Chairman's Message

Trail Blazing – The Heart Way

In the current economic climate, there has been much talk about rising costs of living, and how it would impact the lower income group hardest.

As a co-operative movement, we can do much to ameliorate the situation and ease the burden of those who are struggling financially. Most, if not all, of our co-operatives started with a social need in mind and we look for ways to fulfil the need through innovative business ideas and strategies. We need to have the know-how, the heart and the governance responsibility to remain true to our co-operative calling.

Hence, SNCF has been stepping up efforts to encourage organisations and groups of people in the community to set up co-operatives with clear social missions. The more co-operatives being set up, the greater the benefit to the needy in the community.

It is heartening to know that various groups are responding to the call. New co-operatives are being formed to help the unemployed and the needy.

A new co-operative, WE Workz, is being set up by the South West Community Development Council to provide home-based employment to women. It will offer a range of products such as handicrafts, fancy candles and costume jewellery and services such as domestic cleaning, and child and infant care. The Co-operative was officially launched by Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Secretary General, NTUC on 12 March 2008.

Another two co-ops will be launched soon – one of which will also be a Co-operative set up specially for women.

WINGS or Women's Initiative for Ageing Successfully (a non profit organisation) looks into ways on how women, especially those who outlive their husbands and are comparatively lesser educated and have less savings, can contribute effectively and productively to the economy.

Then there is the “Community Kitchen” initiative by North West CDC targeted at individuals who may be unemployed for a long time.

On our part, we help out by providing attractive financial grants during the initial years of their business operations. It is our way of nurturing the co-operative when they are in the infant stage so that they can grow at a faster pace. SNCF also exercises flexibility in its special project grants to assist and benefit the smaller co-operatives in order to improve and strengthen their operations.

At the SNCF New Year Reception on 25 Jan this year, Mr Gan Kim Yong (Minister of State for Education and Manpower) highlighted another noteworthy contribution of the co-operatives. Unlike some employers who still think that older workers are less productive, NTUC FairPrice, NTUC Income and NTUC Foodfare have taken the lead in re-designing jobs to facilitate the employment of older workers. Today, more than 40% of NTUC FairPrice's workers are in their 50s and 60s. Similarly, 14% of NTUC Income's Call Centre's workforce are above 50 years old, and 70% of NTUC Foodfare's workers are 40 years old and above. This has not come about at the expense of business performance.

In fact, as Mr Gan pointed out, NTUC FairPrice has retained its position as the top local retailer by sales turnover and continued to bag numerous other awards. These co-operatives clearly demonstrate that being socially responsible does not necessarily require sacrificing their commercial objectives.

Co-operatives are trail blazers – in the way we conduct our business and the way we contribute to the society. For the co-operative movement to remain dynamic and vibrant, we need more leaders who have their heart at the right place and are able to think out of the box.

Thus, as part of our HR development process, SNCF is offering 10 Co-operative Scholarships for the very first time. The Scholarship aims to attract, develop and nurture suitable talents to enter the ranks of the Co-operative sector in Singapore . You can read more about it in this issue of the Co-operator.

Let us continue to strive, to grow, to explore, to live and to learn and at the same time, not forget to care and share with those less fortunate than us.

Seah Kian Peng
Chairman
Singapore National Co-operative Federation
ICA Board Member
April 2008