Meet the 2023 Executive Committee:
#iaasg
Meet the 2023 Executive Committee:
#iaasg
We kicked off our Business As A Force For Good awards ceremony with a panel discussion titled “Empower yourself: Overcome challenges and implement sustainable practices in business” and had the honor of having distinguished speakers from different industry background talk about how corporations may improve our society and environment:
Each speaker started off by introducing how they approach sustainability in their own respective company and later shared about their top-of-mind issues that they are concerned with. The ABCD framework – Alignment, Business, Collaboration and Disclosure – was discussed as a potential approach to address sustainability concerns. Alignment of business model to industrial, national and international goals is key and so is the importance of developing a business case for sustainability which references to the triple bottom line theory. Collaboration along the entire value chain is essential to ensure that interest of every stakeholder is aligned and there is a need to improve transparency of sustainability reporting through disclosures.
Sustainability is still a relatively new field in this day and age that comes with a lot of ambiguity. There is no single path to adopt sustainability and an effective climate strategy requires resilience and adaption. Throughout the session, there were a lot of discussions regarding the huge challenge in this field given that there are over 600 different frameworks and sustainability guidelines.
There is clearly a need for standardization to simplify the reporting which can aid corporations to set goals, establish priorities and manage change. From this panel discussion, we learned about how each stakeholder can contribute to this process:
#iaasg #bafg
Dear Members,
Our theme last year was “Engaging Our Members”. We are thrilled to report on the success we achieved. In our association, our 100+ volunteers graciously volunteered their time to organize 73 events, giving our alumni ample opportunities to connect, engage and thrive.
This year, our Executive Committee has set a bold new theme: “Building Bridges.” Our aim is to engage our members in more meaningful ways to promote positive impact. To achieve these goals, we need your help.
We welcome you, our valued members, to join us on this adventure. Our new initiatives include IN-Board, Career Development Coaching, and many other events and projects. We are open to new ideas and energy, so please share your suggestions .
Help us build bridges that will connect us to each other and to the world. Together, we can continue to make the INSEAD Alumni Association of Singapore, a shining example of what can be accomplished when a community comes together.
We hereby present our 2023 Executive Committee. Committee members do stand up so that our members can approach you to help us embark on another exciting journey building bridges for growth, learning and positive impact.
Let’s be amazing, together!
#iaasg
How did you determine which businesses demonstrated a strong commitment to being a force for good?
The criteria we used to differentiate particularly competitive and some really impactful companies was:
(1) the use of innovative solutions to a particular issue
(2) breadth of impact on a community
(3) but I think most importantly, the actual impact. How does the solutions impact the community?
For example, not just by providing internet access to a under-serviced community, but the impact access to the internet has on that community i.e. education, small business etc.
When evaluating how a company’s solutions impact a community, it’s important to consider both the intended and unintended consequences of their actions.
Intended impact refers to the direct and measurable results of a company’s solutions on a community. For example, if a company provides access to affordable healthcare to underserved communities, the intended impact would be improved health outcomes for those communities.
However, unintended consequences also need to be considered. These can include negative impacts that may arise from the implementation of a solution, such as environmental harm or unintended social consequences. For example, a company may introduce a new product that is meant to be environmentally friendly but it may end up using materials that are unsustainable, leading to negative environmental impacts.
To evaluate the impact of a company’s solutions on a community, it is important to take a holistic approach that considers both the intended and unintended consequences of their actions. This can be done through monitoring and evaluation of the impact of the solutions over time and engaging with the community to understand their needs and concerns.
Meeting our 2023 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Diana Gan – Founder of Elementary Capital
Post #2- Kaushik Burman – General Manager & Managing Director at Gogoro India Pvt Ltd)
Post #3 – Dr Vinika D. Rao – Executive Director, INSEAD Emerging Markets, Gender & Africa Initiatives; Asia Director, HGIBS
Post #4 – Mike Summers – Defence & Security Director, Singapore (ASEAN); Australia Trade and Investment Commission; Australian High Commission, Singapore
Post #5 – Nadir Zafar – Chief Experience Officer, Human Capital Leadership Institute
Post #6 – Tan Han Wee – Partner at Ernst & Young
Post #7 – David Mair – CEO at Republic Consulting & Secretary-General at INSEAD Alumni Association
Catch-up with 2022 Winners – Interview series
Post #1 – Michelle Woo, VP Venture Build, ENGIE Factory Asia Pacific (Corporate Winner)
Post #2 – Masami Soto, Founder of Buy One Give One – Empirics Asia
Post #3 – Gurpreet Singh, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at RightShip
Catch-up with 2022 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Li Lian Liew GEMBA’13 – Director, Corporate Planning at Tan Tock Seng Hospital & Central Health
Post #2 – Apo Ozkececi MCCC’19Dec-S – SVP Commercial & Regional Head, Asia Pacific, Accelya
Post #3 – Brad Fraser MAP’18Apr – Head of Prime Derivative Services Asia Pacific, Barclays
#iaasg
Can you tell us about your experience winning this award and what it means for your business?
Personally, I was humbled by the opportunity to be part of the BAFG nominees and then winning the award. What I found really insightful was to meet other business leaders in the BAFG community, and fellow-INSEAD alums as we got together and celebrate why BAFG matters. To me, this is core to what INSEAD does in advocating doing business as a force for good in this VUCA world. A sustainable business is one that is grounded on good and ethical business practices, hence it only makes sense that we as INSEADers champion such efforts. For RightShip, the recognition means that we have to continue to strive in what we do – our vision is about driving zero harm the maritime ecosystem. And we do this by leveraging on data and technology to provide insights around Environmental, Social and Governance to our customers, suppliers and other players in this diverse industry. For us, the quest towards driving towards zero harm in sustainability and safety hence continues.
Can you discuss any unique or innovative approaches your business has taken to be a force for good?
Absolutely. We continue to evolve our propositions as the industry evolves and as there is an increased awareness around sustainable business practices. For example – with global increased concerns around ship emissions, we have launched the RightShip Carbon Accounting tool. This tool empowers charterers and owners to measure, track and reduce their emissions footprint.
With developing environmental regulations by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that are being introduced in 2023, we are also evolving our GHG Rating solution. This rating would thus be updated to incorporate an additional index, the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) values, into its rating. At present, more than 46 000 vessels on our RightShip Platform have a GHG Rating, with around 180 chartering customers leveraging the valuable environmental rating in their due diligence processes in the last year alone. As regulations become ever more complicated, RightShip will continue to support more customers with their sustainability requirements.
To continue to drive fair and good living and working conditions of seafarers onboard ships, our Crew Welfare Self Assessment questionnaire continues to raise awareness of crew welfare, and driving its importance via a Code of Conduct that we have formulated in collaboration with the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) along with Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB). We continue to work with members in the shipping ecosystem to join us on this journey to make a commitment to improve welfare for seafarers. To share a recent development, we have also released a report (2023 Seafarer Abandonment Report by RightShip) on our website. This write-up provides some telling facts about the situation with our industry, with the intention to raise further awareness of this pertinent issue, and enroll interested parties to learn more and join us in the quest for zero harm.
Can you discuss any partnerships or collaborations your business has formed in order to have a greater positive impact?
In RightShip, we have a strong calling and a clear vision, in driving for zero harm. However, we recognize that we cannot do it alone. Hence partnerships, is a key enabler for us to reach out to create a greater positive impact. Late last year, we’ve announced a collaboration with Veson Nautical, a software company that enables commercial maritime freight. The integration with Veson allows subscribers to access RightShip data, and hence make commercial decisions that would also take safety and sustainability into account.
Meeting our 2023 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Diana Gan – Founder of Elementary Capital
Post #2- Kaushik Burman – General Manager & Managing Director at Gogoro India Pvt Ltd)
Post #3 – Dr Vinika D. Rao – Executive Director, INSEAD Emerging Markets, Gender & Africa Initiatives; Asia Director, HGIBS
Post #4 – Mike Summers – Defence & Security Director, Singapore (ASEAN); Australia Trade and Investment Commission; Australian High Commission, Singapore
Post #5 – Nadir Zafar – Chief Experience Officer, Human Capital Leadership Institute
Post #6 – Tan Han Wee – Partner at Ernst & Young
Post #7 – David Mair – CEO at Republic Consulting & Secretary-General at INSEAD Alumni Association
Catch-up with 2022 Winners – Interview series
Post #1 – Michelle Woo, VP Venture Build, ENGIE Factory Asia Pacific (Corporate Winner)
Post #2 – Masami Soto, Founder of Buy One Give One – Empirics Asia
Post #3 – Gurpreet Singh, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at RightShip
Catch-up with 2022 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Li Lian Liew GEMBA’13 – Director, Corporate Planning at Tan Tock Seng Hospital & Central Health
Post #2 – Apo Ozkececi MCCC’19Dec-S – SVP Commercial & Regional Head, Asia Pacific, Accelya
What were your key takeaways after graduating from INSEAD in relation to having a positive social impact on the community?
While Milton Friedman’s dictum from 1970 that “the social responsibility of business is to increase it’s profits” held sway for most of North American enterprise for close to half a century, being educated at INSEAD offered a far broader perspective. Businesses are a part of the communities they operate in and they need to contribute to society beyond the maximisation of profits to include a responsibility to their employees, communities and the environment. The concept of earning a “license to operate’ was far more prevalent in European business far earlier than elsewhere but as the recent US Business Roundtable’s Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation makes clear, the belief that companies must deliver value to all their stakeholders is now mainstream globally. That’s where I think INSEAD has long been at the forefront for responsible capitalism.
What do you believe are the critical elements for a business to act as a force for good?
A critical element in my view is for companies, the executives and directors who lead them, and for every employee, to adopt a moral compass that is unwavering. It’s amazing what a clear lens of what is right and wrong can achieve. If you wouldn’t want your actions to be seen on the front page of a newspaper somewhere then you shouldn’t be doing what you are doing.
What key BAFG principles would you like businesses in Singapore to embrace?
Businesses in Singapore are already leading the way in many respects but I would like to see a more wide-spread adoption of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The recent announcement of the inaugural Steward Leadership 25 is fantastic progress in recognising those enterprises leading the way, as are the INSEAD Alumni Association Singapore’s Business As A Force For Good awards. The more attention we can draw to these issues, and the more we can celebrate success, the greater the incentives will be for investors, employees and all stakeholders to continue to drive change.
What were the main reasons for accepting an invitation to be an IAA Singapore BAFG judge?
I believe recognition for those enterprises and individuals driving change is an important element to achieve society-wide transformation. The IAA’s BAFG initiative is a unique opportunity to celebrate these successes.
What would you like to see in the upcoming review of the companies who are nominated?
While brochures and corporate videos are nice, I would like to see evidence of real impact in the real world, and a road map to achieve even more.
Meeting our 2023 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Diana Gan – Founder of Elementary Capital
Post #2- Kaushik Burman – General Manager & Managing Director at Gogoro India Pvt Ltd)
Post #3 – Dr Vinika D. Rao – Executive Director, INSEAD Emerging Markets, Gender & Africa Initiatives; Asia Director, HGIBS
Post #4 – Mike Summers – Defence & Security Director, Singapore (ASEAN); Australia Trade and Investment Commission; Australian High Commission, Singapore
Post #5 – Nadir Zafar – Chief Experience Officer, Human Capital Leadership Institute
Post #6 – Tan Han Wee – Partner at Ernst & Young
Post #7 – David Mair – CEO at Republic Consulting & Secretary-General at INSEAD Alumni Association
Catch-up with 2022 Winners – Interview series
Post #1 – Michelle Woo, VP Venture Build, ENGIE Factory Asia Pacific (Corporate Winner)
Catch-up with 2022 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Li Lian Liew GEMBA’13 – Director, Corporate Planning at Tan Tock Seng Hospital & Central Health
Post #2 – Apo Ozkececi MCCC’19Dec-S – SVP Commercial & Regional Head, Asia Pacific, Accelya
What were your key takeaways after graduating from INSEAD in relation to having a positive social impact on the community? To build businesses which have a deeper purpose, and lead by example. Next, contribute to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals example access to affordable and clean energy and climate action. Lastly, corporates and start-ups need to build an inclusive society, with deep empathy and care.
What do you believe are the critical elements for a business to act as a force for good? Businesses/Corporates need to spend time and efforts in better understanding of the key issues facing societies and communities, fissure points which may be lurking within societies as these have long term implications on people. Develop business models which dovetail solutions, which can solve some of the most pressing issues faced by communities – for e.g. ed-tech product offerings which can provide access to affordable and high quality remote learning solutions to the underprivileged community – thereby upgrading their incomes and livelihood. Focus on the UN SDGs and develop a set of concrete actions which would lead to achieving the SDG goals.
What actions from companies have you seen which has been a Force For Good? Leadership action to create an overall positive impact on life of citizens; Organizational wide cohesion to believe in deep purpose, where employees are fully committed to the vision and mission; Building the cognitive engine with well defined OKRs (Objectives and Key results), with a robust measurement and monitoring process; Diverse mix of board members, with strong governance protocols in place.
What are some examples in your profession/ company where you’ve experienced BAFG first-hand? Shell have led business teams with a well defined charter of SDG goals to solve the topics around sustainability, clean energy and energy access. As for Gogoro, this is NASDAQ listed firm, intersection of sustainability, electric mobility, innovation, clean energy infrastructure – solving the urban mobility, smart grid and clean energy topics aided by an AI driven battery swapping platform. Intellect, a Digital platform, which is solving mental health and wellness problem in a scientific and structured manner – got few of my colleagues to try out the product with excellent benefits.
What were the main reasons for accepting an invitation to be an IAA Singapore BAFG judge? As an INSEAD alumni and IAA SG member, I feel accountable to champion the values of INSEAD, which stands for diversity of thought and action. As a business leader, having led multi billion dollar businesses across diverse international markets, have contributed to the delivery of SDG outcomes, therefore have relevant experience in evaluating business models which are designed for BAFG outcomes. I have been mentoring startups, and angel investor in BAFG driven startups, I feel this is a great opportunity for me to explore and evaluate the companies who are in the fray.
What would like to see in the upcoming review of the companies who are nominated? Those with bigger and bolder plans to solve SDG goals, capable to embracing innovation in problem solving issues faced by the communities; and societies and be inclusive and diversity in team composition, thoughts and actions.
Meeting our 2023 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Diana Gan – Founder of Elementary Capital
Post #2- Kaushik Burman – General Manager & Managing Director at Gogoro India Pvt Ltd)
Catch-up with 2022 Winners – Interview series
Post #1 – Michelle Woo, VP Venture Build, ENGIE Factory Asia Pacific (Corporate Winner)
Catch-up with 2022 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Li Lian Liew GEMBA’13 – Director, Corporate Planning at Tan Tock Seng Hospital & Central Health
Post #2 – Apo Ozkececi MCCC’19Dec-S – SVP Commercial & Regional Head, Asia Pacific, Accelya
How does your business’s commitment to being a force for good align with its overall mission and values?
Faced with the climate emergency and the need to reduce polluting emissions, it is now essential to find faster ways to transition to carbon neutrality. ENGIE is investing and working to conceive new innovative solutions for low-carbon energy and services, or for the circular economy. With one purpose: decarbonize human activities.
In Southeast Asia, ENGIE we are a fast-growing team with a geographical focus in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines to provide tailor-made integrated solutions for our customers in commercial buildings, industries, cities, and communities. Using globally leading technologies, we create innovative energy and smart solutions that enhance the performance of homes, businesses, and communities to make the world a better place. We act throughout the value chain: strategy, design, engineering, energy-efficient asset construction, digital platforms, operations management, financing syndication and outcome assurance.
To accelerate our decarbonisation efforts, the company has a dedicated corporate startup studio called ENGIE Factory (formed since 2018) which focuses on building new climate-tech startup solutions. ENGIE Factory works with founders to deliver investment-grade venture opportunities. We build their ventures by combining the best of both worlds: the entrepreneurial skillset and the established corporate assets. This results in commercialised climate-tech solutions that are customer-focused, affordable, and market-ready.
Can you discuss any unique or innovative approaches your business has taken to be a force for good?
With our start-up studios, research teams and investments in start-ups, ENGIE has built a single ecosystem focused on innovation. ENGIE Factory was created as the startup studio of ENGIE Group. We partner with entrepreneurs to build new, scalable startups that will impact our climate. We co-build the new business with the founders, provide early-stage funding, and direct access to enterprise-grade resources and networks from ENGIE which gives our startups a competitive advantage and fast track to global growth.
The climate-tech businesses that our founders build with us are all on the same mission to accelerate decarbonisation and resolve our climate urgency. And the ENGIE Factory team is dedicated to supporting our startups throughout their growth.
Can you discuss any partnerships or collaborations your business has formed in order to have a greater positive impact?
As a leader in the energy revolution, ENGIE offers a comprehensive range of clean mobility solutions that transform the way energy is used. We are proud to share that ComfortDelGro ENGIE Pte Ltd (CDG ENGIE) is set to grow its islandwide network of electric vehicle (EV) charging points with its latest tender win.
The year-old consortium comprising ComfortDelGro’s wholly-owned subsidiary, ComfortDelGro Engineering Pte Ltd and ENGIE South East Asia (ENGIE), has been awarded two in 10 packages in a highly contested Land Transport Authority (LTA) tender for the installation of EV charging points covering nearly 2,000 Housing Development Board (HDB) car parks. This further cements CDG ENGIE as one of Singapore’s largest EV charging operators with operations spanning across the East, West, Central as well as the North regions of Singapore.
The latest tender win, which comprises up to 4,509 alternate current (AC) charging points at 387 HDB car parks comes hot on the heels of its successful bid in the 2021 pilot tender by the Land Transport Authority-Urban Redevelopment Authority (LTA-URA) for the operation of 479 charging points at car parks managed by HDB, JTC Corporation, NParks, People’s Association and URA. Two-thirds of these charging points have been deployed, with the remaining on track to be deployed in the next few months. Outside of the LTA-URA pilot tender, CDG ENGIE also operates charging points at car parks on ComfortDelGro premises, school campuses and commercial sites.
Beyond this tender, CDG ENGIE has also been working very closely with the authorities and its partners to encourage the adoption of EVs. In May 2022, CDG ENGIE collaborated with GetGo Carsharing to support the deployment of GetGo EVs at Jurong Spring on its electric charging platform, with plans to expand islandwide. In June, CDG ENGIE also joined Voltality, an eMobility platform which provides EV drivers with the convenience of using any EV charger across Singapore using a single interface.
Can you discuss any ways in which your business’s efforts to be a force for good have positively impacted the local community?
With our partners, ENGIE is switching on the power of solar across Singapore. Singapore is targeting to increase its solar capacity to at least 2 gigawatt-peak by 2030. ENGIE is committed to helping Singapore unlock its full solar power potential and achieve its Green Plan 2030 ambitions.
This will mean producing enough energy to power approximately 350,000 households a year sustainably. While Singapore is on track, there is still much to be done, with nearly half of that targeted solar capacity yet to be achieved. We are proud to share that we have secured multiple solar rooftop projects across the country. In fact, we commissioned three solar projects in November alone. In their first year of operation, these projects will provide over 12,800 MWh of energy generation and save over 5,000 tons in carbon (CO2) emissions. That CO2 saving is equivalent to the impact of planting more than 250,000 rain trees, in a single year.
Can you discuss any advice or lessons learned that you would like to share with other businesses that are looking to make a positive impact?
In order to accelerate the transition to a carbon neutral economy, ENGIE strategically partners with startups and innovators. Corporates who work with startups gain a fast track to testing new solutions, exploring new markets and disrupting the market with different business models. Most importantly, working with startups helps corporates keep up with emerging trends and changes in the market.
Our startup studio, ENGIE Factory, partners with entrepreneurs to build new, scalable startups that will impact our climate. We co-build the new business with the founders, provide early-stage funding, and direct access to enterprise-grade resources and networks from ENGIE which gives our startups a competitive advantage and fast track to global growth. The climate-tech businesses that our founders build with us are all on the same mission to accelerate decarbonisation and resolve our climate urgency.
Meeting our 2023 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Diana Gan – Founder of Elementary Capital
Catch-up with 2022 Winners – Interview series
Post #1 – Michelle Woo, VP Venture Build, ENGIE Factory Asia Pacific (Corporate Winner)
Catch-up with 2022 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Li Lian Liew GEMBA’13 – Director, Corporate Planning at Tan Tock Seng Hospital & Central Health
Post #2 – Apo Ozkececi MCCC’19Dec-S – SVP Commercial & Regional Head, Asia Pacific, Accelya
The INSEAD Masters Programmes Team led by Antony Widjaja, Associate Director, EMBA Marketing and Recruitment, organised a panel discussion on The Role of Allyship in Advancing Equality and Inclusive Leadership on 19 January 2023.
Speakers:
Dr Vinika Rao
moderated the panel with fellow panellists:
Topics discussed during the session included learning how to recognise talent, sponsorship of talents, acknowledging that the office can be a safe haven. We also touched on topics such as how we can be first responders if an employee works in a violent home. Most importantly, the main takeaway from the event was on how we should be the voice of each other as an ally.
To end off the session, Sharon Brooks, Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, INSEAD closed the session. It was an interactive session and the audience had a great time mingling post the session.
INSEAD commits to cultivating a community that pursues equity, exemplifies inclusion, and cherishes diversity in all its dimensions. In a similar vein, the INSEAD Alumni Association is holding the Business as a Force for Good Award and nominations are open. Read more here: https://blogs.insead.edu/singapore-iaa/bafg-awards-2023-is-back/
Please nominate deserving companies here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdAuG3FVRvVw1eHl64RnTq_20VRDHxZVnMjSRB_4MNGiee1kg/viewform
How do you balance the need to recognize businesses that are making a positive impact with the reality that many businesses must prioritize profitability in order to survive? Making a positive impact and prioritizing profitable are not necessarily competing objectives. On the contrary, we would prefer an impactful business also to be profitable so that they can sustain their operations for the longer term with economic benefits to the society and individuals who are making the change. Positive impact is not and should not be an area of non-profits only, and the companies with bigger profits can do more to create bigger impacts for the values and objectives they lay down.
How did you determine which businesses demonstrated a strong commitment to being a force for good? Being a force for good can be interpreted differently depending on the industry and the provided value by the business. For me, it was relatively a simple call; would the world be a better place if this business is successful and potentially bigger. If the answer is YES, then I believe the business demonstrates a commitment to being a force for good.
Can you discuss any examples of businesses that you felt were particularly impactful in terms of their positive impact on society or the environment? In last year’s applications, we had an application from RightShip, who is focused on sustainability and governance in shipping business; which is not so visible in our daily lives albeit we benefit from the shipping industry every second of our lives. As we learnt more about their business, the lives they save, improvements they bring to the planet and environment; we realized how little we knew of some of these companies’ impact on society. It was an eye-opener in 30 minutes discussion.
Meeting our 2023 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Diana Gan – Founder of Elementary Capital
Catch-up with 2022 Judges – Interview series
Post #1 – Li Lian Liew GEMBA’13 – Director, Corporate Planning at Tan Tock Seng Hospital & Central Health
Post #2 – Apo Ozkececi MCCC’19Dec-S – SVP Commercial & Regional Head, Asia Pacific, Accelya