2010年7月29日星期四

環保婚聯:恕無魚翅宴嘉賓

以前有嫁娶之慶,男家多會在門外掛對聯一副,曰:

幸有香車迎淑女
愧無旨酒宴嘉賓

今時今日,人們開始注意到婚宴上不應再以魚翅款待客人。不知可否把以上對聯改為以下這樣?

幸有香車迎淑女
恕無魚翅宴嘉賓

2010年7月14日星期三

要求 Citibank 撤回美心魚翅餐推廣活動(完全版)



[An English version is listed at the end]

第一回: 抗議

香港 Citibank 信用咭 2010 年 07 月 10 日於南華早報刋登廣告(注一),以美心集團旗下酒樓的魚翅套餐推廣使用 Citibank 信用咭。

須知道以魚翅款客,既有可能導致鯊魚絶種,也鼓勵了漁民以殘忍手法活取魚鰭( 注二 ),已經不再是有責任的機關應所為(注三)。

Citigroup 曾公開作出以下聲明:「At Citi, we believe that working to promote environmental and social sustainability is good business practice。」我們認為該項美心魚翅餐推廣活動與以上述的立場明顯相悖,要求香港 Citibank 撤回有關推廣活動,同時也應響應世界自然基金會香港分會的呼籲(注四),明確承諾在企業的公務宴會上不再以魚翅款客。

我們希望香港 Citibank 能在一個月內對公眾就這件事有一個明確的交待,否則我們會考慮取消手上的(或不申請)Citibank 信用咭,以示抗議。

Facebook 専頁:http://bit.ly/cAlhqi


第二回: Citibank 回應

Citibank HK 星期一 (2010-07-19) 在其網頁上表示已經取消有關的魚翅推廣活動(Note 5)! 但有網民亦然不滿在星加坡仍然可以看到相關的推廣活動,真至星期四 (2010-07-22), Citibank Asia Pacific 補發聲明,表示也會亞太區其他地方的魚翅推廣活動也都取消 (Note 6)。 2010-08-03 在南華早報上的讀者來信中,Citigroup 的發言人重申了上述的立場。 (注七)

Citibank HK 從善如流,值得欣賞。

希望這小小的事件,能提高大眾及企業對鯊魚保育的意識。多謝各位的踴躍發聲!

第三回: 媒體報導

美國紐約時報博文 (2010-07-21): A Shark Fin Promotion Backfires http://bit.ly/9skzkp

英國金融時報博文 (2010-07-22): Citi learns the hard way: don't mess with sharks http://bit.ly/daoXHG

Change.org (2010-07-23): Victory: Citibank Stops Offering Discounts on Shark Meat http://bit.ly/9Ktegx

Examiner (2010-07-23): Citibank Promotes the Consumption of Shark Fin Soup: http://exm.nr/c2DZn7

===========================

採訪聯絡 (美國東岸)1-908-463-9015
leeyuiwah@yahoo.com

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注一:有關廣告 http://bit.ly/bdWWlR

注二:39 秒鐘;一條問題 http://bit.ly/cP44SR

注三:魚翅公務宴會舉報網站 http://bit.ly/cdPlRR

注四:世界自然基金會香港分會:誰向魚翅說不? http://bit.ly/bPTwQy

Note 5: Announcement from Citibank HK http://bit.ly/dy5DVB

Note 6: Announcement from Citibank Asia Pacific http://bit.ly/cQV8bX

注七:Shark fin ads now scrapped, (Letters to the Editor, SCMP, 2010-08-03) http://bit.ly/b18NCC
=============================================
English version

Chapter 1: Protest

Citibank HK made an ad on the South China Morning Post on July 10th, 2010 (Note 1), promoting the use of Citibank Credit Card through some tie-in with Maxim's Chinese Cuisine's shark-fin soup set meals.

Serving shark fin soup would endanger many shark species and encourage the cruel practice of shark finning (the cutting off of fins alive from a shark, and letting it die a slow and horrible death in the sea, see Note 2). It is no longer considered appropriate for a socially responsible organization (Note 3).

Citigroup has stated publicly that "At Citi, we believe that working to promote environmental and social sustainability is good business practice" The said promotion activity obviously contradicts Citigroup's stated position. We demand that Citibank HK should stop the promotion, and should also join with other companies, in the pledge organized by WWF-HK, to say No to shark-fin soup (Note 4).

We hope to see a public response from Citibank about this matter, otherwise we may consider cutting our own Citibank Credit Card (or pledge to not applying for it) in protest.

Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/cAlhqi

Chapter 2: Citibank's Response

On Monday (2010-07-19) Citibank HK posted an announcement on their website saying that the shark-fin promotion has been canceled (Note 5). However, it was found that information about some other shark-fin promotion activities in Singapore could still be found on the web. Netizen were not happy and shifted their focus on Citibank Singapore. Finally on Thursday (2010-07-22), Citibank Asia Pacific also announced that they will "stop (all shark-fin related promotions) in all its markets in Asia Pacific with immediate effect" (Note 6). A Citigroup spokesman reiterated the above position in a letter to the editor in SCMP on 2010-08-03 (Note 7)

It is commendable that they took this remedial action promptly.

I hope this little incident can raise awareness among the public and corporations about the importance of shark preservation. Thanks everyone for voicing out your support!

Chapter 3: Media picked up the story

- US: New York Times Blogs (2010-07-21): A Shark Fin Promotion Backfires http://bit.ly/9skzkp

- UK: Financial Times Blogs (2010-07-22): Citi learns the hard way: don't mess with sharks http://bit.ly/daoXHG

- Change.org (2010-07-23): Victory: Citibank Stops Offering Discounts on Shark Meat http://bit.ly/9Ktegx

- Examiner (2010-07-23): Citibank Promotes the Consumption of Shark Fin Soup: http://exm.nr/c2DZn7

==========================================

Media Contact:(US Eastern)1-908-463-9015
leeyuiwah@yahoo.com
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Note 1: The Ad in SCMP: http://bit.ly/bdWWlR

Note 2: 39 seconds; one question: http://bit.ly/cP44SR

Note 3: Business Shark-Fin Banquet Reporting Site: http://bit.ly/cdPlRR

Note 4: WWF-HK: Companies Say No to Shark Fin http://bit.ly/aQj9io

Note 5: Announcement from Citibank HK http://bit.ly/dy5DVB

Note 6: Announcement from Citibank Asia Pacific http://bit.ly/cQV8bX

Note 7: Shark fin ads now scrapped, (Letters to the Editor, SCMP, 2010-08-03) http://bit.ly/b18NCC
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