Living Out Our Vision for Corporate Social Responsibility at SMRT

At SMRT, we believe our success has to be channelled toward the greater good of the community and this has been the guiding principle in our corporate social responsibility commitments since our establishment in 1987.

Every undertaking is anchored on the vision “Moving People, Enhancing Lives” and commitment to make good our promises, be it providing safe, affordable travel, a meaningful career or contributing to the communities we serve. It is very much a part of the organisation’s culture.

Taking a holistic approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), SMRT’s focus and the ensuing initiatives are geared toward making a positive impact on the economic, social and environmental well-bring of society. To engage and enhance the lives of those around us, we established a sustained programme of corporate philanthropy, volunteerism and community outreach targeted at voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), national events, education, sports, arts and the environment. This programme is extensive and all-inclusive.

Each year, SMRT contributes to worthy causes and staff are invited to be part of the corporate philanthropy efforts through personal contributions toward fundraising activities that are either supported or organised by SMRT. These included the Red Cross Tidal Waves Asia Fund, Swiss DreamCircus for Geylang East Home for the Aged and most recently, the SMRT’s Silver Tribute Fund. In Financial Year 2006, SMRT made community contributions totalling $3.18 million in cash and sponsorship which included provision of media space and corporate gifts.

Staff Volunteerism

Opportunities are also created for staff to volunteer their time and skills to community projects be it through the adoption of charities, supporting initiatives by charitable organisations or supporting staff initiated community projects that are aligned with the organisation’s efforts. Taking our CSR efforts outside of the organisation sees us leveraging our extensive network of trains, buses and taxis to reach out and rally the support of some two million and more Singaporeans to support worthy causes we champion.

In 2004, volunteerism efforts were formalised with the establishment of the SMRT Corporate Volunteer Programme (CVP). The programme focuses on institutions dedicated to the care of children, senior citizens and the sick or injured. It provides a channel for staff to volunteer their time and skills on a regular basis. Our three adopted charities for 2007 are Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centres, Geylang East Home for the Aged and Singapore Red Cross Society’s Blood Donor Recruitment Programme. Other charities we have adopted include Beyond Social Services.

To drive our activities with these VWOs, CVP committees are established for each of the adopted charities. Each committee is chaired by the head of a business unit and employees from across the organisation are invited to be either a committee member or a non-committee member, and to support the activities on a regular or ad-hoc basis. The committees meet regularly to plan activities or programmes that are in-line with the objectives and goals of the adopted charities. A budget is also set aside annually to support the activities. To ensure the programme’s sustainability, our commitment and contribution to the three adopted VWOs are reviewed annually by management together with our President and CEO.

In appreciation of our staff’s contribution to CVP, their participation is recognised in the staff appraisal system and an annual appreciation dinner is organised for all active volunteers.

Community Outreach Activities

SMRT’s CSR programme also extends beyond the organisation and involves community outreach activities that aim to educate, entertain and inform the community at large. This is carried out in different ways through various initiatives and always leveraging our extensive network of trains, buses, taxis, and commercial spaces, which have proven effective. One such activity is our annual monthlong SMRT Courtesy and Safety promotion where we educate commuters on safe and courteous behaviour when taking public transport. The anchor event of this month-long promotion is the SMRT Challenge which recorded a 120% increase in participation from 500 in 2005 to 1,100 participation in 2006.

Storytelling sessions on board our trains is another mainstay of our outreach programmes. This programme, jointly organised with the National Library Board, started in 2002 with just 50 children but in 2006, we welcomed over 500 children onboard our trains for the storytelling sessions.

Fund Raising

In addition to CSR projects we initiate, SMRT also lends support to activities that raise funds or awareness for worthy causes. For instance, the President’s Tunnel Challenge in 2002 where we raised over $900,000 for President’s Challenge through the sale of tickets for a walk through the completed train tunnel between Expo Station and Changi Airport Station.

Another was the train ride for the disabled. This was in support of the National Council of Social Services Disability Awareness Public Education Campaign. Under the “Friends of the Disabled” Journey programme, SMRT organised a train ride for 200 disabled persons to promote awareness of the unique needs of the disabled.

To mark a milestone in our CSR efforts, and in conjunction with our 20th Anniversary celebrations this year, SMRT launched the SMRT Silver Tribute Fund in December 2006. All proceeds go toward eight beneficiaries to fund activities and programmes that help needy elderly and their caregivers lead more meaningful and dignified lives.

We held a series of six fundraising events spanning a period of eight months from December 2006 to July 2007. These included a donation march by some 400 staff and senior management led by our President and CEO on 17 December 2006, the setting of the first-ever MRT train, bus and MPV taxi crush load record in the Singapore Book of Records, an Art for Charity event, a charity movie screening of Spiderman 3 and a charity concert by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Throughout the fund raising period, the SMRT board of directors, senior management and over 4,900 staff, contributed in different ways and together raised more than $900,000.

SMRT’s Experience on CSR Programmes

In recent years, CSR programmes have taken on greater importance in corporate agendas with some organisations establishing dedicated teams to drive CSR.

At SMRT, putting in place a CSR programme has added meaning to everything that we do. At the individual level, staff experience a sense of achievement or fulfilment knowing that they have made a positive difference, whether it is in the business decisions they take or volunteering

of their time and skills. At the corporate level, we are more focused and better able to harness the synergies of staff coming together as one in support of economic, environmental, and social causes SMRT champions. Our efforts in this direction were recognised at the Singapore Green Summit 2007 which honours industry players with the best social practices in Singapore. SMRT was named one of the five finalists in the social reporting category.

Whilst there is still more we can do, what is evident is that the sustainability of our CSR programme can be attributed to:

Management Commitment and Support

The Management Committee, comprising the President and CEO of SMRT and Heads of Departments, sets the direction and framework for the CSR programme. They lead by example, either chairing or participating in the programmes, and encourage participation amongst staff.

Alignment of CSR to the Company’s Vision

Our CSR programme is anchored on our vision “Moving People, Enhancing Lives” and the objectives of the programme are aligned with our corporate goals, and environmental and social considerations.

Staff Engagement

We have in place various channels through which we reach out to potential volunteers and communicate with active volunteers. These include the intranet, staff newsletters, email, and volunteer activities such as a volunteer appreciation dinner. The channels of engagement help foster a common purpose, pride as well as camaraderie amongst staff members, thus motivating them to continue their efforts in helping the less fortunate and less privileged in the community.

Staff volunteers are also invited to represent the company at events organised by SMRT’s adopted charities, for instance, to share their volunteering experiences.

Dedicated CSR Drivers

At SMRT, the Corporate Marketing and Communications Department is tasked with driving CSR initiatives and making decisions within the framework of the CSR programme including the disbursement of funds dedicated to CSR initiatives.

This article was contributed by SMRT.