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HP Singapore’s volunteer army in island-wide ‘smile offensive’

900 staff participate in HP Singapore’s Volunteer Day – helping fulfill the wishes of more than 1200 underprivileged Singaporeans from 15 President’s Challenge beneficiaries

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Singapore

Overview

  1. »HP and the President’s Challenge
  2. »A day’s work with a difference
  3. »The spirit of collaboration
  4. »A reputation for giving

A highlight of HP Singapore’s community fund-raising and volunteer initiative, V-Challenge, this year’s ‘Volunteer Day’ was another rousing success. Around 900 HP employees bypassed the office, rolled up their sleeves and set their talents to fulfilling the wishes of more than 1200 underprivileged Singaporeans from 15 President’s Challenge beneficiaries.

HP and the President’s Challenge

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Established in 2000, the President’s Challenge is an annual program designed to raise money and lend support to help underprivileged members of the Singaporean community. In the words of Singapore President, S R Nathan: “It goes beyond donating and receiving money. It can involve volunteering to helping to organize fund-raising events for the President’s Challenge, helping the President’s Challenge beneficiaries, or even just taking part in the events.”

HP’s involvement in the initiative is a long and fruitful one. As part of its Community Activities Committee (established back in 1977 to help the less-fortunate and under-served in Singapore) HP led the Singapore infocomm industry in fund-raising efforts for the President’s Challenge from 2002 to 2004. In 2005, in order to expand the commitment to the President’s Challenge from within the company, HP initiated ‘V-Challenge’ in 2005. A year later, with a desire to invest not only money but more ‘sweat capital’, HP launched ‘Volunteer Day’.

And the response from employees has been overwhelming, with staff members from all areas of the company, putting their hand up each year to get involved.

A day’s work with a difference

This year’s Volunteer Day again demonstrated the willingness of HP staff to make a genuine commitment to the local community. Highlights included: an excursion to Sentosa Underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon for 300 autistic children; a visit to the Chinese Gardens for patients from the Parkinson's Disease Society; a tour of Bollywood Veggies farm for recovering stroke patients; a day of fun at Snow City for the Spastic Children’s Society; and a party for about 130 senior citizens from Kheng Chiu Loke Tin Kee Home.

Seeing the smiles on the faces of all involved, it was hard to judge who had the better time — HP volunteers or guests.

For Daphne Chern, who spent her time taking stroke patients on a visit to Bollywood Veggies, the day was not only lots of fun, but personally fulfilling.

“For me it was quite a humbling experience spending the day with them,” she said. “They were just so happy to have company and go out.”

It seems such glowing testimonials are not uncommon after Volunteer Day.

“Since the 1970s, HP has believed in making a positive impact in our local communities with not just our technologies but also the ‘sweat capital’ of our employees in volunteerism,” said Tan Yen Yen, Managing Director, HP Singapore.

“The spirit of community volunteerism is thriving in HP and our employees have come to look forward to HP Volunteer Day every year.”

And the Managing Director’s own Volunteer Day experience?

“We had a great time at Sentosa with the children,” she said. “The employees are still talking about the fun they had.”

The spirit of collaboration

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In addition to the full roster of activities, Volunteer Day is also about raising money.

For three months leading up to and including Volunteer Day, HP coordinated the collection of funds from business partners, suppliers and HP employees, as part of its V-Challenge initiative. To date, the drive — including letter appeals, an online salary deduction channel, drop-off boxes, and roadshows at various HP cafeterias — has generated more than S0,000 in donations=. In addition, Business Groups within HP sponsored expenditure for all activities on Volunteer Day, including bus rides, entrance fees, tickets, food and drinks. All proceeds from the fund-raising programs go to the President’s Challenge.

A reputation for giving

Such a positive response is hardly surprising. The culture of giving that permeates all levels of the company is typical of HP employees around the globe. It is a culture nurtured and supported by an underlying belief that successful organizations are defined not just by what their businesses are, but by the character, capability and contributions made to society.

Underscoring the old adage that you get back only what you put in, HP has been rewarded for such efforts by attracting not only plaudits, but a caliber of employee desirous of a working life enriched by the opportunity to make a difference in the world.

Which can only be good news for future Volunteer Days. And good news for the people of Singapore.