Page 9 - Shaping A Sustainable Future

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

NYAA/HSBC ITE SMEs SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS

Background

In early 2019, the National Youth Achievement Award Following the briefing, all 15 SMEs, mentioned below
(NYAA) Council Executive Director, Mr James Soh, agreed to participate in the project:
proposed an innovative project to assist Singapore-
based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in • 51 F & B • Island Landscape
enhancing environmental performance, improving • Bettr Barista • ITEA Cafe
sustainability, and cutting carbon emissions. With the • Cavill • J316
support of HSBC Singapore to meet these objectives, • Champion Precision • Prince's Landscape
the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) established • CKE Manufacturing • Rheem
Environmental Sustainability Initiative (ESI) teams, • Emarco • Shalom Mover
comprising students and lecturers, to work with SME • Gymkidz • Song Fish
partners. • Inzign

Prof Jeff Obbard, NYAA Climate Change Advisor, was
invited to review and approve each proposal submitted These SME companies range from 5 to 523 staff.
by the ITE students and their technical advisor. Prof They are engaged in a cross-section of businesses
Obbard is an environmental scientist and engineer in Singapore’s economy, from manufacturing,
who has spent the last 25 years living and working in engineering, horticulture, logistics, food & beverage,
Singapore as a university academic and private sector and early childhood education. As part of their business
consultant specialising in climate change science, operations, all companies consume electricity, water,
adaptation and mitigation. fuel, and other materials and waste disposal, which
directly and indirectly impacts the environment.

The ESI teams worked with local SMEs to conduct 2020 was very challenging; it was certainly not a time of
an environmental review of company operations to ‘business as usual’! Almost immediately after the project
identify sustainable solutions to enhance the company’s started, the Covid-19 pandemic struck Singapore, and
overall environmental performance and cut its carbon
emissions. the subsequent lockdown significantly slowed down
project progress. Most SME staff worked from home
during the lockdown, and business operations were
In February 2020, a total of fifteen local SMEs agreed to severely affected. Government guidelines restricted
participate in the inaugural briefing hosted by NYAA and company visits. Many companies focused on revitalising
ITE at ITE College East. their business after the June 2020 Phase-2 opening of
Singapore’s economy.

7