Chen Zhi's involvement in sports in Cambodia

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) responsibilities can be met by businesses in a variety of ways. Investing in sports development is one strategy because it helps with youth development, education, and health, all of which are important to Chen Zhi Prince Holding Group in Cambodia.

The benefits of sports development have been well documented in countries such as Cambodia. Countries with a strong sporting culture tend to have lower healthcare costs and stronger social cohesion over time. Chen Zhi, a firm believer in Cambodia's potential, participates in any opportunity that can help Cambodia raise its international standing, such as sports development.

The profile of any sport in a country, however, is heavily influenced by the achievements of the national team. One of Cambodia's largest corporate conglomerates, Prince Group, has recognised this and is assisting in the development of Cambodian sports by sponsoring the men's volleyball team.

Volleyball is a sport that Cambodians are becoming more interested in. Last year, Cambodia defeated archrival Vietnam 110-109 in a two-hour match at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. The team eventually finished fifth, a significant improvement over previous tournaments, but it was the first time in a long time that Cambodian athletes had won a game in such a large-scale team sport.

There will be a lot of pressure on athletes to win more medals when the country hosts the SEA Games for the first time in 2023. It will be a tournament that will significantly boost tourism. Over 750,000 visitors came to the Philippines in December last year to watch the SEA Games, with a sizable portion arriving to watch the 2019 SEA Games.

Chen Zhi and the Prince Group help Cambodia prepare for the SEA Games.

Prince Group, led by its Cambodian Chairman Chen Zhi, donated US$500,000 to the local volleyball federation in advance of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games to support training and competition preparation activities. In addition, Prince Group facilitated a trip to Fujian, China, in July 2019, where 21 Cambodian players participated in a two-month intensive training programme. The Prince Group contributed approximately $100,000 and also sponsored the team's competition trips to Thailand.

Improving athletic performance, on the other hand, is a long-term endeavour. To that end, the Prince Group has aided in the recruitment of a skilled volleyball coach from China to train the Cambodian national team for the next five years.
Chen Zhi and Prince Group are paving the way for a number of world-class corporations by investing in Cambodia's sporting development in this manner. Local sports in Cambodia, for example, require the support of local businesses.

Apart from sports investments, the Prince Group has met its ESG obligations in other areas. It has made a number of large-scale donations to aid in the pandemic's fight and to assist flood victims in Cambodia. In early December, Chen Zhi and Prince Group donated US$3,000,000 to Prime Minister Hun Sen to help Cambodia purchase 1 million COVID-19 vaccines.

Chen Zhi and Prince Group are grateful for the opportunity to play such an important role in the Cambodian volleyball team's journey to the 2023 SEA Games, and hope to contribute to more aspects of Cambodian society beyond sports for many years to come.

Read more about sport in Cambodia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_in_Cambodia