According to American economist Milton Friedman, the responsibility of a business is to increase profits for its shareholders by creating job opportunities for the population. Yet, the notion that businesses exist solely for the generation of profits has been debated by a growing number of leaders. There have been calls for a more inclusive and sustainable model that serves not only business shareholders, but also employees, suppliers, and the wider community.

The pandemic has further exposed the enhanced risk of rising economic and social inequality with adverse effects on citizens’ lives and livelihoods, thrusting the need for corporate social responsibility (CSR) into the spotlight.

Companies are encouraged to explore the benefits that CSR and ESG (Environment, Social, Corporate Governance) strategies can bring and integrate the “doing well by doing good” philosophy in your overall company mission, in order to deliver long-term prosperity for all stakeholders. Other benefits include increased public trust, increased employee satisfaction and well-being, and long-term cost savings with greener and more efficient practices.

It’s time to take a hard look at the real costs behind capitalism and redefine our economy to build a more ethical and resilient future. To kickstart your CSR and ESG strategies, here are some ideas of projects you can embark on to position yourself as a socially conscious and ethically sound entity.

Partner with a Non-Profit Organisation to Support a Cause

Giving back to less fortunate communities has always been a part of the CSR playbook. Yet there remain untapped opportunities to engage beneficiaries in a more meaningful way that can create longer-term impact.

Try partnering with a non-profit organization (NPO) to spearhead initiatives that empower the beneficiaries, while allowing company employees to be involved in a movement.

For example, Epic Dialogue worked with Singapore’s national postal service provider Singapore Post, to execute the launch of Asia’s first Charity Stamps.

On World Kindness Day, Epic Dialogue was tasked by Singapore Post to plan and execute a CSR event, SingPost Charity Stamps Launch, with Madam President Halimah Yacob as the Guest-of-honour.

The purpose was to celebrate the artistic talent of the special needs community by producing stamps made from artworks designed by four students who are beneficiaries of the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS).

These stamps are the first in the region where 100% of sales proceeds will be donated. The charity of choice was Community Chest Singapore, in support of MINDS. To showcase their support for the beneficiaries, SingPost also matched the sales proceeds dollar-for-dollar, raising a total of S$168,000 by the end of the campaign.

The campaign’s success was picked up by various national media platforms, including Straits Times, Berita Harian, and Zao Bao.

Respond to Current Social Crisis

By taking the lead to organize corporate-wide CSR initiatives, employees will be inspired to follow through and feel empowered to make a long-term impact on the causes they care about by utilizing their expertise to drive positive social change. It increases their sense of purpose and helps expand their networks and develop meaningful relationships with their communities, which translates into higher levels of employee satisfaction and retention.

DBS’ volunteering efforts

DBS has done well in this regard, organising various initiatives across different countries that saw their employees rising up to serve the less-fortunate in the community in 2020. The challenges Covid-19 posed for in-person volunteering did not deter DBS from making a difference. Instead, they pivoted into a hybrid volunteering style, engaging beneficiaries both online and offline.

Photo source: DBS Facebook

In Singapore, DBS and local non-profit Lions Befrienders joined hands to roll out Singapore’s largest virtual befriending volunteer initiative to tackle social isolation among seniors. 1,900 employees engaged 1,300 senior beneficiaries through virtual conversations, home gardening projects, and online exercises and games. A similar initiative in Hong Kong saw 40 volunteers make regular phone calls to 200 elderly to befriend them and provide emotional support amidst stringent social distancing measures.

In China, CSR and sustainability meet as DBS’ retired desktops and laptops were refurbished and given a new lease of life as learning technology for rural children. 20 volunteers spent three days setting up a ‘DBS Green Computer Room’ with these retired desktops and laptops, and participated in activities with children in rural communities that saw them drawing their first digital pictures with these refurbished devices.

PPE donation by UOB

At the peak of the pandemic in 2020, UOB launched COVID-19 related programmes to support communities in need. One such initiative saw the bank donating more than one million pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to frontline healthcare workers and vulnerable communities globally.

Photo source: UOB

Charity runs

Pre-pandemic, marathons saw the gathering of thousands of runners, coming together to push their limits, and in some cases, raise funds for charitable causes. The annual Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) was one such event.

This year, SCSM continues, albeit in a different form, but with the same good cause. Now a solo affair, runners will clock their distance in their own time on a smart device. For every kilometer they run, S$15 will be donated to charities, raising funds to support youths in education, entrepreneurship, and employability as part of Standard Chartered’s global community strategy.

Other organizations, too, have hopped on board the running trend.

The UOB Global Heartbeat Virtual Run/Walk and COVID-19 Relief Fund saw UOB employees from 18 markets and their families collectively clocking in more than 200,000 km, raising more than S$1.66 million for charity in the process.

Photo source: UOB

Meanwhile, Changi General Hospital in Singapore hosted their inaugural running virtual event earlier this year to raise funds for needy patients who require medical care and equipment after discharge.

Photo source: Changi General Hospital

Incorporate CSR Cause into Corporate Corporate Team Building Events

Social responsibility is not limited to donations. It also applies to inculcating the do-good philosophy and values to your employees. The contribution to CSR and sustainable development of the economic, social and environmental community has to start from within, and what better way to go about it than through a corporate team bonding session that combines getting together, and doing good?

Upcycling workshops

Singapore-based social enterprise Terra encourages people to rethink the possibilities of the waste by conducting hands-on workshops that transform perceived trash into useful items.

Besides encouraging creativity through craft techniques, their upcycling workshops also expose participants to the value of various materials seen in everyday life. Participants can work with a large variety of materials, including PVC banners, plastic water bottles, milk cartons, unwanted T-shirts, plastic bottle caps and more.

Photo source: Terra SG

Cleaning sessions for the elderly

CSR initiatives can take on different forms depending on the company’s focus and goals. Local non-profit Habitat for Humanity chooses to make an impact by creating decent living environments for all.

One such initiative developed to achieve their mission is Project HomeWorks, where they work with vulnerable persons and families to clean and refurbish their homes.

During a Project HomeWorks session, volunteers make homes safer by decluttering items that pose a fire or fall hazard. Homes are also thoroughly cleaned to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable elderly and families.

Consider taking a leaf out of their book, and organizing CSR initiatives that will bring your employees together to help the less fortunate in the community.

Homes before and after cleaning sessions by Habitat for Humanity Singapore. (Photo source: Habitat for Humanity)

Local telco Singtel, under their ESG Campaign “#BETTERTOGETHER”, encourages general and skilled volunteering to support regional communities, whether on an individual or team basis.

Singtel also offers their staff paid leave for voluntary works, as they believe that active employee volunteerism not only helps the community, but contributes to the holistic development of people in terms of empathy, perspective and character building.

As part of this campaign, Singtel staff carried out classroom clean-ups and conducted a sports clinic in Brigada Eskwela, ADBSA Aeta Elementary School located at Iba Botanicals, Zambales in the Philippines.

Photo source: Singtel

In Thailand, staff mentored 40 Thai undergraduates and high school students from AIS’ Good Kids Great Hearts programme held at Suan Sampran Rose Garden to help them improve their competence in conversational English and boost their overall confidence.

Photo source: Singtel

Roundtable Sessions on Corporate Sustainability

Roundtable sessions are a great way to engage your employees and stakeholders in meaningful conversations. Through roundtable sessions, your organisation can offer a platform for the discussion of sustainability and CSR best-practices, and share the latest knowledge in corporate sustainability with participation from leading international experts.

This allows you to cultivate thought-leadership and position your company as a champion and leader in the field of sustainability while allowing your employees to feel like they are part of something greater than themselves.

Quarterly roundtable sessions can be organized with a focus on different sustainability themes. Some ideas include:

• Roles and Responsibility of Businesses on ESG
• Sustainable Investment Practices
• ESG and Sustainability Reporting
• Driving Business Efficiency by Adopting Sustainable Technologies

How can a roundtable session be a CSR or Sustainability campaign, you may ask. Well, these sessions allow you to connect the dots between business goals, marketing goals, and event goals, creating a springboard for more CSR and sustainability-related ideas to be born. Further, publicity of such events presents your organisation as a thought leader and trailblazer in this field.

Epic Dialogue, was tasked by SingPost, in partnership with Ministry of Trade and Industry, to plan and execute a ministerial round-table, Future Economy Council Conference, to discuss the transformation of Singapore’s economy for the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic forces us to relook at our priorities as corporations, making it increasingly clear that social responsibility can no longer be brushed aside. CSR presents a pathway to protect consumer trust, investor confidence, and workforce loyalty. In a post-pandemic world, the businesses that succeed will be those with a strong commitment to CSR, practical strategies, and efficient implementation.

At Epic Dialogue, we help mission-driven organizations amplify their brand and CSR initiatives through our unique combination of digital marketing, events, and branding capabilities. As strong believers of doing well by doing good, we propel businesses to greater heights through our 360° Sustainability Communications Solution.

Whether it is planning year-long CSR initiatives, communicating your CSR efforts to stakeholders, or embarking on Sustainability Branding for your organisation, let us do the heavy-lifting for you and push for meaningful work that puts people first.

Talk to us for your next Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability campaign.