12 Jan 2024
Frasers Community Month: Real estate as a force for good
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Buildings may be made of concrete and steel, but real estate remains defined by people. Where the different needs and interests of people meet, diverse ideas come to life.
At Frasers Property, the spaces we create and places we make help to cultivate bonds in the community. This in turn catalyses action towards influencing positive outcomes in health, wellness, harmony, and resilience.
In other words, by helping communities thrive, real estate has the capacity to be a force for good. But on top of the social impact arising from our business operations, Frasers Property also partners volunteer welfare organisations, tenants, members of the public, and many other stakeholders to support our communities with a range of community investment initiatives.
In FY2023 alone, the Group saw over 6,800 employee volunteer hours contributed across some 200 community investment initiatives. Nearly S$2 million was also distributed to local communities in seven countries spanning three continents, shoring up our focus areas on environment, education, and health and well-being.
An important platform for these contributions was Frasers Community Month, an annual Group-wide initiative in November-December that rallies employees for a time for giving.
Since June 2023, we are part of a national level pilot in Singapore that aims to create a new sustained and regular volunteering model co-led by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre and National Council for Social Service, alongside 11 other corporate organisations.
Enabling children through words and play
In New South Wales, Australia, we joined in celebrations for the Heroes with Ability Gala Day, a sporting event that brought together students with physical and intellectual disabilities for a day of friendly competition. Held on 16 November 2023, the Gala Day involved over 220 students from 10 participating schools, and was hosted by Australian charity Heroes with Ability.
At the event, students with disabilities shone in a variety of sports, from basketball to target-throwing to agility poles. The games stoked the spirit of cheer, while still challenging students to work together to achieve their goals. The Gala Day was also held within a half-hour drive of two Frasers Property developments, Eastern Creek Quarter and Ed.Square – which is why our employees, led by property manager Fallon Voroshine, were on hand as facilitators and coordinators.
Empowering the young comes in different ways. In Ya’an district, Sichuan, China, some of our employees were hard at work distributing storybook bags to primary school students in rural districts. This was to foster in them a love for reading, and in doing so tap the transformative power of education in shaping young minds.
Building resilience through sparking hope
In several parts of the world, the year-end festive season was accompanied by chilly weather. Rough sleepers had to battle the cold as the mercury plunged.
To lend a helping hand, our employees joined British charity Launchpad’s donation drive in the United Kingdom to collect essential items, such as porridge pots and milk. We helped to collect, sort, and pack contributions over two weeks.
There was also a higher demand for sweaters among underprivileged communities in Northern Thailand as the cool season swept in. To help them tide over the cold, we donated about 1,500 pieces of clothing, bringing warmth to less well-off communities. This was made possible partnering our tenant and clothing brand Uniqlo and providing collection bins across five office buildings in Bangkok, reaching over 20,000 staff from our tenants.
And what’s the holiday season without a little Christmas cheer? In Düsseldorf, Germany, we held a Christmas event at the site of an upcoming industrial development The Tube. Besides celebrating the start of the next phase of construction of the 74,000 sqm industrial and commercial development, we also presented a €5,000 donation to nearby children’s cancer organisation Löwenstern e.V.
Even seniors were not left out. In Singapore, a team of 50 staff and tenant volunteers from across Frasers Property, Starbucks, and Toys “R” Us came together at Waterway Point, Northpoint City, and Causeway Point to host over 40 seniors and their caregivers for a day of fun and camaraderie. Seniors were treated to an unforgettable experience, enjoying Singapore’s first wheelchair-accessible ice-skating rink and bonding over a shared festive meal.
Nurturing health through giving
Apart from financial contributions, some of our staff in Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam rolled up their sleeves and gave back in the form of life-saving bags of blood.
Blood donation drives have been a regular endeavour within the Group over the years. In Singapore, for instance, blood donation is especially critical during long weekends and school holidays, when supplies dwindle as more people travel.
While our Singapore staff trooped to the local Bloodbank, our Vietnam staff donated blood in their offices. For more than two days, Frasers Property’s Vietnam offices functioned as blood donation venues for staff.
Giving back to the community does not end with Frasers Community Month. As a new year begins, our effort to strengthen the communities in which we operate by drawing on our experiences and best practices across our markets goes on.
We remain led by our Purpose – Inspiring experiences, creating places for good – as we engage employees and stakeholders to forge stronger partnerships to create greater, sustained, and meaningful impact for our communities.
More information on our community investment initiatives is available in our ESG Report 2023.