Sixth Group of Local SME Suppliers Inaugurated Into Sands Procurement Academy

More than 140 local SME suppliers have completed the programme to date

(Macao, Sept. 30, 2019) – The latest group of local SME suppliers has been inaugurated into Sands China’s Sands Procurement Academy, with Sands China welcoming the participants at a Sept. 23 ceremony at The Venetian^® Macao’s Adelson Advanced Education Centre. The cohort of local SMEs is the sixth to take advantage of the complimentary training initiative.

The Sands Procurement Academy is co-organised with the Macao Chamber of Commerce and the Macau Productivity and Technology Centre (CPTTM), and shares business knowledge and skills to further the development of local SME suppliers. The aim of the programme is to help them gain experience and capacity for working with large-scale international corporations like Sands China. The academy specifically targets four categories of local SME suppliers: small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), micro-enterprises, Macao young entrepreneurs, and “Made-in-Macao” enterprises.

The training programme is the first of its kind in the industry. Focused on practical knowledge for participating SMEs, the programme has received much positive feedback from its graduates.

This latest group of 30 suppliers signed up for the academy at Sands China’s SME Open Day in April. Participating companies can send up to two representatives each to enrol in the academy.

They will also be the first to take part in the academy’s newest course, Macau Labour Law Fundamentals, which was conducted by Sands China’s human resources department.

More than 140 local SME suppliers have graduated from the academy to date. Graduating suppliers receive a certificate and are given preferential procurement opportunities under otherwise equal circumstances.

“Sands China continues to place great importance on increasing procurement opportunities with local SME suppliers,” said Charlie Cai, vice president of procurement and supply chain for Venetian Macau Limited. “It creates a mutually supportive environment, in which the suppliers gain business and advance the capacity of their companies to work with large-scale international enterprises like Sands China, and it allows our company to benefit from having local expertise, customer service and delivery.”

The Sands Procurement Academy supports the third pillar of the company’s F.I.T. programme, which offers Financial Support, Invitational Matching, and Training and Development. Aimed at both existing and new local Sands China suppliers, F.I.T. is part of Sands China’s Local Small, Medium and Micro Suppliers Support Programme, and seeks to continually increase and strengthen procurement between Sands China and local SME suppliers by enhancing their capabilities.

Local SME suppliers in the academy learn through tailor-made practical training modules, which are delivered by lecturers with various areas of expertise. Modules cover seven topics: effective warehouse operations, quality assurance, logistics management, procurement process and system overview, procurement contracts, supplier code of conduct, and the eight disciplines (8D) model of problem solving. The latter is led by a CPTTM lecturer.

Sands China’s Local Small, Medium and Micro Suppliers Support Programme is in line with the Macao government’s initiative to “buy local” and demonstrates Sands China’s commitment to supporting local enterprises as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts. It is part of Sands China’s supplier relationship management strategy, which guides the company’s long-standing effort to support local suppliers, whom it views as its strategic partners.