the procurement academy graduates joined a business matching session to meet representatives from six of Sands China’s procurement areas: food and beverage, hotel operating supplies, marketing, outside services, facilities, and technology.
Committed as ever to local SMEs
Sands China has not forgotten its roots and is as committed as ever to supporting local enterprises as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts.
Amid the pandemic hitting the local economy hard, especially its tourism industry, the company has always addressed the operational and financial challenges facing local SME suppliers today – and several SMEs would agree.
“Sands China has always been supportive to local SMEs, even several years back when Typhoon Hato occurred,” recalled Un Man Fu, general manager of Agencia Comerical Carne Gelada e Comida Fu Cheong Limitada.
“Amid this, the company has always tried to reinforce that quality and safety are the top priorities in supplying services. I want to thank Sands China for our partnership, as this is an important initiative for local SMEs like us,” he added.
Echoing the same sentiments, Danny H.Y. Cheung, Managing Director, Genyield Construction Co., Ltd., said, “I feel likes Sands China has one of the highest [standards]. They want quality products and they continue to invest in local SMEs to help our economy,” he said.
As part of Sands China’s corporate social responsibility efforts, the company’s commitment to supporting the development of local SMEs has been part of its effort to contribute to the gradual recovery of Macau’s economy.
The company’s support to local SMEs has remained consistent, in line with the Macao SAR government’s initiative to “buy local.”
With many of Sands China’s suppliers working with them for several years, Waylan Ho, CEO of Burgeon Rent A Car Limited, remarked, “By working with them for over a decade, we have gained a lot and learned how to serve people better.”
