M1 and the Community

We are actively involved in the community, engaging and building relations with diverse segments of our society, supporting a range of causes and activities, demonstrating care, concern and commitment as a responsible corporate citizen.

M1 had an active corporate responsibility programme in 2007 that reached out to the masses as well as more focused segments of the community. The diversity of the programme enabled M1 to engage and to address the specific interests and special needs of different community groups. While we continued to support on-going activities and causes, we also started several new initiatives during the year.

At the national level, M1 sponsored the Singapore Fireworks Celebrations, one of the events that marked Singapore’s 42nd National Day. The fireworks extravaganza was staged over two evenings at the Marina Bay and enjoyed by thousands of Singaporeans and tourists alike. This was the first time that M1 was supporting such an event and it was in addition to the National Day Parade which M1 had been supporting for many years with mobile communication services.

Similarly, thousands thronged the Esplanade and other arts venues in the city for the third M1 Singapore Fringe Festival organised by The Necessary Stage. Known for its cutting edge and socially relevant content, the festival has become a staple on the local arts calendar. For fans of outdoor theatre, M1 helped make possible a Shakespearean masterpiece staged amidst luscious greenery under the stars. This was at the Fort Canning Park where the Singapore Repertory Theatre presented A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

These marquee events highlighted M1’s long-term support of the arts in Singapore via two of the country’s leading theatre groups. M1 was conferred the Distinguished Patron of the Arts by the National Arts Council for the sixth consecutive year.

Corporate Singapore saw the launch of the inaugural M1 Asia Challenge, an “Intelligent Sport” event that had teams from many industries competing in the great outdoors of Pulau Ubin. The top three teams, including one from M1, won the right to represent Singapore at the World Team Challenge held in Nice, France. M1’s traditional involvement in another sport, rugby, enabled many of our students to play the game in the M1 Schools Rugby Series.

Children and youth causes continued to attract support and funding from M1 and these included Beyond Social Services and Club Rainbow. CARE (Children-at-Risk Empowerment Association), another M1 “adopted” charity, launched a scheme in M1’s name to motivate the students under their care and to recognise their achievements. The M1-CARE Star Award was dedicated to President S R Nathan who witnessed the launch.

M1 also extended a helping hand for the first time to those within our penal system. An incentive scheme to recognise and reward performances in the various national school examinations was started for inmates of the Kaki Bukit Prison School. Similarly, the Fairy Godparent Programme for children of current and former prison inmates was nominated by M1 to be the beneficiary of a charity initiative under the auspices of the M1 Asia Challenge.

M1 employees led by volunteers’ group, the SunCare Club, provided the essential “software” to complete and complement the social investment activities of the Company. They maintained an active calendar of parties, outings and other interesting events to bring some cheer to the lives of the children of the various charities that M1 supports.