Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is widely recognised
as a sound business practice. According to the Financial
Times, CSR is a business approach that contributes to
sustainable development by providing economic, social and
environmental benefits for all stakeholders.
In Singapore and worldwide, companies are becoming
more aware that implementing CSR activities can offer a
competitive advantage over others who think that CSR
cannot add to their bottom-line. Many businesses which
make CSR practices a significant aspect of their operations,
realise that implementing good CSR practices can bring
about many advantages. These include creating a good
reputation and high morale among employees, which
results in greater productivity and better performance, thus
attracting more investors.
Global business leaders have expressed the importance
of CSR in achieving their business goals. For example,
Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum Mr Klaus
Schwab said: “Corporate social responsibility is measured
in terms of businesses improving conditions for their
employees, shareholders, communities, and environment.
But moral responsibility goes further, reflecting the need for
corporations to address fundamental ethical issues such as
inclusion, dignity, and equality.”
Another business leader, Mr Shiv Nadar, who is an Indian
industrialist and entrepreneur, and the founder of HCL, an
IT enterprise, shared: “I admire companies that give back to
communities. It is an absolute essential for organisations to
watch, mitigate, and improve their impact on the environment,
people, communities, their health and overall well-being. But
this is a necessary condition, not a sufficient condition.”
Our Group aims to be a good corporate citizen and
therefore, we conduct our business in a sustainable way
that offers affirmative economic, social and environmental
impact for our stakeholders and their environments. At OKP,
we conscientiously apply best practices in all our business
operations, which involves giving back to society, especially in
providing support to the underprivileged and needy members
of the community. The company offers financial assistance
through sponsorships and donations to various charitable
groups and causes. We also inculcate a spirit of volunteerism
among our staff so that they volunteer their time and efforts
towards helping worthy causes. We also encourage our
workforce to take part in various fundraising programmes,
thus enabling them to be responsible and caring citizens.
Supporting Various Charities And Community Organisations
We contribute to the community by taking part in
fundraising events and philanthropic activities and
through our annual Charities of the Year programme.
In 2021, OKP contributed to three organisations, namely the
Disabled People's Association, Nee Soon South Community
Club Building Fund, and the Building and Construction
Authority's International Built Environment Week.
In 2020, the Group contributed to two compassionate
funds to support construction companies and migrant
workers in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, in addition to
donations to the Disabled People's Association and the
Singapore Association for the Deaf.
We provide financial support and help to the following
charities and community organisations:
- Singapore Contractors Association (SCAL) – Singapore
Business Federation (SBF) Foundation Compassion Fund
to help the construction sector with temporary relief to
ease financial difficulties of construction companies;
- Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME)-
SBF Foundation Compassion Fund for Migrant Workers
to provide these workers with support and assistance;
- Building fund for the Singapore Buddhist Lodge;
- Relief, Singapore's leading independent disaster
relief agency, for its Ground Zero Run for Humanity;
- Adventist Nursing & Rehabilitation Centre, a voluntary
welfare organisation which provides physiotherapy and
rehabilitation for victims of stroke, head and spinal injuries;
- Students Care Service which has four centres with a
team of caring professionals, that are committed to
serving children and youth in Singapore, enabling them
to maximise their potential;
- Pasir Ris East Zone Community Club for its Marathon
Ekiden Charity Run to raise funds for its Community
Development and Welfare Fund which sponsors bursary
awards and good progress awards;
- Tampines Changkat Consultative Committee for its
Festive Wishes Come True event, which brings joy to
underprivileged children by fulfilling their wishes
during Christmas;
- Tagore Business Association, a group formed
to enhance Tagore Industrial Estate's business
environment and promote the welfare of businesses,
for its Tagore Award which serves to nurture, support
and spur them towards achieving business excellence;
- Nanyang Technological University's Computer Science and
Engineering Club for its overseas community projects;
- Chee Hoon Kog Moral Promotion Society, a charity
which accepts non-paying residents recommended by
the Ministry of Social and Family Development, Ministry
of Health or through medical social workers of hospitals;
- Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Pte Ltd, an international
for-profit association wholly-owned and run by disabled
artists to help them meet their financial needs;
- World Children's Fund HK Ltd, a non-profit charitable
organisation whose purpose is to facilitate caring and
sharing of aid to needy and suffering children in crisis
situations worldwide;
- The Singapore Association for the Deaf, which serves
the deaf and hard-of-hearing community with a mission
to assist them in achieving a better quality of life and
enabling them to integrate and contribute to society;
- Playeum Ltd, a charitable centre for creativity and
culture in order to nurture the next generation of
creators, innovators and thinkers, by engaging children
and families in over 150 programmes and novel
experiences through collaborations with museums,
public institutions and creative practitioners;
- Halogen Foundation Singapore, a values–based, notfor-
profit institution dedicated to youth leadership and
entrepreneurship development, and Halogen Yellow
Diamond Charity Gala Dinner;
- Singapore Red Cross, an independent humanitarian
society which provides assistance in relief operations
in times of disaster, and in auxiliary health and welfare
services to the sick, handicapped, aged and poor; and
voluntary aid to the sick and wounded in time of war;
and to prisoners of war and civilians suffering from the
effects of war;
- Singapore Children's Society's 1000 Enterprises for
Children-in-need Project, that helps protect and nurture
children and youths, particularly those who are abused
or neglected, and those from dysfunctional families;
- Dyslexia Association of Singapore, a society with its team
of psychologists and specialist teachers providing help to
over 1,000 dyslexic children from more than 250 schools;
- Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan hospital, a leading
voluntary welfare organisation running a 200-bed
hospital providing rehabilitation and geriatric care;
- Singapore Heart Foundation, which advocates health
and plays a proactive role in helping heart patients and their families and in equipping the community with
information and skills for better heart care;
- Community Chest, the fundraising division of the
National Council of Social Service that raises funds
for the many charities that it supports in aid of the
disadvantaged in society;
- Disabled People's Association, a self-funded voluntary
welfare organisation that helps people with disabilities to
become valuable, contributing members of the society;
- Handicaps Welfare Association, an organisation that
is run by people with disabilities, for people with
disabilities, to promote self-help and provide mutual
support among the disabled in Singapore;
- Kidney Dialysis Foundation, a non-profit charitable
organisation providing subsidised dialysis treatment
to patients, who could not afford treatment due to
financial difficulties;
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Foundation that helps pay for,
either fully or partially, all costs related to the treatment
of leukemia, lymphoma and similar blood-related
disorders in its patients;
- Teen Challenge Singapore, an organisation that
provides counselling, drop-in facilities for youth
requiring close supervision, and residential care for
individuals recovering from various forms of lifecontrolling
problems, including teenage and adult drug
and alcohol abusers;
- Yellow Ribbon Fund, a project to help rebuild lives of
ex-offenders released from the various prisons and
drug rehabilitation centres;
- Singapore Gymnastics, the national sports association
for gymnastics in Singapore, with funds raised for
running and administering its various gymnastics
programmes;
- Casa Raudha Women Home, which aims to provide a
temporary refuge for women and their children who have
been the victims of injustice and domestic violence; and
- Caritas Singapore, the official social and community
arm of the Catholic Church in Singapore, and
the umbrella body for 27 Catholic charities and
organisations whose work has touched the lives of many people.
We also sponsor activities organised by various organisations
such as schools, religious and grassroots organisations, and
the Community Development Council. The Group has
sponsored many fundraising golf tournaments such as those
for Pertapis Education and Welfare Centre, Tentera Diraja
Mosque, National University of Singapore's Building & Estate
Management Alumni; Land Transport Authority, Tunnelling
and Underground Construction Society (Singapore) and
Ngee Soon Group Representation Constituency. In addition,
OKP also sponsored the People's Association Community
Centres/Clubs Building Fund, and Singapore Institute of
Building Limited's movie event.