- 112 organisations conferred in Company of Good’s national recognition initiative; a 51 per cent increase from previous edition in 2020
- 46 new organisations join the ranks of 66 multi-edition Champions as exemplary strategic corporate givers and multipliers
- 39 SMEs conferred this year, a 77 per cent rise from 2020
Singapore, 1 September 2022 – Company of Good, a part of the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), proudly conferred 112 organisations as Champions of Good at a ceremony today at The Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore with over 300 guests in attendance – a welcome in-person celebration following the last virtual edition in 2020 that took place amidst the pandemic. The 112 organisations comprised 46 first-time winners and 66 others who have been recognised over multiple editions.
Under this national recognition initiative, organisations conferred as Champions of Good are celebrated for being exemplary in doing good and being multipliers by galvanising and collaborating with strategic partners, stakeholders and non-profit organisations.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Lawrence Wong graced the event as Guest of Honour.
The increase in number of Champions conferred in successive editions reflects the strong commitment and growing efforts of organisations in Singapore to make doing good an integral part of their business, creating positive impact on stakeholders, communities, and the environment.
While many businesses, especially smaller ones, have had to grapple with staying afloat during the pandemic, there were 17 new SMEs receiving the honour this year – a 77 per cent increase from 2020. Despite their size, they have prioritised doing good and contributing to the community as part of their organisation’s values.
Rise in diversity and inclusion initiatives; stakeholder engagement
This year’s Champions of Good span a diverse range of organisations, including large enterprises, small and medium-size enterprises, and public sector agencies — a testament that any organisation, big or small, can make a difference. For a full list of organisations that were conferred, please click here.
Selected by an esteemed panel of judges (please refer to Annex B), the nominees were evaluated based on the Company of Good’s 4 ‘I’ Framework — Investment, Integration, Institutionalisation, and Impact, as well as how they have been a multiplier by engaging their partners and stakeholders on a collaborative journey to do good.
Alongside established causes and initiatives from previous editions such as uplifting communities through technology and digitalisation and promoting sustainability, there was an uptick in efforts around diversity and inclusion as well as stakeholder engagement among this year’s nominees.
This indicates a growing awareness among organisations and how they are becoming more involved in tackling emerging social issues over the past few years by galvanising the community to be part of the solution to complex social problems.
Paving a purposeful path for the future of businesses
Champions of Good started as an initiative to honour organisations that had made significant contributions in corporate giving. That benchmark has since evolved over the years, no doubt exacerbated by the pandemic, which showed that the well-being of business and society are tightly interwoven and deeply interdependent.
Despite the business challenges they faced, the last two years also compelled many businesses to re-evaluate their role in society, re-think existing business practices and ways of giving, as well as reimagine their business model and operations. Organisations regardless of size and industry are being more intentional and strategic in their giving and doing good efforts, using this period to align their corporate giving with the business’ core values and purpose.
Corporate purpose is about a company’s raison d’etre or reason for existence and serves as the foundation upon which a company’s values, vision and mission are built. When the corporate purpose serves as the compass to guide an organisation’s strategy and decision-making, the business will consider holistically its impact on society, across human, social, environmental and economic dimensions. Sufficient resources can then be allocated to corporate giving on a sustained basis that aligns to business objectives, otherwise known as CSR; Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting is then a means of disclosing information on material issues aligned to the company’s purpose.
Of the 112 Champions of Good this year, a quarter (29) are members of the SG Together Alliance for Action on Corporate Purpose (AfA-CP). Arising from the Singapore Together Emerging Stronger Conversations (ESC), the AfA-CP provides a platform for the government and community partners to collectively envision a business ecosystem that supports and enables corporates to effectively align purpose and profit to become a force for good in Singapore in support of the national Singapore Cares movement.
These organisations are strong advocates for having purpose at the heart of their business to bring about a more strategic, sustainable, and impactful model of doing good. Together with NVPC’s Company of Good, they are co-developing and designing “Corporate Purpose: A Framework and Blueprint for Businesses in Singapore”, which will guide businesses in Singapore to initiate and progress in their respective corporate purpose journeys.
Mr Seah Chin Siong, Chairman, NVPC said, “It is heartening to observe how businesses in Singapore have evolved in their giving journeys to create deeper, lasting impact that is also aligned with their business objectives. The Champions of Good are leading the way towards a more purpose-driven corporate landscape and by coming together to give their best to those in need, we hope that other organisations will be inspired to embark on this corporate purpose journey as part of their contribution in becoming the City of Good.”
