Last year, DBS introduces the "Live More, Bank Less" ethos and was a widely shared campaign that the bank wants us to put our focus more on living. This year, DBS has reinforce their commitment to become more socially conscious to the environment by launching the "Recycle More, Waste Less" eco-movement.
The focus of this movement is to encourage Singaporeans to reduce our consumption of single-use plastics which is a particularly pressing issue right now. It's alarming to know that according to the Singapore Environment Council (SEC), Singaporeans use at least 1.76 billion of plastic items a year, of which only less than 20% is being recycled. A total of 820 million of plastic bags were also being taken from the supermarkets every year!
The focus of this movement is to encourage Singaporeans to reduce our consumption of single-use plastics which is a particularly pressing issue right now. It's alarming to know that according to the Singapore Environment Council (SEC), Singaporeans use at least 1.76 billion of plastic items a year, of which only less than 20% is being recycled. A total of 820 million of plastic bags were also being taken from the supermarkets every year!
Since the launch last year, DBS' call to "Recycle More, Waste Less" had received more than 50,000 pledges from employees and members of the public who pledged to reduce the use of single plastic in their daily lives by saying no to straws or ditching plastic bags for reusable ones.
I attended a sharing session which was held at their newly opened DBS Sparks Studio, located at the bank's headquarters in the Marina Bay Financial Centre district to get more insights. This new in-house content studio will serve as an interactive space for communities including social enterprises supported by DBS Foundation, interest groups within the bank and also public interest groups to gather, network, organise or attend events. With a flexible design, the studio can be transformed into a communal hub at night.
Shee Tse Koon, Country Head, DBS Singapore sharing more on DBS' role in supporting Singapore's vision for a more sustainable society.
Karen Ngui, Head of DBS' Group Strategic Marketing & Communications sharing more on how business of the future can contribute towards sustainable development.
Some of the eco-friendly practices DBS has adopted:
1. Changing procurement practices
DBS has drastically reduced its use and purchase of disposable plastic water bottles, resulting in some 7.3 tons of plastic waste being saved every year. The bank also works with its tech vendor to reuse and reduce packaging for its electronic items. For Chinese New Year this year, the bank handed our red packets as usual but is wrapped in paper instead of plastic wraps, avoiding 220 kg in plastic wastage.
2. Making it easier for employees to adopt sustainable practices
DBS bank has distributed 4,000 reusable bags (which fold easily to become tiny, zipped pouches), 2,000 Sporks (a hybrid metal cutlery tool shaped like a spoon and a fork at either end) and 2,500 sets of metal straws to help employees lead more eco-friendly lives. More than 1,300 employees have also pledged to an ongoing campaign to reduce their carbon footprint in 2019. DBS also recently carried out a six-week campaign that saw some 200 staff volunteers driving greater awareness on recycling among employees. The campaign has resulted in nearly 70% more trash being sorted out for recycling.
3. Helping Singaporeans to become more environmentally-conscious
The bank gave away 20,000 reusable water bottles last year to attendees of the DBS Marina Regatta and Social Enterprise Summit. 8,000 Sporks were also given out as part of a "pledge-for-Sporks" campaign across universities, food outlets and hawker centres in Singapore.
4. Working together with like-minded partners
In December 2018, DBS partnered the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) to jointly launch the 'One Less Plastic' national campaign with four leading supermarket chains - Dairy Farm Singapore Group, NTUC FairPrice, Prime Group and Sheng Siong to encounter the use of reusable bags among supermarket shoppers. To date, some 30,000 reusable bags have been distributed through the partnership.
With all these green initiatives to show DBS's commitment to sustainable development, DBS bank has become the first Singapore bank to be included as an index constituent of the FTSE4Good Global Index, a global sustainability index. The bank is also the first Asian bank and first Singapore company to join global renewable energy initiative RE100.
DBS had stepped even further by pledging to use only renewable energy to power 100% of its Singapore operations by 2030. As part of this commitment, the bank had i
nstalled 1,200 solar panels at its office buildings in Changi Business Park. Today, 40% of DBS' total energy consumption in Singapore comes from renewable sources. In 2017, DBS launched Singapore's first green bond by a financial institution and helped to promote green finance through the issuance of a USD 500 million green bond. In the same year, DBS was also the sole bookrunner for the first green bond by a Singapore Company - City Developments' SGD 100 million green bond.
I attended a sharing session which was held at their newly opened DBS Sparks Studio, located at the bank's headquarters in the Marina Bay Financial Centre district to get more insights. This new in-house content studio will serve as an interactive space for communities including social enterprises supported by DBS Foundation, interest groups within the bank and also public interest groups to gather, network, organise or attend events. With a flexible design, the studio can be transformed into a communal hub at night.
Shee Tse Koon, Country Head, DBS Singapore sharing more on DBS' role in supporting Singapore's vision for a more sustainable society.
Karen Ngui, Head of DBS' Group Strategic Marketing & Communications sharing more on how business of the future can contribute towards sustainable development.
Some of the eco-friendly practices DBS has adopted:
1. Changing procurement practices
DBS has drastically reduced its use and purchase of disposable plastic water bottles, resulting in some 7.3 tons of plastic waste being saved every year. The bank also works with its tech vendor to reuse and reduce packaging for its electronic items. For Chinese New Year this year, the bank handed our red packets as usual but is wrapped in paper instead of plastic wraps, avoiding 220 kg in plastic wastage.
2. Making it easier for employees to adopt sustainable practices
DBS bank has distributed 4,000 reusable bags (which fold easily to become tiny, zipped pouches), 2,000 Sporks (a hybrid metal cutlery tool shaped like a spoon and a fork at either end) and 2,500 sets of metal straws to help employees lead more eco-friendly lives. More than 1,300 employees have also pledged to an ongoing campaign to reduce their carbon footprint in 2019. DBS also recently carried out a six-week campaign that saw some 200 staff volunteers driving greater awareness on recycling among employees. The campaign has resulted in nearly 70% more trash being sorted out for recycling.
3. Helping Singaporeans to become more environmentally-conscious
The bank gave away 20,000 reusable water bottles last year to attendees of the DBS Marina Regatta and Social Enterprise Summit. 8,000 Sporks were also given out as part of a "pledge-for-Sporks" campaign across universities, food outlets and hawker centres in Singapore.
4. Working together with like-minded partners
In December 2018, DBS partnered the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) to jointly launch the 'One Less Plastic' national campaign with four leading supermarket chains - Dairy Farm Singapore Group, NTUC FairPrice, Prime Group and Sheng Siong to encounter the use of reusable bags among supermarket shoppers. To date, some 30,000 reusable bags have been distributed through the partnership.
With all these green initiatives to show DBS's commitment to sustainable development, DBS bank has become the first Singapore bank to be included as an index constituent of the FTSE4Good Global Index, a global sustainability index. The bank is also the first Asian bank and first Singapore company to join global renewable energy initiative RE100.
DBS had stepped even further by pledging to use only renewable energy to power 100% of its Singapore operations by 2030. As part of this commitment, the bank had i
nstalled 1,200 solar panels at its office buildings in Changi Business Park. Today, 40% of DBS' total energy consumption in Singapore comes from renewable sources. In 2017, DBS launched Singapore's first green bond by a financial institution and helped to promote green finance through the issuance of a USD 500 million green bond. In the same year, DBS was also the sole bookrunner for the first green bond by a Singapore Company - City Developments' SGD 100 million green bond.
So, let's all 'spark' this movement and do our small part to bring a big impact to the environment we live in. Don't forget, we've only got one Earth. I'm definitely joining in this movement with just a little bit of inconvenience by bringing my own metal straw and utensils.
** Photos without watermark are official photos from DBS Bank **
XOXO
** Photos without watermark are official photos from DBS Bank **
XOXO
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