Gifting as part of the legacy

REMOVING the extra leaves from the stems of carnations, measuring the flowers against the vase and cutting it to size. This is not an everyday scene at St Luke's ElderCare (SLEC), which provides a continuum of care for the elderly between the community hospitals and homes.

Two employees from Noel Gifts International Ltd are spending their time on a Wednesday afternoon teaching a group of 10 elders the art of flower arrangement.

Noel Gifts' production supervisor Chong Fong Yi says: "I found that the elderly participants really liked (the flowers and the workshop) a lot. I seldom have the opportunity to talk to our customers directly. This time, I could interact directly with the elderly, and treat them as my customers. The elderly participants really looked forward (to the sessions) and were very excited, asking if there were more classes and if they (the team) can come more often. The positive response from the elderly also made me feel happy."

The ongoing 10 classes, which started since end July, are conducted in the different locations of the SLEC centres, and are part of the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.

To Ms Chong, the most memorable event that took place was during the second workshop. She says: "For the second workshop, it was conducted in a more open area and the elderly were very friendly. They approached us and helped us to prepare (for example, cutting the stems of the flowers). From there, it was easier to communicate as there was a common topic. We also had spare flowers that we gave to the centres to place on the reception counters, and visitors had positive comments about it."

Noel Gifts was initially known as Noel Commerce when it was established in 1975, and started off as a year-end hamper packaging company. It was renamed in 1983 when the company expanded to incorporate a flower business.

But through its many changes, CSR is something that is still entrenched in the company since its establishment. Alfred Wong, managing director of Noel Gifts, says: "The sense of empathy was nurtured from the exposure I got in school and from my family. Those days, about 50 years ago, there were regular floods in Potong Pasir. We had to help gather the aged farmers and their families to the school halls to wait while the water levels subsided. I would also volunteer at a nursing home when I was younger. Back then, we stayed in a kampong and we knew what hardship was, and it helped us be more empathetic. Till today, I go on medical mission trips to Cambodia and Thailand with my children in our personal capacities."

This act of giving has spilled over into the way he handles the company. The 66-year-old, who towers over almost everyone at more than 1.9 metres, says: "For Noel, we are clear about putting a portion of resources to give back to the society and community. We have been doing CSR in a deliberate, strategic manner since 1998. It was more ad-hoc before."

From raising money for various causes - Noel Gifts raised S$2 million in 2015 for six charities at its 40th Anniversary Thanksgiving & Charity Gala Dinner with the government's Care & Share Matching Grant - the company now also conducts floral workshops for the elderly at the various SLEC centres.

Mr Wong says: "We are shifting from providing financial contributions to financial plus resource contributions. Ultimately, it is important for companies, regardless of size, to have CSR ingrained in its DNA as it is about the positive impact and change that companies can bring to the society, as there needs to be an alignment between the company and its community."

He adds that it is mutually beneficial for companies when the country it is operating in is doing well, because if "the community is doing well, you will not have protests which are so prevalent in numerous cities across continents which is detrimental to business".

But of course, the road to giving hasn't always been smooth-sailing. Mr Wong says: "Active staff involvement is a challenge that is not easy to overcome. An example would be that these activities usually take place on weekends, and of course it sometimes eats into their family time.

"To find a CSR project that resonates with the company's core objectives and vision is also not an easy feat, especially with the range of options available today."

Hence, he adds that the company had to find one that was aligned with Noel Gifts' core values, which include People, Innovation and Teamwork.

"Once the alignment was made, the CSR project could then allow us to convey a clear message across and will solidify the company's stance on CSR and further the company's image as an active advocate of giving back," Mr Wong says.

The managing director says that is the reason why Noel Gifts engages with different organisations that focus on different groups which include community (Bethesda Care Services), elderly (SLEC), and family (Focus on the Family Singapore), so that hopefully, staff members will find a cause that they resonate with and start the CSR journey.

The same sentiments were echoed by Noel Gifts' staff Cheng Soon Lan. The production supervisor has worked with Noel Group since 2008 and was a volunteer at the floral workshop.

Having been involved in three sessions, Ms Cheng says: "The elderly were very enthusiastic about the floral workshops - one of them even wanted to bring the flower arrangement she did home and continue growing the flowers in her garden - and wanted to have more sessions, but we could only limit it to 10 sessions because of constraints."

Ms Cheng adds that through this experience, she "realised there were many elders at each centre... I feel a sense of achievement and it is good that we can help give back to the community through the company's CSR".

Siek Ming Hwa from SLEC's Telok Blangah Centre says that the flower arrangement classes bring back memories of her late husband who bought her flowers during Valentine's.

Mr Wong says that the event is a meaningful one and the elders are always happy to see the volunteers and when care and concern are shown to them. "This is beyond money. You feel a sense of reward and that feeling keeps you going. Moreover, such activities actually have the added benefit of bringing staff together," he adds.

Ms Chong, who has been working for the company for 13 years, concurs and says: "We came back from the workshops and talked to our colleagues about it. They commented that it was a good initiative and went to see Facebook pictures."

Her colleague, Ms Cheng, says that others asked her about the experience and she related to them the stories about the elderly and how some of them had mobility issues. She then encouraged her colleagues to join her next time to experience it for themselves.

When asked about the concept that some businesses have - that CSR is equivalent to just "giving money", which means a loss for business, Mr Wong laughs and says that it couldn't be further from the truth.

"There is no loss. If your project is aligned with your company's vision - for Noel, it is Bringing People Closer, Making Every Day Better - people will appreciate your efforts and when this vision is achieved, more will want to support your cause and company. I believe that the more we give, the more we will also receive."

The SGX-listed firm also does its part for the environment and reduces wastage when it can. Being a flowers and gifts company, packaging and its wastage automatically comes to mind.

When asked about the steps taken to minimise this waste, Mr Wong says that they use recycled paper whenever possible, although it costs more, and " we purchase baskets that is beyond the purpose of just delivering hampers; we get those that can be repurposed as gift or jewellery boxes". In the future, Mr Wong hopes to get more companies on board to do CSR. The one message that Mr Wong wants to send out to SMEs is "Let's do it together".

He adds: "It is not such a complex thing (to give). We can do it small, tompang and do it together as a group. It can be a project among the few companies. There is power in numbers and it will encourage others." Mr Wong laughs and says: "I should invite my kopi friends first and start something together."

This year, two Christmas hampers were specially created for the purpose of CSR. With every sale, S$45 would go into the company's pool of CSR funds that contributes to the disadvantaged and low-income families. S$12,000 from this pool of funds was dedicated to ChariTrees this year, and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT-BAF) is the main beneficiary.

ChariTrees was launched by Community Chest in 2011; since 2018, it has been organised by The RICE Company Ltd, a not-for-profit arts organisation and charity with IPC status.