SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT Achieving Purposeful Business Success Together In Support of FOREWORD Singapore is a small country with big dreams. Through the shared determination and will of our earlier generations, we have turned our vulnerabilities into strengths and built a strong and safe home centred on our people. Our present and future generations, however, will face a different gamut of decisions and challenges. Social stresses exist globally and this emanates, at least in part, from inequality. As a small and open city-state, Singapore is more exposed to emergent pressures surrounding what I term the 3 ‘D’s – Disruption, S.S. Teo Chairman, SBF Demographics and Dissatisfaction. We do not want to see the Sustainable Employment Report Sponsor 3 ‘D’s exacerbating inequality in Singapore as this will turn our country Executive Chairman & Managing Director, Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd upside down. Our Government has rolled out concerted policies and initiatives to tackle issues related to inequality, and will continue to do so. The business community, too, plays a critical role in our economy and in fostering a cohesive and happy society. Businesses provide jobs, develop our employees, and increasingly, commit themselves to acting in socially responsible ways. This is good, but we must do more. Firstly, because the actions of businesses impact social dynamics and communities. We hold critical levers including our relationships with the workforce and others in the business ecosystem. Secondly, the potential contributions and concerns of each of the 347,000 companies in Singapore vary vastly. Thus, our effectiveness will be maximised if we are proactive in exploring, adopting and sharing ideas that play to our strengths. The Singapore Business Federation (SBF), as the apex business chamber here, is taking the lead in bringing the business community together to take action on fostering a stable construct that uplifts all stakeholders in society. This report contains six key recommendations developed together with the business community for sustainable employment. This is our gift to the nation as Singapore marks the Bicentennial of its founding, and we hope that businesses will adopt these recommendations in some way or another. I call on like-minded businesses to pledge their commitment to sustainable employment. We acknowledge that businesses alone cannot solve all problems, but SBF will work closely with the business community, Government and other stakeholders to keep this conversation flowing and to implement the recommendations in the report, through a newly established Programme Office. I would like to put on record my appreciation to Ms Goh Swee Chen for championing this effort and to the business leaders and partners who have contributed their insights, expertise and resources to this meaningful endeavour. 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Core Committee Integration Sub-Committee Core Committee Chairman Sub-Committee Co-Chairman Sub-Committee Co-Chairman Ms Goh Swee Chen Mr Gan Seow Kee Professor Ilian Mihov Ms Nadia Ahmad Chairman, National Arts Council Chairman & Managing Director, Dean, INSEAD President, Global Compact Network ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Samdin Senior Associate, Singapore (GCNS) Vice Chairman / Honorary Treasurer, TSMP Law Corporation SBF Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) Sub-Committee Sub-Committee Co-Chairman Sub-Committee Co-Chairman Mr Abu Bakar Bin Mr Jason Ho Mr Ho Meng Kit Mr Robin Hu EVP & Head of Group Human CEO, SBF Senior MD & Head, Mohd Nor Resources, OCBC Bank Sustainability & Stewardship Group, Group Chairman, Temasek International Pte Ltd InfoFabrica Holdings Pte Ltd Mature Workforce Sub-Committee Sub-Committee Co-Chairman Sub-Committee Co-Chairman Ms Melissa Kwee Professor Paulin Tay Mr Benjamin Chua Mr Lim Siong Guan CEO, National Volunteer and Founder, Spic & Span Founding Chairman, Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) Straughan Honour (Singapore) Dean of Students & Professor of Sociology (Practice), Singapore Management University (SMU) 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Core Committee Low Income Sub-Committee Sub-Committee Co-Chairman Sub-Committee Co-Chairman Overall Editor Ms Chong Ee Rong Mr Veera Sekaran Mr Jason Leow Chairman, SBF Young Business Founder & Managing Director, Managing Director, Leaders Network Greenology Pte Ltd Corporate Affairs and Council Member, SBF Communications, GIC Board Director, Certis Group Low Income Sub-Committee Mr Philip Ng Mr Eugene Wong CEO, Far East Organization Founder & Managing Director, Sirius Venture Capital Pte Ltd Council Member, SBF Ms Janet Ang Dr Gillian Koh Chairman, Digitalisation Committee Deputy Director (Research), Council Member, SBF Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Deputy Chairman, SBF Foundation Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Chairman, SISTIC Singapore National University of Singapore (NUS) 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sub-Committee & Resource Panel Integration Sub-Committee Mature Workforce Low Income Sub-Committee Sub-Committee Ms Sumi Dhanarajan Ms Chia May Ling Associate Director, APAC, Ms Radha Basu General Manager, SBF Foundation Forum for the Future Research Director, Lien Foundation Prof Lam Swee Sum Director, Asia Centre for Social Mr Christopher Gee Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy, NUS Senior Research Fellow, IPS Ms Janice Chia Founder & Managing Director, Associate Professor, Department of Ageing Asia Finance, NUS Business School Mr Khoo Teng Chye Executive Director, Ms Lim Cheng Bee Centre for Liveable Cities, Ms Henrietta Chong Executive Assistant, Ministry of National Development Terrific Mentors International (MND) Mr Koh Juay Meng Chairman, RSVP Singapore Ms Low Khah Gek CEO, Institute of Technical Education Ms Gwendolyn Loh Ms Lim Sia Hoe (ITE) Assistant Vice President, Executive Director, Strategic Communications & Centre for Seniors Sustainability, Sembcorp Industries Mr Ng Boon Gay Limited Deputy Chief Executive, Singapore Ms Normala Manap Physical Security and Integrated Senior Associate Director, Services, Certis CISCO Security Pte Ltd Ms Rachel Teo Centre for Ageing Research Head, Futures Unit, GIC Pte Ltd and Education, Duke-NUS Medical School Mr Martin Tan Executive Director, PMET Sub-Committee The Majurity Trust Mr Victor Mills Chief Executive, Mr Victor Bay Mr Teo Tee Loon CEO, PAP Community Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC) Executive Director, Foundation (PCF) Lakeside Family Services Mr Shaik Mohamed Mr Sriram Changali Director, Mini Environment Mr Daniel Thong Partner, EY-Parthenon, Co-Founder & CEO, Nimbus Singapore Service Pte Ltd Ms Fang Eu-Lin Mr Ng Cher Pong Resource Panel Partner, PwC Singapore Chief Executive, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) Dr Angelique Chan Deputy Secretary (SkillsFuture), Associate Professor, Mr Richard Koh Ministry of Education Signature Programme in Health Chief Technology Officer, Services and Systems Research and Microsoft Singapore Dr Lily Phan Executive Director, Centre for Ageing Research Manager, Research and Education, Duke-NUS Dr Patrick Liew Marsh & McLennan Insights Medical School Executive Chairman, GEX Ventures Pte Ltd Ms Kong Kum Peck Mr Edwin Tiah Director, ComCare and Social Support Ms Quah Ley Hoon Partner & Managing Director, Division, Ministry of Social and Family Chief Executive, Maritime and Port Elitez & Associates Pte Ltd Development (MSF) Authority of Singapore (MPA) Dr Mary Ann Tsao Ms Michelle Li Huiling Mr Daniel Robinson Chairman, Tsao Foundation Head of Partnerships, Programme Director, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Maximus Asia Pte Ltd Mr Justin Scott Mr Shahrin Abdol Salam Senior Lecturer, Senior Vice President, Centre for TransCultural Studies, Plans and Development, Temasek Polytechnic SMRT Trains Ltd Dr Tristan Sjöeberg Mr Shee Tse Koon Executive Chairman, Group Executive & Singapore TCS John Huxley Group Country Head, DBS Bank Ltd Mr Bryan Yip Ms Jane Tham Deputy Director, Inclusive Workplaces, HR Director, Workplace Policy and Strategy Robert Bosch SEA Pte Ltd Division, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Dr Noel Yeo CEO, Mount Elizabeth Hospital 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Contributors Secretariat Team Mr Manu Bhaskaran Core Committee Mature Workforce Founding Director and Chief Executive Sub-Committee Officer, Centennial Asia Advisors Ms Joanne Guo Assistant CEO, Strategy & Development, SBF Lead Secretariat Mr Han Fook Kwang Editor-At-Large, The Straits Times Ms Esther Chang Also Lead Secretariat to Executive Director, Integration Sub-Committee GCNS Mr Laurence Lien Chairman, Lien Foundation Ms Yvette Chee Deputy Director, Ms Stella Ng Strategic Planning, Strategy & Assistant Manager, Ms Christine Lim Wee Kien Development, SBF AEMEA, Global Business Division, SBF Senior Legal Counsel in a Multinational Corporation Also Secretariat to in the Energy Industry Low Income Sub-Committee Ms Siow Ching Ching Senior Manager, Ms Ti Kai Xin Membership & TAC Engagement, SBF Dr Joseph Liow Senior Executive, Strategic Planning, Research Advisor, Research & Publishing, Strategy & S. Rajaratnam School of International Development, SBF Ms Aditi Tembe Studies & Dean, College of Humanities, Manager, Arts, and Social Sciences, NTU GCNS Ms Aurelia Rusli Assistant Manager, Finance, SBF Mr Peter Ong Low Income Chairman, Enterprise Singapore Integration Sub-Committee Sub-Committee Dr Jared Poon Assistant Director, Mr Alden Chng Lead Secretariat Capability Development, Assistant Manager, Ms Ho Wen Yiing Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth Americas, Europe, Middle East & South Senior Manager, (MCCY) Asia (AEMEA), Global Business Division, ASEAN, Global Business Division,