60 organisations recognised as Champions of Good

Singapore

THE National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) recognised 60 organisations on Friday as Champions of Good 2018 for their corporate giving and commitment to amplifying the impact of giving.

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat graced the conferment event that was attended by 200 C-suite executives and top business leaders.

NVPC chairman Mildred Tan said corporate giving in Singapore has increasingly become a "national movement" due to the Champions of Good who "continue to raise the bar by practising and advocating corporate stewardship across their organisations and supply chains".

"These truly inspiring companies have made giving the lifeblood of their businesses, galvanising senior management, employees and the public to meet the needs of the community," she said.

The Company of Good programme was launched two years ago for corporates to build capabilities, collaborate with one another, and create impactful and sustainable corporate giving efforts. To date, more than 1,200 corporates have benefitted from the programme.

NVPC chief executive officer Melissa Kwee said many companies are responding to the demand for good stewardship and the growing link between social impact and financial performance.

"We see the heightened need for a new type of leadership to emerge. The recent 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer shows that 65 per cent opined that CEOs should take the lead on change rather than waiting for government to impose it," she said.

"Through our Champions, we witness examples of business as a force for good.

"The power is in the hands of CEOs and leaders to walk the talk and drive meaningful change. Corporate philanthropy and volunteerism in Singapore need to be more regular and driven right from the top of the organisation."

In his speech, Mr Heng noted that all stakeholders - individuals, non-profit organisations, corporates and the government - have to work together and help those in need.

"In this respect, corporates have an integral and multiplier role to play in our community as they can offer their expertise and resources, and mobilise their employees to create impactful and sustainable CSR initiatives," he said.

Based on NVPC's Corporate Giving Survey 2017, one in two corporates surveyed had engaged in some form of giving in the past financial year, be it philanthropy, volunteerism or other forms such as advocacy and procurement from non-profit organisations.

Mr Heng said: "There is high potential among non-giving corporates to give, as two in three said they were keen to start. We can close the gap between aspiration and action if we continue to support one another in our giving efforts."

A total of 29 of the 60 Champions this year are being recognised for the first time. One of them, Woh Hup, attributes its strong performance to the spirit of giving instilled by its four generations of founders.

As one of three public agencies recognised as Champions of Good for the first time, the Building & Construction Authority showed that giving back to the community and greening the environment is embedded in its DNA.