Good corporate citizenship

 
How can enterprises better match their corporate giving to social needs?
Why is doing good ultimately good for business, and what CSR challenges do you face?

IT is wonderful that more and more companies have been realising the importance of CSR and adopting such initiatives in recent years. Besides monetary donations, which are certainly crucial, staff volunteering is perhaps more meaningful as the volunteers get to relate on a personal level to the beneficiaries, be they underprivileged families, children, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities. To this end, companies could grant employees official  ime off for CSR activities, such as allowing them one working day off a month specifically to pursue volunteer work with a VWO of their choosing. Naturally, such an initiative is especially challenging for SMEs as they are already  eeling the pressure of escalating business costs amid the economic restructuring that Singapore is undergoing. At PrimeStaff, CSR is a strong component of our company culture. Lending our support to children and youth, particularly those who have been neglected and abused, is something that is close to our hearts. Our appointed charities include the Singapore Children’s Society and the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, among others. On a company level, we often take part in CSR events such as charity runs/walks and strongly encourage our employees to join in. I personally believe that when individuals have more exposure to those less fortunate in the community, it helps to build character and makes them more well-rounded individuals who not only care about material wealth but about their fellow man too. It is thus my hope that through these growing CSR efforts, Singapore can start to transform into a more caring society.
 
Ronald Lee
Managing Director
PrimeStaff Management Services Pte Ltd