Enrolment Now Open for 9th Intake of Sands Procurement Academy

226 local SME suppliers have graduated to date

(Macao, Mar. 19, 2021) – The Sands Procurement Academy will welcome its ninth cohort of local SME suppliers into the programme at The Venetian^® Macao's Adelson Advanced Education Centre in April. Enrolment in the academy is now open to local SME suppliers until March 31, and is free of charge.

Co-organised with the Macao Chamber of Commerce and the Macau Productivity and Technology Centre (CPTTM) in 2017, the Sands Procurement Academy promotes the development of local SME suppliers by sharing business knowledge and skills. The academy's goal is to help SMEs gain experience and capacity for working with large-scale international corporations like Sands China, and specifically targets four types of local suppliers: small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), micro-enterprises, Macao young entrepreneurs, and "Made-in-Macao" enterprises.

"We have had very encouraging results with the suppliers that have graduated from the programme – now in its fourth year – and many of them say their corporate management and performance has greatly benefitted from it," said Charlie Cai, vice president of procurement and supply chain for Venetian Macau Limited. "We look forward to continuing to offer local SME suppliers our support, and we hope local suppliers continue to grow alongside Sands China."

Focused on delivering practical knowledge to its participating SMEs, the Sands Procurement Academy is a first-of-its-kind industry training. The programme's graduates have consistently returned positive feedback from their participation in the academy's courses and on the impact it has had to their businesses.

To date, 226 local SME suppliers have graduated from the programme. In addition to receiving a completion certificate, graduates are given preferential procurement opportunities with Sands China under otherwise equal circumstances.

The academy's participating local SME suppliers learn through tailor-made practical training modules, presented by lecturers with diverse areas of expertise. The programme's modules comprise six topics: logistics management, quality assurance, procurement contracts, procurement process and system overview, supplier code of conduct, and Macao labour law fundamentals.

The 9th intake of suppliers will participate in the academy between April 14 and May 12, 2021, 2:30pm to 5:00pm every Wednesday at the Adelson Advanced Education Centre.

The maximum enrolment capacity is 30. If the number of applicants exceeds capacity, lots will be drawn for the selection, and applicants that are not selected this time will be prioritised for enrolment in the academy's 10th intake.

Please go to https://www.sandschina.com/the-company/purchase-list.html to fill out the enrolment form and return it to eva.wong@sands.com.mo on or before March 31, 2021. For enquiries, please contact Eva Wong at +853 8118 7866.

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

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 support 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.

Photo caption: Enrolment in the Sands Procurement Academy is now open to local SME suppliers until March 31, and is free of charge Successful enrolees will become the ninth cohort of local SMEs to join the programme at The Venetian Macao's Adelson Advanced Education Centre in April.