They say good practices start from the top. The President’s Challenge Social Enterprise Award (PCSEA) is the best example — these are handed out to Singapore’s top social enterprises that challenge the norms and leverage technology innovatively to thrive as sustainable businesses, while also delivering impactful social benefits. This year, these awards were presented at the Istana by President Halimah Yacob herself, together with Sam Tan, minister of state, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development, and Tan Soo Nan, PCSEA chairman of 2019 PCSEA Evaluation Committee.
For the first time, through the new “Social Enterprise Champion of the Year” accolade, the President’s Challenge also recognises corporations and individuals who have advocated for and contributed significantly to the growth of Singapore’s social enterprise ecosystem.
“The greatest challenge for corporations in the next decade is to have meaning and purpose. A clear purpose ensures that a company goes beyond its products or services, and instead focuses on what impact or change the company can make in the largest context possible. And in championing the social enterprise sector, these corporations can achieve a multiplier effect in creating impact through a win-win partnership.” said chairman Tan.
DBS won the honour in the corporation category for having nurtured over 300 social enterprises with $12.8 million, ensuring tremendous multiplier effect in creating impact with its strategic giving.
