More Purposeful Businesses Arise from Challenging Times: 74 Organisations Conferred as Champions of Good 2020
PUBLISHED ONNovember 19, 2020 2:30 AM
Company of Good, a part of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre ("NVPC") officially recognises 74 organisations as Champions of Good 2020, a 20 per cent increase from the previous edition.
Champions of Good was launched in 2017 as a national recognition framework under Company of Good, celebrating organisations that are exemplary in doing good and which have also been multipliers by engaging their partners and stakeholders on a collaborative journey.
In a message to launch this year’s conferment campaign, Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Heng Swee Keat congratulated the Champions conferred in 2020, recognising their efforts in uplifting the vulnerable members of society and rallying staff and stakeholders in supporting causes. He also highlighted that they have embodied the spirit of the Singapore Together movement, where everyone steps forward to play their part.
Leading the Way Towards the Future of Business
A total of 97 unique Champions have been recognised since the programme's inception, with 23 new Champions being conferred today. The gaps brought about by the challenging business environment this year have also revealed the need for organisations to rethink and reimagine their role in the community. By incorporating doing good into their business strategies, organisations can ensure better sustainability and stakeholder engagement as well as address the needs of the community amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. With a record number of first-time and repeat Champions of Good, we see that more organisations are doing good and becoming better at it.
By leveraging core business assets to serve broader community needs, the Champions of Good are in a strong position to continue striving forward with purpose. Working in tandem with strategic partners and non-profit organisations, they are able to bridge technical expertise and business agility through a common purpose.
"By looking beyond conventional business goals, these Champions of Good have displayed resilience and adaptability in their fight to overcome the economic downturn and are setting the precedent in robust corporate citizenship for other stakeholders and industry peers to follow," mentioned Mrs Mildred Tan, Chairman, NVPC. "With the Champions of Good leading the way, I am confident that we will build a City of Good – a Singapore that cares."
Unyielding Drive to Do Good
While each Champion has charted their own journey of doing good, they have all remained steadfast adopting the Company of Good's 4 'I' Framework — Investment, Integration, Institutionalisation and Impact. Through these guiding principles, businesses embark on a journey of transformation, becoming Champions that inspire partners and stakeholders to join them in doing good.
Despite the challenging business climate, first-time Champions PopeJai and EY have found even greater motivation to do good for the community. Both organisations are lauded for their collaborations with stakeholders and integrating doing good in their business operations.
"At PopeJai, we hope that our story will inspire other corporates that it is possible to be an inclusive and competitive enterprise in the marketplace with a sustainable business model while touching the lives of individuals from all walks of life," mentioned Janelle Soh, Assistant Marketing Manager, PopeJai Pte Ltd.
"Being a Champion of Good is aligned with EY's purpose of building a better working world. Big changes start with something small. Like a drop that creates ripples of change, our corporate responsibility programme EY Ripples targets to touch one billion lives globally by 2030. We recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic has deeply and broadly impacted the economy, and with it the people and their families and livelihoods. To support the affected communities in Singapore, EY will amplify our impact by volunteering in various community activities and contributing in both cash and kind," said Max Loh, Singapore and Brunei Managing Partner, Ernst & Young LLP.
28 of the Champions of Good in 2020 have been conferred in all three editions. To Hogan Lovells and Maybank, being recognised as a Champion of Good is a testament to their unwavering commitment to continue doing good and growing with the community as part of their business strategy for greater collective impact.
"The Champions of Good recognition has allowed us to enforce what we, as a firm, believe in when it comes to giving back to the community. [It] also makes clear that we are part of something bigger; a wider movement across the Singapore community, fully supported by the Singapore Government and private organisations alike. It has also allowed us to strengthen our connection with fellow Company of Good members, for example, by co-hosting the Business Leaders Giving Network Lunch with NVPC, sharing knowledge on how to promote giving within Singapore," quoted Matthew Bousfield, Counsel, Hogan Lovells.
Maybank too is not resting on its laurels. Even after its third conferment, it is further championing goodness by rallying stakeholders and partners together in collective action.
"Strong communities are defined by their capacity to come together in times of need. As a bank with 60 years of presence in Singapore, Maybank strives to play a leadership role in engaging our networks of stakeholders, including our customers, to do good together. To support livelihood opportunities for marginalised communities, Maybank will be launching a new campaign to match funds raised for The President's Challenge — Empowering for Life Fund. Through our concerted efforts, we hope to encourage collective action to create sustainable and long-term social impact," said Dr John Lee, Country CEO and CEO of Maybank Singapore.
Emerging Stronger From COVID-19
The Champions of Good 2020 are trail blazers, setting in motion the wheels of change for the business ecosystem to strive towards a new future. They have inspired other organisations to rethink corporate citizenship as a collaborative member of the community, and to reimagine their organisational purpose, leading to a strategic, sustainable and impactful model of doing good that is aligned with business objectives.
About NVPC
The National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) is the steward of the City of Good vision for Singapore, where individuals, organisations, and leaders come together to give their best for others. Through our brands, programmes, and initiatives, we facilitate partnerships with non-profits, organisations, public sector bodies, and individuals to enliven the giving ecosystem within Singapore.
We invite you to join us in building a #CityofGood together. Visit us at www.cityofgood.sg.
About Company of Good
Company of Good connects organisations to do good strategically, sustainably and impactfully. Through its initiatives, like-minded organisations can learn, network and collaborate for good.
Company of Good is a part of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), which is the steward of the City of Good vision for Singapore. The City of Good vision is supported by initiatives for People, Organisations and Leaders.
Visit: www.companyofgood.sg
About Champions of Good
Champions of Good was launched in 2017 as a national recognition framework under the Company of Good. It recognises organisations that are exemplary in doing good and have also been a multiplier by engaging their partners and stakeholders on a collaborative journey.
With the success of Champions of Good across three editions, Company of Good has conferred a total of 98 unique Champions of Good and aspires to grow the community of Champions.