ENVIRONMENT

a group of people wearing face masks at OCBC sustainability day

CFS participates in OCBC Sustainability Day

CFS is honoured to be part of the inaugural OCBC Sustainability Day! Our thanks to the Bank of Singapore for the invitation to co-host a booth at the employee-driven event themed ‘Sustainability – it’s all in our hands!‘. This initiative was created by a group of passionate and dedicated OCBC Bank Group employees known as SING (Sustainability Interest Networking Group), which aims to encourage every individual to make more sustainable choices.The event was a tremendous success with hundreds of employees and partners who attended a mixture of virtual sessions, and a Bazaar showcasing OCBC Group’s sustainability achievements as well as companies showcasing green products and innovations.

More philanthropy funds focusing on climate change needed: Reports

To support green causes and efforts to further climate action, Mr David Heng, chief executive of a private equity fund, set up the Mind the Gap 200 – Sustainable Earth fund in 2019.It is part of a project Mr Heng, who is in his 50s, undertook with nine friends and the Community Foundation of Singapore.

#MyGivingJourney x Trina Liang-Lin: Investing in a sustainable future

#MyGivingJourney is a series by CFS to celebrate inspiring women and their work in the philanthropy sector. We are proud to feature Trina Liang-Lin, Managing Director at Templebridge Investments and Board of Director at CFS. Trina had a back to nature, farm to table experience growing up. Right up to the late 80s, her father’s family-owned farms in Lim Chu Kang, raising chickens, ducks and cultivating vegetables. That gave her a front row seat to the benefits of producing our own food and using natural resources thoughtfully.

poster about sustainable philanthropy: navigating the SDGs with philanthropy

Sustainable Philanthropy Matters: Navigating the SDGs with Philanthropy

In this three-part series ‘Sustainable Philanthropy Matters’, we explore the surprisingly intimate relationship between philanthropy and sustainability and how the practice of one can in fact, lead to the advancement of the other. Both of these issues are close to our hearts here at CFS and we want to share how our philanthropy can help preserve our planet, our communities and our future.Philanthropy has traditionally been aimed at supporting societal needs. In recent years, the increasingly pressing demand for climate reformation requires the influx of tremendous funding to support the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), from R&D and technological applications to conservation and community efforts. Beyond the responsibilities of governments and businesses, philanthropy has a huge role to play. While this may sound novel, it actually is not and, in this third and final instalment of Sustainable Philanthropy Matters, we examine how philanthropy can help stem the tide of climate change.

poster about sustainable philanthropy: the SDGs in SG

Sustainable Philanthropy Matters: The SDGs in SG

In this three-part series ‘Sustainable Philanthropy Matters’, we explore the surprisingly intimate relationship between philanthropy and sustainability and how the practice of one can in fact, lead to the advancement of the other. Both of these issues are close to our hearts here at CFS and we want to share how our philanthropy can help preserve our planet, our communities and our future.In our previous article, we took a brief look at the history of philanthropy and sustainability. Here, we will examine the relatively newer Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their paramount relevance and importance today. The SDGs were adopted as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Additionally, the SDGs could and should serve as a guide to the next steps in Singapore’s social, environmental and even philanthropic evolution. Donors can create a greater impact with their giving by ensuring alignment with the SDGs.

poster about sustainable philanthropy: the history of caring and charity

Sustainable Philanthropy Matters: The History of Caring and Charity

a hands holding small wooden blocks with letters on them

How Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) present an innovative and structured solution to Singapore’s philanthropic landscape

A history of giving in Singapore and its philanthropic landscapePhilanthropy has seen an evolution over the years, which saw a corresponding increase in family support services due to the development of more HDBs to house our growing population.

picture of a wooden bench and wooden table

CFS’ LaLa Café Series: Sustainability begins at home

CFS’ LaLa Café is a virtual place to learn, socialise and rejuvenate for everyone at CFS. It is conducted by our employees, partners, and vendors, to cultivate a growth-driven and dynamic work environment.For the July edition of LaLa Café, the theme was sustainability. One of our colleagues, Adam Reutens-Tan, a Principal Consultant at CFS with a personal passion for sustainability, introduced sustainability and how philanthropy could play a part.

Pragmatic reasons to engage In philanthropy

Educator George Jacobs became involved in philanthropy because he wanted to put his money where his mouth is. As someone who feels strongly about contributing to greater food security in Singapore, the passionate advocate for a vegan lifestyle established the Relaxed Fund to promote horticulture in the little red dot.“My wife and I wanted to encourage people to eat more plant-based foods, as these foods boost human health and address global warming issues. One way to convince people to change their diets is to immerse them in growing greens themselves, so they feel a sense of ownership. Thus, they want the greens to find a good home — in their stomachs,” he says.

Group examining flora in a garden setting.

Relaxed Fund – helping SAAC clients through horticulture

CFS donor George Jacobs, who created the Relaxed Fund, advocates a vegan lifestyle. Promoting horticulture is his way of championing this, while at the same time helping the clients at the St Andrews Autism Centre (SAAC).He has funded three Edible Community Gardens (ECG) through the Relaxed Fund: one at SAAC, one at Metta Welfare Association, and one at the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES).
The ECG is a unique programme as it involves multiple parties, including the community, and meets both social and environmental needs.