Leading Employer for Professional Qualifications Scheme (LEPQ)

Click to view the inaugural LEPQ-recognised Banks 2022-2023

 BACKGROUND

The banking landscape has been increasingly volatile and complex, driven by the evolving market environment, heightening regulatory requirements, new customer behaviours and technological advancements. These changes, together with the elevated expectations from our stakeholders, create huge demand for an all-rounded competent talent pool. While the long-term growth of the banking industry lies in people, financial institutions need to prioritise and collectively build a sustainable, quality local talent pool to maintain Hong Kong’s financial stability and international financial centre status.

The “Leading Employer for Professional Qualifications” scheme (“LEPQ”) recognises financial institutions as the role models by demonstrating their commitment in promoting the banking professional qualifications as the Common Qualification Benchmark across the industry. This industry benchmark motivates and facilitates banking practitioners to own professional autonomy by enabling them to enhance professional standards and future-proof their careers through a clear path to achieve career development. Orchestrated as an industry-wide guideline to sustain and promote professionalism, the benchmark will also provide future talent an incentive to join the banking sector - a roadmap to successful careers. 

 OBJECTIVES

  Recognise the ongoing efforts of financial institutions in promoting the importance of banking professional qualifications (CB and ECF) in the recruitment process; and

  Recognise the commitment of financial institutions in enhancing employees’ competence and raising professionalism in the banking industry; and

  Motivate banking practitioners to own their professional autonomy via pursuing banking qualifications.

 BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPATING BANKS

  Gain industry recognition of leading the development of banking professionalism and upholding an industry-wide common qualification benchmark. 

  Build a competent and professional talent pool for sustaining the future development of the local banking sector. 

  Demonstrate the outstanding efforts in promoting the recognised banking qualifications and a continuous learning culture.

  Facilitate the recruitment process, and attract and retain high-calibre talent.

 ELIGIBILITY

Any registered Authorized Institution (AI) supervised under the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) can apply. 

To obtain the LEPQ badge, banks are required to post recruitment advertisements of different job positions or functions, listing the HKIB banking professional qualifications as one of the preferred competency requirements. The qualifications currently include:

Certified Banker (CB) Professional Qualifications

Enhanced Competency Framework (ECF) Professional Qualifications

 APPLICATION

The LEPQ status will be awarded to financial institutions that recognise and promote the importance of banking professional qualifications - Certified Banker (CB) and Enhanced Competency Framework (ECF) programmes by including relevant requirements in their recruitment advertisements, both internal and external. With banks’ support in promoting a continuous learning culture, the scheme aims to encourage banking practitioners to achieve their professional autonomy by pursuing these professional qualifications and proactively plan their professional development to enrich their expertise in this dynamic banking environment.

The first round of applications for LEPQ closed on 31 December 2021. Recognised employers will be invited to receive the LEPQ badge at the inaugural ceremony of Leading Employer for Professional Qualifications to be held in the first half of 2022. Please stay tuned for updates.

Click to view the inaugural LEPQ-recognised Banks 2022-2023

Subsequent new applications will be accepted throughout the year starting 1 January 2022. Apply now to become the leading employers in the banking industry!

Fill in the E-form and submit 5 recruitment advertisements of different job positions or functions posted by your bank within the last 2 years with clear presentation of the required HKIB banking professional qualifications and the posting date.

WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE

  Industry-wide recognition in raising competency standards and collaboratively expanding talent pool.

  A LEPQ badge to showcase and promote your bank as a leading employer with the commitment in fostering competence development and promoting a continuous learning culture among practitioners.

  Exclusive LEPQ souvenirs for HR team’s outstanding efforts in promoting banking professional qualifications.

 Result Announcement of the LEPQ-recognised Banks 2022-2023: