Core Facts
The first Asia Pacific Junior Achievement Company of the Year Competition (COY) will be held in Hong Kong from January 17 to 19, 2011.
The Competition helps young people understand the role of business in the global economy by allowing students to organize and operate an actual business enterprise, and market and sell a product in the real world. The inaugural COY Asia Pacific will include 65 participants from 13 teams representing 10 countries including Guam (a U.S. territory), Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Turkmenistan.
The competition is jointly organized by FedEx Express, the world's largest express transportation company, and U.S.-based JA Worldwide®, the world's largest organization dedicated to empowering young people to own their economic success.
During the three-day program in Hong Kong, student companies will be evaluated by a panel of judges comprised of entrepreneurs, academics, and representatives from the local business community. The participating student companies will be on display at a trade fair exhibition at Pier 7, Central Star Ferry Pier, on January 18. The exhibition will be open to public.
All participants will also be eligible for the FedEx Access Award. This Award by FedEx rewards student companies who demonstrate the most potential to create jobs, grow small business, expand global development and improve the environment.
Winners of the Company of the Year Competition and the FedEx Access Award will be announced on January 19, 2011. The competition celebrates the accomplishments of JA Company Program® students in the Asia Pacific region. During participation in the JA Company Program, students start and run their own businesses with support from volunteers from their local business community. They develop and market a product or service with the goal of realizing a profit for their shareholders. The program currently impacts more than 360,000 students a year globally.
Quotes
“FedEx connects small business owners, entrepreneurs and multinationals in 220 countries and territories. Through our support of the JA Company of the Year and the FedEx Access Award, we give young people access to international markets, ideas, and people. This in turn increases their opportunity for advancement and prepares them for success in global business.” - David L Cunningham Jr., President of FedEx Express Asia-Pacific.
"We are honored to be hosting the first Asia Pacific Junior Achievement Company of the Year Competition, and to help broaden the international exposure of these young people from the region. Past competition winners have developed diverse companies, each well suited to their region. It will be interesting to see how companies developed by Asia Pacific students will differ from those of their counterparts in Europe, North and Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa." - Vivian Lau, Chief Executive Officer, Junior Achievement Hong Kong.
Related Links
About FedEx Express
FedEx Express is the world's largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx Express uses a global air-and-ground network to speed delivery of time-sensitive shipments, by a definite time and date with a money-back guarantee.
About FedEx
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $35 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 280,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com
About JA Worldwide® (Junior Achievement)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school programs for students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Today, 127 individual area operations reach more than four million students in the United States, with an additional 5.8 million students served by operations in 123 other countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org
Contacts
Jen Lim of FedEx Express
Tel: (852) 2514-0813
Fax: (852) 2918 1846
Email: jlim@fedex.com
Elaine Lo of FedEx Express
Tel: (852) 2514-0737
Fax: (852) 2918 1846
Email: elaine.lo@fedex.com
OR
Angel Cheng of Bite Communications Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2973-0222
Fax: (852) 2973-6900
Email: angel.cheng@bitecommunications.com