Commitment and conviction

THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: What opportunities and challenges are there in incorporating giving in your business?

Melissa Kwee Chief Executive Officer National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC)

Churchill said we make a living by what we get, and we make a life by what we give. He was speaking to individuals but even in business, givers gain when others find value with and through our organisations.

Every business needs the trust and confidence of its stakeholders. From the ongoing engagement and conversations we have with organisations in Singapore, we observe that businesses see more opportunities than challenges to incorporate giving in their operations and strategies.

Oftentimes, it's not so much about the ''why'' but the ''how''. Companies already know that by enabling and empowering people in the communities where they operate, they will have happier customers, a more motivated workforce, and ultimately become sustainable organisations with lasting legacies.

From responsible and sustainable procurement, and promoting employee engagement through volunteering, to utilising off-peak or excess capacity to serving under-served groups, or adopting charities which strongly align with brand values and create memorable associations or experiences - the number of ways and impact companies can have is limited only by creative solutioning and the conviction to make it happen.

John Bittleston Founder and Chair Terrific Mentors International Pte Ltd

Giving is very much part of our business. We do 20 per cent of our work on a pro-bono basis and we qualify the people who will benefit from this. Families and friends are not allowed to qualify for the pro bono services. We qualify by, firstly, the level of intelligence. It is essential that people who benefit have a reasonable level of intelligence. Secondly, by motivation.

Since clients are not paying for the services, we need to be sure they are motivated to use it. Unfortunately, many people regard free services as not valuable. We always ensure that those who receive pro bono coaching/mentoring are fully motivated to use it. In addition to the pro bono work, we always give clients more than what they paid for. We also support organisations that are doing charitable work and reflect the mission that we have for helping people.

Deborah Heng Country Manager, Singapore Mastercard

Today, employees want to be active contributors and forces for good, and we constantly look to develop dynamic ways to incorporate giving into our business model so that we can truly contribute to society.

The challenge lies in developing the right kind of programme that can make a difference, and achieve the desired social goals of the company, as well as its partners and employees. The biggest opportunity we see in incorporating giving in our business is the ability to bring people together for a common good, such as Mastercard's ongoing partnership with the World Food Programme, to generate greater impact to support communities around the world.

Yeoh Oon Jin Executive Chairman PwC Singapore

We believe that giving back to the communities we live and operate in is a concrete way to live out our purpose to build trust in society and solve important problems. This is also what our people expect and has become imbedded in our DNA as a firm. The PwC Singapore Foundation was set up to enhance the way we give cash donations, but the challenge lies in how we give with our time.

We need to address real societal needs while considering how this aligns with our people's diverse knowledge, talents and passions. The aim is to leverage what we have to create sustainable and meaningful impact.

In this regard, we believe that the growing digital skills gap presents an opportunity for us to give back through upskilling the poor and underprivileged. We have seen successes when our digitally-savvy colleagues step up to train their peers in digital technologies such as Data Analytics and we would like to bring that success to help various communities across Singapore.

Roshni Mahtani Group CEO and Founder theAsianparent

Giving back to the community doesn't necessitate substantial resources. To make a meaningful and lasting social impact, everyone needs to leverage on their capabilities and expertise.

In addition to our 30-million strong, non-judgemental community parenting support network, we have regular community events in various parts of South-east Asia. We will also be adopting the stillbirth cause in 2020 to raise awareness on stillbirths and help reduce stillbirth rates. Ultimately, lasting positive impact requires sustainable effort, and we are doing our part in the best way we can.

Victor Mills Chief Executive Singapore International Chamber of Commerce

There are endless opportunities to incorporate giving into any business because there is endless community need. Most businesses want to give back to the communities in which they live, work and from which they make their profits.

The key challenges are leaders taking the lead and deciding what causes to support. Then, leaders need to engage their teams and work with them to deliver real help. The toughest thing of all is to sustain giving efforts. Luckily, there are lots of ways of doing so: giving time, providing advice, buying the products produced by charities as well as outright donations.

Seah Kian Peng Group CEO Fairprice Group

FairPrice Foundation was established to promote a systematic and sustained approach towards corporate giving, which remains consistent regardless of the business climate and challenges. Fairprice Foundation also complements our various ongoing efforts and initiatives to engage the public and our customers through volunteerism and community programmes. Since the launch of the Foundation in 2008, FairPrice has donated close to S$100 million in cash and gifts-in-kind to various charities and causes. We believe that doing good and doing well are not mutually exclusive and all of us in our different roles can strive to make lives better for all, together.

Marcus Loh President The Institute of Public Relations of Singapore

Corporate giving should not be regarded as pure altruism. Instead, businesses must uncover ways to leverage their core competencies encompassing their networks, access to capital, employees and technology to help create practical, market-based solutions that benefit society, and through which, themselves.

The Institute of Public Relations of Singapore helps leaders recognise that social and economic value creation ought to go together and we are encouraged that more leaders here have recognised the business sense of corporate giving. NVPC found that 64 per cent of givers have integrated giving into their core business functions while 66 and 42 per cent of businesses that give through actions such as volunteerism and philanthropy respectively reaped a plethora of benefits ranging from higher employee morale and leadership, to improved retention rates.

Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard Managing Director Robert Half Singapore

Not only is it important to contribute to the well-being of the communities in which a business operates, being a good corporate citizen can boost a company's brand awareness. While it may take time away from business-critical activities, which can be challenging to justify in an uncertain economy, CSR practices play a key role in attracting and retaining top talent, which in turn drives sustainable growth. Millennial and Gen Z generations increasingly favour employers with a philanthropic culture that reflects their own values so considered CSR can play a role in attracting the workforce of the future.

Vincent Magnenat Limited Partner, and CEO Lombard Odier Asia Pacific

The world of philanthropy is evolving, with a new generation of socially-conscious philanthropists seeking to drive lasting impact. Having a long-term conviction to sustainability defines our approach to rethinking philanthropy, by responding to challenges with new and innovative solutions. As a founding member of the Corporate Support Group of the International Committee of the Red Cross, we helped launch the world's first ''Humanitarian Impact Bond'', transforming the way vital services for people with disabilities are financed in conflict-hit countries. In helping our clients turn aspiration into action, we set up Fondation Philanthropia, where clients can establish tailor-made funds and partner to support large joint projects, multiplying the impact of each donation.

Manish Tibrewal CEO Maitri Asset Management

Having a clear purpose and skin in the game is key to driving measurable change and social impact as corporates. Twenty-five per cent of Maitri's earnings go directly to our single largest beneficiary, the Ishk Tolaram Foundation, to drive initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable communities in Indonesia, Nigeria and Singapore to achieve self-sustenance. These include education and healthcare initiatives, as well as entrepreneurial and vocational training which we see as a major opportunity to safeguard wellbeing and economic inclusion, for decades to come.

Takehiko Ryu Managing Director Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

At Panasonic, we see corporate giving as an opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the progress and development of society, while improving the well-being of the communities in which we live. It also enables us to take an outside-in look at our business management processes, and paves the way for our business activities to impact a broader range of people across Asia Pacific.

Our recent involvement in the NParks Firefly Species Recovery Programme and the 100 Thousand Solar Lanterns Project represents our commitment to improving the living environments while enabling better quality lives for people in the region.

Stephen Keys President IFS Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa

Properly structured, CSR programmes create a meaningful bond between employer and employee, a sense of shared values. It can bring an extra dimension of purpose and meaning to our working lives. At IFS, we maintain 3 programmes: university scholarships to foster IT skills; a charitable trust to help break the poverty cycle in remote and rural Sri Lanka; and IFS Volunteer Day, giving staff the chance to support a local cause of their choice, in their local community

While CSR programmes can help improve brand recognition, enhance business reputation, help organisations attract new talent, and even influence new business, at IFS we do it because we think it the right thing to do.

Loh Boon Chye Chief Executive Officer Singapore Exchange Ltd

When it comes to doing more for charity, I believe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. By rallying the financial community through our SGX Bull Charge initiative, we have seen how collectively, we can do so much more for those who need help. We want to ensure that the work we do is sustainable and meets our beneficiaries' needs; not just financially but also by participating in joint activities and interactions. By combining resources with our employees or with business partners, and making the effort to get to know the charities, we can give back in a more meaningful and impactful way.

Maren Schweizer Director Schweizer World Pte Ltd

While many CSR activities start with noise and fanfare, they usually offer minimal benefits to either business or society. We believe in a two-pronged approach to partnering and employee-driven CSR/giving.

Partnering focuses on critical areas of impact between business and society by tapping into the expertise and resources of each other, finding creative solutions to significant social and corporate challenges.

Employee-driven CSR is about engaging your entire workforce and leading by example. We are giving our employees an effortless way, enabled by technology, to support their favourite charities and to help make a positive impact on our company's social and environmental commitments through a set of initiatives, such as donations, volunteer time, fundraisers, and employee assistance funds.

Our pilot in Asean has proven that employees can be one of your greatest assets and beneficiaries when it comes to giving activities.

Jeffery Tan JC&C Group General Counsel and MINDSET CEO

In today's increasingly complex business landscape, it is important to find the intersection between the fundamental business objective of driving shareholder value, and purposefully engaging the larger community of stakeholders.

The opportunity and challenge is in identifying a compelling social cause to support, and developing a long-term impactful programme that brings together beneficiaries, employees, donors, and members of the public to contribute positively in their own way. The programme should uphold good governance to manage its overall direction, effectiveness and accountability. At Jardine Cycle & Carriage, we advocate mental health in the workplace and reintegrating persons in recovery back into the workforce. This work is done through our adopted charity, MINDSET, to spearhead change in Singapore's mental health community.

Wissam Khoury SVP and General Manager, MEA and APAC Finastra

Whilst the primary aim of corporate giving is to positively contribute to the society in which we live, it can also attract, motivate and retain talent. This is particularly relevant when Singapore's technology firms face a skills gap, tough competition for talent, and younger workers that are increasingly motivated by impact rather than remuneration. But realising these benefits requires a carefully considered CSR strategy.

Traditional monetary charitable giving remains important, but other methods are more effective in making staff feel they have made a difference. Progressive companies now supplement this type of donation with hands-on giving of time and talent which aligns with their mission. For instance, through Code.org's Hour of Code program, Finastra staff deliver computer science and coding skills to children from under-privileged backgrounds. Staff can see the impact right before them, which increases engagement and ultimately helps us better fulfil our personal and corporate responsibility to society.

Bernadette Cho General Manager (Singapore) Entrepreneur First

From my perspective, corporate giving goes beyond just traditional definitions of philanthropy or volunteerism. At EF, our business is to invest in talent and enable access to entrepreneurship. By empowering people with the skills and resources they need to succeed, we help them reach their full potential, so they can go on to build companies with global impact. Additionally, with the lack of female representation in technical subjects at university, we have also made technical skills more accessible to women. Our Code First: Girls programme in the UK offers free, part-time courses for females, and aims to teach 20,000 women to code for free by 2020. We're making steady progress, and aspire to scale this initiative to reach more women around the world.

Joanne Wong Senior Regional Director for Asia Pacific & Japan LogRhythm

A company's corporate social responsibility is increasingly important for talent attraction as job-seekers, especially millennials, have shown preference for purpose-driven companies. Whilst sustaining a giving culture can be challenging without strong support from leaders and employees' commitment, companies play a significant role in shaping culture and society.

Being charitable can encompass monetary or goods donations, and volunteering time - best coupled with providing employees the agency to choose the causes to support. Our LoGiving Programme allows our employees to run projects that are most aligned to their values and interests, which include re-painting flats belonging to low-income households and shaving hair to help raise funds for Children's Cancer Foundation. Most recently we partnered with OneSingapore.org to pack and distribute food bundles to impoverished communities in Toa Payoh, supporting them in their journey towards self-sufficiency.

Jayaprakash Jagateesan Chief Executive Officer RHT Fintech Holdings

We believe that when we do well, we must do good as it's the right thing to do. As a fintech and financial services company, our challenge was that we don't have a tangible product that could be gifted to support beneficiaries in need.

What we do have is an extensive network of professionals with strong relationships across industries and that presented us with an opportunity to rally all our stakeholders to give generously and make an impact collectively. This led to the establishment of our philanthropic platform, RHT Rajan Menon Foundation, to support beneficiaries from across the arts, the environment, education and disadvantaged groups with the support of our partners and clients.

Tan Mui Huat President and CEO, Asia International SOS

Our philosophy for corporate citizenship focuses on ''Healthcare and Education'' to look after the wellbeing of our employees and the communities around which we operate.

Some of our activities include partnering with clients on community health initiatives to reduce Malaria, HIV and tuberculosis, etc. We also promote clean water, wellness and healthy practices to prevent strokes, diabetes, infectious disease and cancer in many communities worldwide. We work with young graduates through AIESEC, the world's largest youth-run organisation, providing young people with leadership development and cross-cultural internships. And last but not least, we raise funds and donate time to support many ''Healthcare and Education'' causes worldwide.

In Singapore, we have supported causes for the Melrose Home and Pertapis Education and Welfare Centre, to provide housing and social support for marginalised people and children in Singapore. The families of our employees are often involved as well.

To work around time constraints, we hold some CSR activities within work hours to ensure that most of our employees are able to participate. In doing so, we hope to make a difference in our employees' lives, and in society as a whole.

Magesvaran Suranjan President, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa Procter & Gamble

Ensuring we make giving experiences meaningful for our employees has always been a key goal of our corporate social responsibility efforts. We empower our employees with the flexibility to choose - and even lead - projects, depending on their preferences, lifestyles or interests.

For instance, those keen on a hands-on experience participate in projects with Habitat for Humanity to provide safe homes. Others share their expertise through P&G Pro-Bono School which teaches non-profit organisations business skills in Marketing, Sales and HR. Yet others choose to participate in fundraising for non-profits, by giving a portion of their salary or joining fundraising activities. Being a force for good and for growth in our community is in our DNA - and the breadth of opportunities multiplies the impact of our activities and ensures every giving experience is a meaningful one!

Sandie Overtveld VP APAC Zendesk

Businesses looking to create social impact should focus on two guiding principles: value and sustainability. By aligning internal capabilities to support gaps community partners might have, businesses can deliver real, deeper value. A combination of our time, knowledge and resources is needed to put this into action.

We work with various community partners, including Habitat for Humanity, Cycling Without Age, MINDS and Food from the Heart. One of our programs is Hustle & Heart where social organizations receive coaching from our employees to deliver better pitches. This culminates in a pitchfest where the organisations also stand to win prize money.

Ultimately, it's important to consider causes that align with both your business and employees. Appealing to your employee's inherent passions fosters a more positive employee experience, which helps ensure long-term engagement and sustainability.

Gillian Pearl CEO & Principal, Pearl Consulting

WHILE there are clear business benefits to putting purpose at the centre, how an organisation does this can be a challenge. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide one way forward. Launched in 2015, the SDGs range from the elimination of poverty to climate protection, and are designed to make the world a better and fairer place. The UN acknowledges that government support for the goals is not enough to guarantee success. Real progress will only happen if companies support the cause. UN experts calculate that implementing the SDGs will provide an estimated US$12 trillion investment opportunity.

The challenge is to turn these opportunities into reality in a way that makes sense for companies, and protects their short- and long-term interests. The UN provides a series of frameworks and indicators as part of the SDGs, and many expert organisations and consultancies provide SDG-specific advice. Developing cross-sector partnerships is important for working towards achieving the SDGs. But many companies don't, often because often they are too busy with the 'day job' to start them. Setting-up effective partnerships needs a lot of time and effort from all parties. Particularly when it comes to partnership management, changing business models, and development of inclusive and sustainable value chains.''

Azman Jaafar Managing Partner RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP

In an industry which still emphasises the importance of billable hours, scaling up our pro bono efforts to ensure that we expand our outreach to more beneficiaries can be an uphill challenge.

These efforts of doing good can be a powerful motivating force from within that can be very attractive to those we want to hire. The alignment of values within the market ecosystem is good for business. Good begets good; and our work with organisations like the Alzheimer's Disease Association, Trans Family Service Centre and Singapore Management University will promote and cultivate the pro bono spirit within the legal fraternity.

Patrick Lee CEO Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore)

We believe in working with the community to do good and address broader social and environmental needs. In doing so, it is important to build key partnerships and embed an active volunteerism culture within the organisation. Our sustainability programmes are designed with this in mind - we deliver products and services that promote sustainable development, and supports our clients to drive economic growth.

For instance, we launched Asia's first Sustainable Deposit, so both corporate and retail clients can access sustainable financing that support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

The support of our employees also shapes the success of our corporate giving programme. Our structured approach to employee volunteering helps build a strong volunteering culture. Our Bank employees can take up to three days of paid volunteering leave annually to support a cause they are passionate about.

Siddharth Shanker General Manager Deliveroo Singapore

At Deliveroo, we operate in a highly competitive space. We run a three-sided marketplace and our key stakeholders include customers, restaurants and riders for whom we consistently work with to deliver the best value. Committing to an initiative that works for our stakeholders and makes a meaningful impact to our communities in the long run is even more challenging. However, we strongly believe in giving back to the communities we operate in. As a company that is all about food, ensuring that great food is accessible to all naturally aligns with our business.

Recently, we expanded our partnership with not-for-profit organisation TOUCH Community Services, where customers could pay a meal forward for the elderly in need while ordering one for themselves. With the support of our restaurant partner Chang Cheng Group and customers, we raised 1,000 meals for over 100 elderly. Of course, the success of any CSR programme depends on how committed the company, its partners and the community are to giving and creating a meaningful impact. The response to this initiative is testament to how supportive the entire community of consumers, riders and restaurants have been and we are currently looking at ways to expand this programme.

Goh Puay Cheh Executive Director The Institute of Internal Auditors Singapore

We build a giving back culture in the form of a skills-based volunteering programme. Our members have the opportunity to leverage their skills and knowledge in internal audit to help charities improve their corporate governance. Giving back to the community is one of the best ways to make a collective impact by way of strengthening engagement with our members and deepening relations with our charity partners. Such a hands-on programme gives our members the chance to make a difference in the community on a much larger scale than we could do on our own. Recognising that skills-based opportunities require more commitment, we constantly explore collaborative opportunities that balance the needs of our members and that of the Institute and our community partners.

Jill Smith Chief Executive Officer Manulife US Real Estate Management

We found that incorporating community work forged deep team bonding as we gave back to the society. Inspired by this, we saw the value in such activities and wanted to do more to help others. So we went further - procuring our corporate gifts from social enterprises. Even our staff department breakfasts and lunches are sourced from social enterprises to support financial independence. This year's US Thanksgiving celebration will incorporate team bonding and 'giving' by cooking together and serving our dishes to a group of elderly. We will end the day with games and our lucky draw will mean that everyone walks away a winner.

John Ng CEO YTL PowerSeraya

With the advent of technology and big data, companies now have opportunities to achieve both economic and social value. At YTL PowerSeraya, we are committed to educating the community on adopting a sustainable lifestyle. This has provided us access to customers that resonate with our values via our green energy plan offerings. For example, our retail brand Geneco's partnership with Repair Kopitiam through our ChangeMakersSG programme not only keeps us committed to repair and to reduce e-waste, it also allows our people to participate in its neighbourhood outreach.

To rally an entire workforce towards a single CSR cause can be challenging especially with a diverse workforce. Yet, the right encouragement at all levels can deliver a positive and rewarding outcome.

Helen Ng CEO Lock+Store

Corporate giving does not necessarily have to involve dollars and cents. Over the years we have granted various Animal Welfare Groups (AWGs) free use of our premises for fund-raising fairs. We do not charge stallholders rent as long as a portion of their profits goes to the AWGs. We have also invited AWGs to place their calendars at our customer service counters for sale to our customers. There are myriad opportunities for businesses to give back. We just need to leverage our strengths, which in our case is related to making meaningful use of space.

Renzo Taal Senior Vice-President, Asia-Pacific Salesforce

For many businesses, institutionalising giving can be challenging. Salesforce was founded with a vision to change the way the world does business and improve the state of the world at the same time. As such, we pioneered the integrated business philanthropic model, the 1-1-1 model where we give back 1 per cent of our time, 1 per cent of our product and 1 per cent of our equity back to the communities we live and work in. We also urge other companies to take the 1 per cent pledge, to adopt the 1-1-1 model for their organisations. To date, more than 9,000 companies have taken the pledge.

Ultimately, we believe that business is the biggest platform for global change and values-led leadership can provide opportunities for sustainable growth.

Alan Watts President, Asia Pacific Hilton

We are operating in an environment where business leaders have started to drop the age-old notion that businesses function first and foremost to serve their shareholders and maximize profits. In a time where consumers no longer simply form perceptions of a company based on the products and services it offers, and instead on how the company behaves and its impact on society, corporate giving is a great way to demonstrate how a business' culture and purpose is brought to life through its support of community efforts.

At Hilton, in celebration of our centenary year, we launched the Hilton Effect Foundation - a primary international philanthropic arm - which invests in efforts to meet our Corporate Responsibility commitment to cut our environmental footprint in half and double our social impact investment. Our inaugural grants provided funds to create opportunities for disadvantaged youth across Asia Pacific.

In Singapore, team members volunteer with organisations like SG Food Rescue, Krishna's Kitchen and Willing Hearts. Thrive Sabbatical, a global program, also provides Team Members with an opportunity to live or give a dream through a four-week paid sabbatical.

Munenori Ando Regional Managing Director Epson Singapore

At Epson, sports is an integral part of how we give back to the local community. Over the years, we've established partnerships with GIFC and Sports Singapore to bring our annual youth football tournament - Epson Youth Challenge - to Singaporean youths, making real differences to their lives. Sports is a core initiative for us so we extended this programme to include football clinics for underprivileged children, and also sent Singaporean youths for training and cultural exchanges at Matsumoto Yamaga FC, an Epson sponsored team in Japan's J-league.

Malina Platon Managing Director Asean Region UiPath

Automation is about creating more employees who can work with software robots. This means that those in the automation technology space need to ensure the workers of today are upskilled and prepared for automation. It also means that the employees of tomorrow - especially underprivileged ones - are also provided with the opportunity to participate and thrive.

Children living in poverty are often overlooked, usually lacking quality education, particularly in terms of digital-era skills. The UiPath Foundation works with underprivileged communities around the world to improve the quality of early education, provide support for children and train teachers - in particular providing them guidance on how to identify gifted children. By starting early, we hope to provide these children with the skills to successfully navigate the complex requirements of our future societies.

Svend Janssen Head of Asia Western Union Business Solutions

At Western Union, incorporating giving into our business is a huge opportunity for us to be a leading catalyst in improving access to education. Many of our world's most pressing challenges share a seemingly intractable root - being without access to the education and skills needed to succeed in the workforce.

For nearly 20 years, the Western Union Foundation has given out US$124 million, reaching more than 940,000 people across 174 countries. It has also invested over US$13 million in workforce skilling and education, provided more than 75,000 people with potentially life-changing education, given out 164 scholarships to students across 56 countries and reached 200,000 more with new skills and knowledge. Our employees also engage in our corporate giving initiative through volunteering, direct giving and gift matching, with 84 per cent of our employees giving to our Foundation. It is our shared belief that while our world is ever changing, education is the surest pathway to economic opportunity.

Ronak Shah Chief Executive Officer QBE Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd | Asia

Giving back is a direct acknowledgement by businesses of the community's contribution to their success. As such, the first step to a successful giving approach is ensuring buy-in. Once employees understand we can play a larger role in the community and society more generally, it's easier to grasp opportunities.

However, firms need to be careful to avoid being seen as opportunistic or providing only token support. At QBE, we see the greatest value from integrating giving into our business model and products. For example, we allocate a portion of premiums we collect into bonds that generate real change for the community - for instance, development of renewable energy resources or providing water and energy to remote communities.

Seamus Phan Chief Content and Technology Officer McGallen & Bolden and FlightLeaders

Research has shown that the younger generations are more likely to work for companies that have strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes in place, i.e. companies with a social and societal conscience.

Rather than sporadic projects or occasional giving, it is far more beneficial to support particular charities with specific programs for the long haul, which will also help employees become more aligned and engaged with collective social work. Don't stop at simply giving money to charities. Engage employees to contribute more innovative ways in time and effort to charities so everyone feel the spirit of giving, and look close to home rather than venture out of country.

Henry Tan Group CEO Nexia TS Group

Giving involves the changing of our mindset that it is more blessed to give. We have incorporated giving into our company through the setting up of bursary to support needy students for tertiary studies, and a CSR day so that we take the day off to do good. We have also been a supporter of Boys Brigade Share a Gift by getting staff to contributing with matching contribution by the firm to bless the needy. This year we will also help in the delivery of these hampers to the beneficiaries. The challenge is also by ensuring and cultivating the giving to a habit and not a once off event. We are actively pursuing this and are glad to be recognised as a Champion of Good by NVPC.

David Leong Managing Director PeopleWorldwide Consulting Pte Ltd.

One challenge for corporate giving could be that corporate giving involves more stakeholders as it may need board's and shareholders' ratifications, as the donations may come from the profits of the businesses.

Businesses can couple marketing events with charity to raise the profile of the charities. This marketing roll-on to a charitable cause may have a snowball effect in donation gathering from the public.

In all, charity and philanthropy must come from the heart through deep compassion and not rights-to-brag trophies for commercial gains. Some do deliberately choose to give quietly without fanfare and noise.

Abdullah Al-Otaibi Regional Leader, SEA & ANZ SABIC

We believe that today's global marketplace calls for sustainability to be embedded in the way we do business. Where possible, organizations should serve and improve the communities they live in and play an active role in developing an engaged and talented future workforce.

For example, at SABIC, our 'Lights of Our Future' programme in Singapore has utilized 1,500 hours of employee time to educate over 1,400 students about sustainability since 2014. Whilst this requires a substantial investment in time and manpower, we see immense value in nurturing future generations who will go on to drive our economy and world in a sustainable manner.

Leslie Ong Country Manager, Southeast Asia Tableau Software

In addition to providing financial grants, companies can use their expertise, people and products to make an impact, whether it is using technology as a force for good, or mobilising the community to drive social efforts.

At Tableau, we leverage the power of data to help the community make a difference. Tableau Foundation partners with leading governments and non-profits, such as NVPC in Singapore, providing software, training and financial support to develop innovative ideas that use data to drive change. We recently announced a partnership with Splash, to offer resources that equip the non-profit with reliable and real-time data that helps bring safe water and sanitation to children in India and Ethiopia.

Mario Singh CEO Fullerton Markets

The United Nations has a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to transform our future by 2030. Many of these goals require the global partnerships of businesses and companies before they can be effectively realised.

In our company, we have a CSR arm called Fullerton Foundation which focuses on charitable initiatives with elderly homes and orphanages all around Asia. Many leaders today understand the dual role of running a profitable business and using it as a force for good for all stakeholders and their communities at large.

The immediate challenge of incorporating giving in a business is one of awareness and education. Both employers and employees must understand the importance and advantages that giving brings, and the sustainable benefits it brings to all involved.

Jessie Xia Managing Director - Singapore ThoughtWorks

As a global technology firm, we believe we have a responsibility to constantly question the impact of technology on society, and specifically people who are systemically marginalised and oppressed.

Our approach is: Solidarity over charity. Charity is giving to those ''less fortunate than yourself''. It creates a power dynamic that further reinforces systems of oppression and economic inequality. Solidarity, by contrast, takes a systems change approach. Its foundational philosophy is that all relationships and power dynamics are multi-directional and acknowledges that everyone has wisdom and resources to solve problems. At ThoughtWorks, we strive to be engaged global citizens advocating for equity and justice not only as ThoughtWorkers but in every aspect of our lives.

Carma Elliot College President UWC South East Asia

At UWCSEA, we extend the idea of giving well beyond traditional measures such as fundraising targets and volunteering hours - although we do both. Our goal, in much the same way as the mission of the NVPC is to grow a culture of giving in Singapore, is to nurture in our students a desire to make a positive contribution. Our mission is to equip them to take action to shape a better world, both in their Singapore community now, and in their global future.

Our definition of giving is therefore linked to how lives are lived. And that's both our opportunity and our challenge. As a school with a philosophy that's all about developing those who will provide a lifelong contribution, how do we measure our success in a world full of short-term achievement tables?

Dileep Nair Independent Director Thakral Corporation

The dilemma arises in deciding what is the cause or charity to support and guessing the reaction of shareholders. Adopting a strategic approach is sensible.

The ''giving'' should lie somewhere between pure philanthropy and commercial self-interest; it should both meet a compelling community need and also resonate with key stakeholders. Instead of cash, donations of stock-in-trade should be considered. Company volunteerism, especially when it is led by board members and senior management, is also a powerful way of demonstrating involvement in the community as well as strengthening company bonding.

In deciding their contribution, companies would do well to remember Tagore's words: ''All that is not given... is lost''.

Lars Voedisch Founder, Managing Director and Principal Consultant PRecious Communications

We believe that giving should not be viewed as a transactional exercise but be incorporated within the very fabric of the business. Giving helps businesses broaden your horizon and creates opportunities to support a particular segment of society, working towards the betterment of both parties.

At PRecious, we balance our resources to work with organisations whose values resonate with our own across multiple initiatives. For example, we supported Relay Majulah pro bono in their efforts to bring together runners that, collectively, form a melting pot of culture, language, religion and experiences in support of the President's Challenge. At the same time, our International Students Exchange programme has helped more than ten students from across the world to experience working in Singapore, and bringing fresh perspectives to our team. Also, we have partnered with several education partners and startup communities to strengthen their respective communities and guide them to better their communications and marketing skills.

Hugh Lim CEO Building and Construction Authority

BCA and the built environment industry give back to the community in a way we can contribute best.

BCA, and the Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (SCAL), have been working closely with Volunteer Welfare Organisations, offering our technical expertise and resources to assist in facilities improvement and accessibility enhancement for the beneficiaries at the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH) and the Asian Women's Welfare Association's (AWWA) Senior Community Home and Transitional Shelters. Besides activities organised by our CSR Committee, our staff also initiate support for causes such as Hair for Hope, Willing Hearts and the Down Syndrome Association.

BCA strives to be an influencer and multiplier in corporate giving through such partnerships with industry in our CSR projects to create the best built environment for our community.

Cheung Pui Yuen Chief Executive Officer Deloitte Singapore

At Deloitte, giving back to our society is an integral part of our culture and business. It resonates with our efforts to develop our people, create opportunities through our global CSR program WorldClass that is set to deliver 50 million ''futures'' to underprivileged youths; to build trust in the financial ecosystem, and develop innovative solutions for our clients. We are very fortunate to be in a privileged position to contribute our time and talent for the benefit of our communities where our contributions will have meaningful impact.

Chia Ngiang Hong President Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore (REDAS)

REDAS brings together our member-firms to raise funds at our various social events such as golf tournament, gala dinner, etc to support numerous community and social causes. To further reinforce our commitment, we set up REDAS Foundation in 2013 and have been working with the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) since then. We find this a convenient arrangement as we can identify suitable and meaningful causes we wish to support, how we would like to be involved and yet drawing on the expertise of CFS to help evaluate and monitor the outcomes. Apart from the opportunity to promote our goodwill with the communities, this emotionally uplifting endeavour also helps to rally our members towards a meaningful and rewarding cause and build a more inclusive society.

Ian Terry Managing Director Freeman Singapore

At Freeman Singapore, we want to empower our employees in contributing to a real positive change for society-especially in the area of sustainability. We've committed to a Zero Waste Goal as a company, and have an internal sustainability team in each of our offices that looks at sustainable best practices not just internally, but also at our client events. By working with partners such as Habitat for Humanity (Singapore) and the Public Hygiene Council's Keep Clean Singapore (KCS) to "Unlitter Singapore", as well as exploring opportunities to hire people who are less fortunate to support us in our work. Additionally, we want each one of our employees to play their part and be responsible corporate citizens. To encourage this, we have provided our employees with re-usable tote bags, metal straws and bento containers to reduce one-time plastic consumption usage-and have seen initial success in reducing our waste output.