• FairPrice looks to achieve 5,000 hours in volunteerism in 2015 through structured volunteer programme.

SINGAPORE, 26 February 2015 – NTUC FairPrice announced its new goal for staff volunteerism today, in celebration of SG50. The new target seeks to ramp up the retailer’s efforts in engaging the hearts and minds of the community, through additional focus on volunteer efforts, apart from monetary donations. FairPrice commits to achieving staff volunteer contributions of 5,000 hours through its FairPrice staff volunteer program this year.

As a kickstart to the new commitment, Mr Seah Kian Peng, CEO (Singapore), NTUC FairPrice, together with FairPrice staff, volunteered at Ren Ci Nursing Home in order to give back to elderly within the Singapore community. Volunteer tasks include spending time with the elderly, serving food and distributing oranges to them as well as participating in fun activities together such as karaoke.

Speaking at the event, Mr Seah said, “Through volunteerism, we were also able to foster greater teamwork and camaraderie as we spent meaningful hours volunteering together while doing good for the community. Encouraged by the strong support for this programme, we will ramp up our volunteer efforts. We look to set a greater height and a renewed commitment to achieve a goal of 5,000 hours by the end of this year.”

Since it was introduced in 2012, the FairPrice staff volunteer program had an initial goal to volunteer 2,300 hours annually by 2016; which was achieved in 2014. FairPrice has also contributed a collective 6,820 hours in volunteerism since 2012.

This volunteer programme is customised according to staff preferences and interests and includes a wide range of volunteer activities for staff to choose from. This ranges from packing and distributing food to those in need, visiting beneficiaries’ homes or participating in excursions with them such as movies or park visits, and cleaning the homes of elderly residents who live alone.

Ren Ci has been an organisation that is close to the heart of FairPrice since its giving efforts in 2009, as its role in supporting the needy in Singapore through healthcare resonates with FairPrice’s aim of providing a better life for the community. To date, FairPrice has contributed S$1.5 million to Ren Ci through various giving efforts, and FairPrice staff have been volunteering at Ren Ci Nursing Home at part of the organisation’s volunteer program.

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