In It Together: More Companies Are Rallying Employees, Business And Community Partners To Do Good

From improving health and financial literacy for children to providing nutritious meals to seniors, Prudential Singapore and CapitaLand continue to support communities who need it now more than ever

Vicki Koh, a senior business development manager at Prudential Singapore, takes use of the five days of volunteer time she is allotted each year.

She gets to “build stronger bonds with my family and colleagues who join me in doing good” by volunteering, in addition to helping others in need. She goes on to say that by volunteering, she is teaching her kid lifelong virtues like empathy and compassion.

Prudential Singapore was named a Champion of Good in 2018 and 2020 for its dedication to volunteering and community outreach.

Champions of Good is an initiative of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s (NVPC) Company of Good that honors organizations that have been particularly effective in spreading good and have enlisted a wide range of collaborators in their efforts.

“The epidemic and the resulting economic crisis have unquestionably badly affected businesses,” says Lenard Pattiselanno, head of Outreach and Partnerships at NVPC. But despite internal difficulties, many businesses discovered renewed zeal to aid groups who are desperately in need of assistance.

“It is hoped that other organizations will be motivated by these Champions of Good to explore uncharted territory in terms of doing good, and that the network of Champions will continue to grow. To become a positive force for society and the environment, we also encourage and challenge firms to think deeply about and act in accordance with their unique definition of “corporate purpose.”

Working together to drive social impact

CapitaLand, which has been named a Champion of Good in 2017, 2018, and 2020, is convinced that working together is essential to making a positive social effect. The CapitaLand Hope Foundation (CHF) is the company’s charitable arm; it collaborates with a wide range of nonprofits and encourages its workers to get involved in volunteer work as a means of creating a more compassionate and welcoming society.

CapitaLand rallies not only its employees and tenants, but also its customers, via its digital platforms, to take part in its charitable initiatives.

For instance, from November to December of 2016, consumers who used the hashtag #iShop4Good on CapitaLand’s curated digital mall, eCapitaMall, received a S$5 donation that was distributed to participating charities and social entrepreneurs.

CapitaStar members in Singapore contributed STAR$® through the Capita app during the power outage. Over 8,000 meals were provided to the needy through the CapitaLand #MealOnMe campaign thanks to the generous matching contributions from CHF.

The #LoveOurSeniors campaign is one of CHF’s community outreach programs that strives to improve the quality of life of seniors through better nutrition, enhanced well-being, and improved living conditions; this program would greatly benefit from meaningful collaborations.

Since last year’s March, CHF has collaborated with organizations including Dorcas Home Care Services, Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities, TOUCH Community Services, and SHATEC Hospitality Institute to feed over 1,100 seniors with chef-designed, nutritious meals.

“More than 380 staff volunteers, as well as 870 tenant and community volunteers, gave their time to distribute over 6,300 meals and 9,750 loaves of bread,” said Mr Tan Seng Chai, executive director of CHF and chief corporate and people officer of CapitaLand Investment. They assisted with the renovation of four houses for the elderly and prepared and distributed about 2,900 care packages.

We hope to increase our assistance to seniors by collaborating with additional partners and renters.

Nutritional meals are provided on a monthly basis through this continuous program, which reaches out to seniors in the community who are in need of assistance.

Prudential Singapore is also making a difference by enabling elders to acquire new abilities. Last year, it created a six-week Seniors’ Wellbeing Masterclass initiative to teach seniors fundamentals of technology and healthy eating.

Goodlife! is collaborating with AMKFSC Community Services.

Prudential Singapore collaborated with Lions’ Befrienders and Tembusu Senior Activity Centre to develop a program that addresses issues of digital literacy, healthy eating, and the arts.

“Our volunteers also conducted fitness and fun sessions for the elderly to promote active ageing,” Ms. Tan Ping Ping, head of Corporate Affairs at Prudential Singapore, explains. These events are held all year long with different groups of seniors to teach them how to use technology and how to eat healthier so that they may take control of their own lives.

Caring for communities adds value for businesses

The programs put on by these two businesses have helped people of all ages, from the young to the old.

Through its Healthy with KidSTART and Cha-Ching initiatives, Prudential Singapore promotes early childhood nutrition with the goal of improving children’s health and financial literacy.