Sustainability Playbook for Enterprises (July 2023)

Sustainability has emerged as a critical need in today's world, and it is imperative for companies, investors, consumers, and governments to prioritise it. SMEs that adopt sustainability as a core business strategy will be better equipped to capitalise on opportunities and ensure their business's continuity.  

To achieve this effectively, SMEs require stage-appropriate programmes and support to catalyse their sustainability efforts. Therefore, the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) has partnered with Enterprise Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore to develop a foundational sustainability playbook for SMEs. Formulated in consultation with eight knowledge partners and more than 40 business leaders and stakeholders, this playbook provides SMEs with a concise framework to evaluate their ESG-readiness and navigate the resources available to accelerate their progress, based on their company's sustainability maturity. 

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Alliance for Action on Business Leadership Development (June 2023)

The Alliance for Action on Business Leadership Development (AfA-BLD) was formed by SBF to champion action by stakeholders to better position Singapore talents for global corporate leadership roles and entrepreneurial opportunities. 

The AfA-BLD has developed an insights report articulating key opportunities and gaps in local talent development and six recommendations for individuals, companies, industry enablers, and the government to cultivate conducive conditions for Singapore talents to take on key leadership roles in global enterprises. This insights report is the culmination of the AfA-BLD’s engagement with over 200 business leaders, HR practitioners and young professionals to understand their leadership journey and aspirations and how can the business ecosystem come together to sharpen Singapore’s corporate leadership edge as a national imperative. 

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To demystify anecdotal concerns from young Singaporeans that taking on overseas assignments would be disruptive to their children’s educational progress and National Service obligations, the AfA-BLD, in consultation with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Defence, has developed a set of infographics to provide a step-by-step guide on the various pathways for Singaporeans returning to the local system.

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Alliance for Action on Sustainable Spaces (January 2023)

The Alliance for Action on Sustainable Spaces (AfA-SS) launched the “Industry Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality”, on 4 Jan 2023.

Jointly formed by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC), and Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), in support of the Singapore Green Plan 2030, the AfA-SS seeks to bring together stakeholders across different sectors to create and enhance sustainable spaces. Supported by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the National Environment Agency (NEA), the AfA-SS also aims to help solution providers and adopters seize opportunities in the green economy. 

The “Industry Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality” is the AfA-SS’s effort to raise public awareness on how to enhance good indoor air quality. Developed in consultation with industry stakeholders, the Industry Guidelines focused on five priority areas and recommendations for greater regulatory and industry action towards advancing the agenda for greater indoor air quality in Singapore. The recommendations follow 3 guiding principles which are to regulate, incentivise and to foster collaboration within the industry-public sector.   

For enquiries or feedback, please reach out to the Policy Development team via our Enquiry Form.

Insights from the Estate and Facilities Management Sector Lighthouse Project (July 2022)

The Estate and Facilities Management (EFM) Lighthouse Project aims to sustainably enhance and uplift the livelihoods of EFM trade staff through job redesign, multi-skilling, and an outcome-based approach. The project brings together 7 companies and 4 Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) to explore ways to build manpower resilience to support the productivity-driven growth of the EFM sector.

The insights report details the key learning points from the pilot trials, which involved test bedding a combination of several EFM functions across various property types, conducted by the Lighthouse Project stakeholders. In addition to the report, SBF has put together a job redesign toolkit and model outcome-based contract template to help companies to get started on a similar job redesign and multi-skilling journey.

For enquiries or feedback, please reach out to the Policy Development team via our Enquiry Form.

The Human Touch: Balancing Manpower Resilience with Productivity for Transformation (May 2022)

Developed in close consultation with businesses, trade associations and chambers (TACs) in Lifestyle Services, Environmental Services and Estate and Facilities (EFM) Services, the SBF manpower policy paper articulates the manpower challenges faced by these sectors and calls on key stakeholders including businesses, trade associations and chambers (TACs), government agencies, unions and post-secondary educational institutions (PSEIs) to collectively support the manpower needs of these sectors to unlock sustainable and inclusive growth.  

With Singapore on a firm footing towards endemicity in 2022, businesses in Lifestyle Services, Environmental Services and Estate and Facilities (EFM) Services are ramping up operations to cater to demand and new growth opportunities but are limited by the ongoing manpower crunch. The paper puts forth 9 key actions that key stakeholders can take in a concerted effort to address these long-standing manpower challenges so that businesses in these sectors can look ahead towards sustainable and inclusive growth.

Acknowledgements

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Uplifting Women in the Workforce (December 2021)

The Policy Paper on “Uplifting Women in the Workforce: Investing in the Success of Women in Singapore” was published in support of the Year of Celebrating SG Women in 2021. The paper is a consolidation of insights from participants in SBF-organised engagements, the business community, trade associations and chambers, unions, and government agencies, underscores the whole-of-nation commitment to support women in their career and entrepreneurial aspirations.

The paper proposes 12 recommendations put together through extensive consultations from public surveys, interviews and focus group discussions from September to November 2021. A total of 1,140 individuals and 116 business leaders, as well as representatives from TACs, unions, and government agencies, shared their perspectives on actions needed to create a more inclusive workforce and ways to uplift women in the workplace and business arena.

Following the paper, we will work with our TAC partners to drive education and outreach as part of our Sustainable Employment endeavour to build a community of progressive companies committed to undertaking purposeful actions for business and employee success.

 

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Special Partner

Acknowledgements

 

 

Sustainability in Business, Sustainability as Business: Green Growth Opportunities for Singapore Companies (November 2021)

The Policy Paper on Sustainability is a ground-up, sense-making effort by the industry, for the industry. Led by SBF and supported by our Knowledge Partners Ernst & Young (EY), Global Compact Network Singapore (GCNS), and United Overseas Bank (UOB), the Policy Paper involved over 100 industry stakeholders and business leaders in detailed conversations on environmental sustainability-related opportunities and challenges for Singapore businesses. The Policy Paper provides clarity on the green growth opportunities for Singapore companies, and details recommendations on both business action and government support needed to expedite the momentum towards environmental sustainability as a viable business proposition.

SBF will step up our efforts to help companies capitalise on suitable green opportunities. Together, the business community and its stakeholders can collaborate to transform Singapore into a ‘Bright Green Spark’.

Hear from the Business Leaders.

Knowledge Partners

TAC Partners

For enquiries or feedback, please reach out to the Policy Development team via our Enquiry Form.

Sustainable Employment – Achieving Purposeful Business Success Together (November 2019)

The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) launched a special report titled “Sustainable Employment – Achieving Purposeful Business Success Together” on 22 November 2019.

A by-business-for-business initiative, the report puts forth 6 recommendations targeted at addressing the employment needs of the elderly, the less well-off and those vulnerable to job disruption in Singapore.

For enquiries or feedback, please reach out to the Policy Development team via our Enquiry Form.

Position Paper for a Vibrant Singapore (January 2016)

The Position Paper for a Vibrant Singapore is a private sector initiative led by SBF, and supported by major trade associations and business chambers, as well as prominent members of the Singapore business community. The objective of the paper is to present and reinforce to the newly formed government, the issues that are essential to support business and economic growth, so that we can collectively work together to enable a more prosperous and inclusive Singapore.

SBF continues to gather views from the business community after the public release of the paper, and share these views with the Government, including the Committee on the Future Economy. We hope that a wider public discussion will lead to the formulation of better Government policies for the future of Singapore and our businesses.

SBF envisages a Singapore plugged into the global economy and supporting many different kinds of businesses, utilising technology and leveraging our own intellectual property that make us uniquely competitive. Such an economy will be a hub for nerve centre, thought leadership, R&D, innovation and growth activities. We imagine a Singapore where workers are highly skilled, very engaged and are passionate about their jobs. At the same time, we envisage a Singapore whose external economy (not just investments, but active operating businesses) is as large as its internal economy. This will enable us to overcome our land and labour constraints and tap on the competitive and comparative advantages of other countries.

Recommended Broad Strategies
The Paper details three broad strategies:
Immediate Term

1. Assist businesses to transit through this difficult period into the new restructured economy for sustainable growth

Medium to Long Term

1. Create an economy that is not constrained by our geographical boundaries
2. Develop Singapore as a strong home base for nerve centre, thought leadership, innovation and growth activities
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Position Paper on Population (2012)

SBF was invited by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) to provide views and suggestions on Singapore's population issues and related policies. The Paper focuses on the importance for Singapore to cultivate a sustainable supply of high-quality manpower to drive its economy and keep it competitive.

The Position Paper was put together based on consultations with and feedback from members of the SBF-led SME Committee and SBF Council, as well as various discussions, seminars and feedback sessions with the business community. It was published on 28 December 2012.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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