Company of Good

Applications are now open! Be recognised at the national level for your organisation’s commitment to Corporate Purpose and impact, under the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC)'s Company of Good (COG) Recognition System. To get you started, we will be holding a COG Info Session on 12 December 2024, from 10-11am. This will cover an overview of the Recognition System and what the application process entails, before concluding with an opportunity to connect with participants. Learn how to deepen your impact journey while progressing as a Company of Good. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gCVqymCe #CompanyofGood #COGRecognition #CorporatePurpose

The annual President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards (PVPA) is the highest recognition for individuals and organisations that have achieved excellence in giving. We're thrilled to spotlight our very own Companies of Good (COG) who have been awarded under the Organisations of Good and City of Good categories. The Organisations of Good award celebrates companies aligning their community contributions with the Corporate Purpose framework. This year’s COG winners include Singtel in the Large Enterprise category, Foreword Coffee and AKIN by Techlyon in the SME category, and Sentosa Development Corporation in the Public Institution category. The City of Good award honours impactful cross-sector partnerships with lasting societal contributions. This year's recipient is Camp Cacti, a collaboration between CapitaLand Hope Foundation and Yellow Ribbon Singapore, with network partners Life Community Services Society, NeuGen Fund, and New Life Stories. A huge congratulations to all our outstanding Companies of Good! Swipe to learn more about how their Corporate Purpose transforms into impact. #PVPA2024

The Company of Good Fellowship can be an intense journey, but it is one that has seen our Fellows grow and brought them closer together. In celebrating their achievements and camaraderie, we held the Fellowship Intake 7 Graduation together with the Fellowship Homecoming, where Fellows from all seven intakes returned to the programme where it all started, forging bonds new and old over the BondFire. Designed for Fellows, by Fellows, the event was organised with contributions from hamcreations, Hustle & Bustle Group, PlayPan - Play For Good, Sodexo, Splash Productions Pte Ltd, and The Social Kitchen to create a truly holistic, multi-sensorial experience. National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) CEO Tony Soh revisited how the #COGFellowship has grown from strength to strength and evolved with the shift towards #CorporatePurpose. There were booth showcases from Kah Howe Seah · 谢嘉豪, Kevin Ng Jia Quan, Kathleen Chin, Gary Hong, Yvonne Siow, and more—demonstrating how the Fellows ignite #Change from within their organisations, #Collaborate with their stakeholders, to #Catalyse impact across and beyond the ecosystem. We also heard Stories of #Courage from Sarah Tham (DLE M&E PTE LTD), Nabillah Jalal (ArtSee), and Mohamed Irshad (Tata Consultancy Services), highlighting that even having all the tools at your disposal will not be sufficient, unless you can exercise the courage to take action, and find your tribe of like-minded people for mutual support. Finally, the evening was topped off with a musical performance led by Artusik, where our Fellows were invited to play with the ensemble using custom-tuned Anklung—a musical instrument of Javanese origin! Thank you for all the Fellows who came home, and congratulations to our newly minted Intake 7 Fellows who just graduated, including Jael Ng (ABB), Elaine Ong (AETOS Holdings Pte Ltd), Xue Ting Cheok (Trampolene), and Bhajinder Kaur (Wolf and Byrd)! 

Our second Scale with Purpose session with HP concluded last Tuesday, where we explored “What” HP is doing to integrate sustainability across its operations and practices. Following up on Session 1’s focus on “Why”, HP demonstrated how sustainability is embedded in everything from product design and manufacturing to end-of-life solutions. Lynn Loh, HP's Global Head of ESG Reporting, shared insights on HP's Sustainability Impact Reporting, comprising a double materiality assessment that considers both impact and financial factors in sustainability decision-making. The sharing spotlighted the importance of leadership commitment in fostering a culture of sustainability. Small changes, such as measuring carbon footprints and embracing creative solutions, are powerful starting points. Lynn also discussed how external recognition sends a strong signal to investors, customers and stakeholders. Accolades not only validate a company’s sustainability efforts but also provide a useful framework to set priorities and take actionable steps. Director of Operations, Ling Foong Teng, also shared about HP’s approach to sustainable manufacturing, including innovations like reducing waste with advanced robotics and adopting sustainable packaging solutions, such as directly printing on cardboard to replace plastic-coated labels. These efforts are part of HP’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.   The Q&A segment, moderated by su-yin ching, gave participants the opportunity to ask valuable questions on practicality, including how to prioritise data collection and integrate sustainability into business strategy as SMEs. In the second part of the session, Rachpal Kaur Tulsi introduced us to Systems Thinking, a crucial framework for understanding the interconnectedness of our actions. Using the example of how wolves change rivers, we explored the two key components of systems thinking: 1) Mental models: Recognising how our biases shape the way we see the world. 2) Complex adaptive systems: Understanding the ripple effect of decisions across society, such as how logistics and packaging affect everything from supply chains to investor behaviour.   For SMEs, systems thinking is vital to understanding the broader impact of their decisions, whether it’s optimising production processes or choosing sustainable materials. Through real-life scenarios participants delved into how even as SMEs face resource constraints, a mindset shift to address the “Why” of sustainability can help overcome the fear of failure.   The session highlighted that mentorship and collaboration are key to navigating this complex journey towards sustainability. We look forward to seeing how HP mentorships progress as they guide our SME participants toward a more sustainable future. #ScalewithPurpose #SustainableManufacturing

Last week, we concluded the second Project V Learning Circle session as we explored the transformative role of leadership in corporate volunteering, managing partnerships, and sustaining meaningful volunteer efforts. Our corporate and community partners engaged in candid conversation, sharing their experiences and insights from their volunteering journey thus far.   Special thanks to our panel dialogue speakers Jun Jie Cheong (HCSA Community Services), Marc Fritz Magboo (C&W Services Singapore), Sandy Yeo (Nestlé Nespresso SA) for their tips and reassurance on fostering a culture of corporate volunteering. Here are some key highlights:   Leadership Engagement in Volunteering — True leadership involvement is more than just top-down policies. When leaders roll up their sleeves and volunteer alongside staff, it sends a powerful signal of commitment.   Managing Expectations in Partnerships — Effective partnerships are rooted in trust, clarity, and communication. Flexibility is key. Community partners often plan a variety of volunteering opportunities to engage different corporate groups.   Resourcing for Sustained Partnerships — Scaling volunteer efforts often means learning to set expectations about resourcing and timelines. Delegation and thoughtful planning, like aligning volunteering events with peak and off-peak periods, can help sustain long-term impact.   Project V is all about making corporate volunteering sustainable and ensuring alignment with both business goals and community needs. Through feedback and collaboration, we can ensure that every volunteer opportunity is a meaningful contribution to the community.   Together, we can build a stronger culture of giving back, benefiting not just the community but your organisation as well!   Learn more about enhancing your volunteer engagement efforts through our Project V Pilot publication: https://lnkd.in/g_dtap4A   #ProjectV #CorporateVolunteering #SustainableVolunteering #Volunteering

Thank you to everyone who joined our Leveraging Corporate Purpose for Societal Impact workshop! We had the privilege of hearing from conferred Companies of Good, Arvin Tang (AKIN by Techlyon) and Elaine Ong (AETOS Holdings Pte Ltd) about their impactful initiatives and strategies, and Jeremy Ho (MINDSG Ltd) who offered a unique point of view from a community partner perspective. Some key takeaways include: • Skills-Based Volunteering: Arvin discussed how even SMEs can leverage employee expertise to address societal needs (e.g. web development for healthcare awareness) as well as utilise networks to multiply efforts (e.g. boosting requests to acquire laptops for underprivileged students through social media).  • Leadership Buy-In & Employee Engagement: Elaine shared how AETOS's Project V partnership with MINDS, thrives through leadership support, recognition, and platforms for volunteers to share their experiences.  • Inclusive Communities: Jeremy emphasised the importance of fostering inclusion through creative initiatives like AETOS employees' regular engagements with Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PWID), helping build understanding and support for diverse communities. Following a short break, Jamie Poon from National Council of Social Service (NCSS) introduced the Sustainable Philanthropy framework, which articulates the Society impact area of the Corporate Purpose framework, guiding businesses on aligning their philanthropic efforts with driving social impact. Shay Chua also shared about Community Chest Singapore's SHARE As One programme, encouraging companies to give and volunteer together, while enjoying matched funding through government grants. The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) team then took participants through the process of applying for the COG Recognition System, which opened last week. We look forward to receiving your applications soon! Apply now: https://lnkd.in/gNpwu-G9 We hope the networking lunch was a wonderful opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals committed to making a difference. Together, the session showcased the power of partnerships between businesses and communities in amplifying societal change. Stay tuned for our upcoming workshops focusing on all the impact areas—People, Society, Governance, Economic, and Environment. And don’t miss our COG Info Sessions, where you can uncover the benefits of becoming a Company of Good and make your impact count! 

Thank you to everyone who joined our Leveraging Corporate Purpose for Societal Impact workshop last Wednesday! We had the privilege of hearing from conferred companies, Arvin Tang (AKIN) and Elaine Ong (AETOS Holdings Pte Ltd) about their impactful initiatives and strategies, and Jeremy Ho (MINDSG Ltd) who offered a unique point of view from a community-partner perspective. Some key takeaways include: 1. Skills-Based Volunteering: Arvin discussed how even SMEs can leverage employee expertise to address societal needs (e.g. web development for healthcare awareness) as well as utilise networks to multiply efforts (e.g. boosting through social media to acquire laptops for underprivileged students). 2. Leadership Buy-In & Employee Engagement: Elaine shared how AETOS's Project V partnership with MINDS, thrives through leadership support, recognition, and platforms for volunteers to share their experiences. 3. Inclusive Communities: Jeremy emphasised the importance of fostering inclusion through creative initiatives like AETOS employees' regular engagements with Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PWID), helping build understanding and support for diverse communities. Following a short break, Jamie Poon from National Council of Social Service (NCSS) introduced the Sustainable Philanthropy framework, which articulates the Society impact area of the Corporate Purpose framework, guiding businesses on aligning their philanthropic efforts with driving social impact. Shay Chua also shared about Community Chest's SHARE As One programme, encouraging companies to give and volunteer together, while enjoying matched funding through government grants. The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) team then took participants through the process of applying for the COG Recognition System—we look forward to receiving your applications soon! Apply now: https://lnkd.in/gNpwu-G9 We hope the networking lunch was a wonderful opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals committed to making a difference. Together, the session showcased the power of partnerships between businesses and communities in amplifying societal change. Stay tuned for our upcoming workshops focusing on all the impact areas—People, Society, Governance, Economic, and Environment. And don’t miss our Info Sessions, where you can uncover the benefits of becoming a Company of Good member and make your impact count! #CompanyofGood #COGRecognition #CorporatePurpose

If you haven’t heard, applications for the COG Recognition System are now open!   This is your chance to be recognised nationally for your organisation’s dedication to Corporate Purpose and impact, all under the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC)’s Company of Good Recognition System.   Here’s a step-by-step guide on how your company can get recognised. Create an account on our website, complete the simple or full questionnaires, and wait for your results!   The Company of Good Recognition System celebrates organisations like yours that inspire teams and peers to do good and grow together.   Apply by 3 March 2025: https://lnkd.in/gNpwu-G9   For further details on the application process, contact us at cogrecognition@nvpc.org.sg. We look forward to seeing your applications! #CompanyofGood #COGRecognition #CorporatePurpose

Applications for the COG Recognition System are now open! Be recognised at the national level for your organisation’s commitment to Corporate Purpose and impact, under the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC)'s Company of Good Recognition System. To be future-ready, businesses today need to look after their employees, adopt sustainable practices, and be a force for good in society. Having a clear purpose enables them to do so—not only creating positive impact but also delivering business performance. Purpose-driven companies are better positioned to navigate challenges, innovate solutions, attract talent, and resonate with consumers who prioritise ethical practices. The Company of Good Recognition System honours organisations for your commitment to purpose, inspiring your people and peers to do good and grow together. Applications close on 3 March 2025: https://lnkd.in/gNpwu-G9 For more details about the application process, reach out to us at cogrecognition@nvpc.org.sg. #CompanyofGood #COGRecognition #CorporatePurpose

Agrocorp International has teamed up with Bartley Community Care Services (BCCS) to enrich the lives of elderly residents in Lorong Lew Lian and Circuit Road.   Through engaging weekend activities, Agrocorp volunteers support BCCS’s weekend programme while promoting mental and physical wellness. By attentively observing and interacting with elderly residents, they enhance care and build meaningful connections, creating a nurturing community spirit. Swipe through to witness them in action!   Pave the way for a future where sustainable corporate volunteering meets real-world change. Find out more about Project V and how your organisation can get involved: https://lnkd.in/gZtRM736 #ProjectV #CorporateVolunteering #SustainableVolunteering #Volunteering