A history of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility in Singapore

Business Times

5 days ago

[SINGAPORE] While corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained prominence in the 21st century, giving-back efforts in Singapore have long pre-dated its independence in 1965. The Business Times takes a look at the Republic's history of philanthropy and CSR, examining some of the companies that helped build Singapore and a few of its oldest-operating charities.
Pre-independence: Early 20th century
Giving-back efforts were individualistic and mainly done by various charities, global organisations, and family foundations.
Tan Li San, chief executive of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), said: 'Early philanthropy before Singapore's independence was rooted in community-based giving, with few organisations engaged in social service.'
Melrose Home, a residential home serving children and youths facing adverse circumstances, is run by Children's Aid Society, one of Singapore's oldest secular philanthropic organisations. PHOTO: CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY
After World War II, the public, private and people sectors worked together to rebuild Singapore.
In June 1946, the Department of Social Welfare was established.
The Singapore Council of Social Service (SCSS) was set up in 1958 to coordinate the activities of charities.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle
Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.
Sign Up
Sign Up
Tony Soh, CEO of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), said: 'Singapore's giving landscape has matured… starting from a philanthropist-driven approach to a more holistic one in which there is a broader definition of giving, with participation from varied stakeholders.'
Post-independence: Formation of central bodies
The government emphasised self-reliance, with corporate donations supporting the work of welfare organisations.
In the mid-1960s and 70s, voluntary welfare organisations were set up to cater to marginalised groups.
In 1983, Community Chest was established under SCSS as a central fundraising body.
In 1992, SCSS was restructured to become NCSS, and NVPC was later formed to promote volunteerism.
Martin Tan, CEO of The Majurity Trust, said: 'These platforms have played an important role in formalising giving in Singapore.'
Tony Tan, executive director of CapitaLand Hope Foundation, and chief corporate officer of CapitaLand Development, said: 'Entities like Community Chest and NVPC… provide platforms that foster collaboration among corporates, non-profits and like-minded partners.'
Janet Young, head, group channels and digitalisation, strategic communications and brand, UOB, concurred and added: 'In the early years, our involvement was rooted in straightforward acts of giving – supporting annual fundraising drives and rallying our employees to contribute through Community Chest's Share programme.'
UOB employees and children from the Care Corner Student Care Centre (Woodlands) in 2018. PHOTO: UOB
Companies which gave back did so through ad-hoc or more short-term efforts. Kingston Kwek, governor of Hong Leong Foundation, said: 'We recognised the need for longer-term initiatives to deliver sustainable value and drive greater impact.'
2000s: Government support
Tan Bee Yit, regional officer of Salvation Army for the Singapore region, said: 'Singapore's 'Many Helping Hands' approach, introduced in the mid-1990s, laid the foundation for a strong partnership between individuals, families, communities and the government.'
Some companies established corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. For example, in 2000, StarHub launched the StarHub Sparks Fund. Jaclyn Yeo, head of sustainability, StarHub, said: 'Over the years, we've supported everything from the local arts scene in 2005 to promoting sports as a force of good in 2010.'
In 2003, the Temasek Board adopted a policy to set aside a portion of net positive returns for community giving. Four years later, Temasek established Temasek Trust to manage and disburse endowment funds, and Temasek Foundation to develop and roll out community programmes.
In 2004, the Ministry of Manpower, National Trades Union Congress, Singapore National Employers Federation and the Singapore Business Federation formed the National Tripartite Initiative on CSR to help businesses align their practices with internationally recognised standards.
The government started providing tax incentives for cash donations to charities with Institute of Public Character status in 2005. In 2023, the 250 per cent tax deduction was extended until end-2026.
The first study on CSR conducted in 2008 by NCSS found a 'low level of awareness', at 40 per cent of 507 Singapore-based enterprises. NCSS' Tan said: 'CSR was still at its nascent stage, and (this) in some part, was due to the assumption that a company must be successful to engage in CSR activity.'
2010s-2020s: CSR gains prominence
The giving.sg platform lowers barriers for everyday giving. PHOTO: GIVING.SG
The launch of the national giving.sg platform in 2015 lowered barriers for everyday giving. NVPC's Soh said: 'It provides businesses and their employees with a simple and transparent way to discover local causes and make regular contributions.'
NCSS' Tan said: 'The Covid-19 pandemic… accelerated the digitalisation of social services and exposed gaps in digital access among communities in need.'
Companies moved beyond monetary donations to engage the community more. For example, SP Group established the SP Heartware Fund in 2005 and supports vulnerable seniors through befriending and caregiver support. Since 2021, it has extended this support to children and youth.
Companies formed more partnerships with charities and non-profits to ensure there is long-term impact. For example, OCBC's Families100 programme supports lower-income families with children living in rental flats over a one-year period, providing financial and academic support.
The inauguration of OCBC Centre in 1976. The bank has several long-term partnerships to give back to the community.
Companies started emphasising the importance of staff volunteerism. For example, City Developments Limited's employee volunteer platform, City Sunshine Club, works with community partners to organise programmes for the underprivileged.
Companies' CSR journeys have evolved to include skills-based volunteerism. For example, Andrew Buay, vice-president of sustainability, Singtel Group, said the Singtel Enabling Network Innovation Centre and Singapore Business Network on DisAbility allowed for skills training and assistive technologies in support of employment and work transition.
Andrew Buay, vice-president of sustainability, Singtel Group, engaging student beneficiaries during the launch of Expressions Through Art 2024 held at Gardens by the Bay. PHOTO: SINGTEL
What's next?
Funds are still important. For example, the CapitaLand Community Resilience Initiative is a S$3 million commitment to fund projects focused on mental health, education and youth empowerment in Singapore, China, India and Vietnam.
Community engagement programmes to support various programmes and causes. Sands Cares by Marina Bay Sands has grown from 10 to 15 programmes annually in the early 2010s to more than 50 programmes annually today.
Marina Bay Sands' annual charity festival Sands for Singapore features beneficiary groups such as APSN selling goods. PHOTO: MARINA BAY SANDS
Addressing emerging social needs in society, such as mental health and Singapore's ageing population. For example, Singtel has helped individuals with mental health conditions upskill, while CapitaLand has supported more than 100,000 seniors to date via its programmes.
Going further into skills-based volunteerism. For example, Singapore Exchange (SGX) runs a financial literacy programme that has reached more than 22,000 individuals. Pol de Win, head of global sales and origination, SGX Group, said: 'We're also looking to expand our reach into areas like digital inclusion (and) youth empowerment.'
Supporting inclusive efforts. For example, Resorts World Sentosa has hosted groups of persons with disabilities at its attractions.
This year, Resorts World Sentosa hosted more than 30 persons with disabilities at the Harry Potter: Visions of Magic exhibition. PHOTO: RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA
A greater range of companies are committed to giving back, such as small and medium enterprises (SMEs). NVPC's Soh said: 'In 2025, 77 per cent of all conferred companies are SMEs, signalling that giving is no longer limited to large corporations.'
The Majurity Trust's Tan said: 'This shift… is only set to grow, especially as younger employees seek purpose-driven ways to contribute through their workplaces.'
Charities have also evolved to cater to a greater range of needs and beneficiaries. Here are what some of the oldest charities in Singapore have to say:
Salvation Army's Tan: 'Over the past 90 years, it has evolved to become a multi-service organisation addressing a broad range of social needs at different life stages.'
Sandra Leong, executive director of YWCA Singapore: 'YWCA has pioneered many women-centred initiatives over its 150 years in Singapore depending on needs of that time.'
Alvin Goh, executive director, Children's Aid Society: 'When Children's Aid Society was established in 1902, our focus was on providing food and shelter for children who had been abandoned or whose families were unable to care for them due to poverty. Today, our work is centred on supporting those who have experienced adverse life circumstances such as abuse or neglect through residential care and specialised therapies.'
Children's Aid Society, established in 1902, continues to provide support to children and youth who have undergone adverse childhood experiences. PHOTO: CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY
Additional reporting by Ilyas Salim and Vivien Ang