PSSA 2011 - Formal Group/Non-Profit/Public Sector Organisation

Defence Science and Technology Agency

With the goal of ensuring sustained contributions towards charitable and community causes, the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) places a strong emphasis on its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme through the following initiatives:

• Dedicating a team of staff that is led by an Assistant Director to provide the focus for CSR in DSTA, and to coordinate all CSR efforts among more than 3,000 staff.

• Focusing DSTA’s CSR efforts on three VWOs since 2009, namely the Sunlove Home, Tampines Family Service Centre (FSC) and Beyond Social Services, to reach out to both the young and old, creating a sustained and positive impact.

•Leveraging on its internal communication channels to publicise volunteering opportunities to staff in an effort to encourage volunteerism.

DSTA has been offering diverse yet impactful services to the less fortunate through its voluntary efforts. By understanding the needs of the VWOs through on-site visits and discussions with the VWO management, DSTA employs a close and consultative approach in its voluntary initiatives. To date, it has organised more than 250 activities for its three VWOs. Some of the activities include organising excursions for the children from Tampines FSC, conducting self-improvement workshops for youth in Beyond Social Services, and cleaning the homes of the elderly from Sunlove Home.

Fund-raising efforts in DSTA are often organised in tandem with corporate initiatives to encourage donations from staff. These include the option for staff to donate the monetary incentives awarded for their contributions to the DSTA Staff Suggestion Scheme to a charitable cause instead. A participant of the Community Chest SHARE Programme since 2002, DSTA also raises an average of $80,000 annually.

Beyond monetary donations, DSTA’s staff is also active in direct hands-on contributions, encouraged by the strong support from management. Staff commitment to CSR activities is evident at all levels, with DSTA’s management supporting volunteerism by initiating the Volunteer-A-Day programme in 2005. In this initiative, a day is set aside by staff to fulfil wishes of the beneficiaries of various VWOs. DSTA also invites the less fortunate to join their anniversary celebrations every year to inculcate social responsibility and community awareness in its staff. The strong support of DSTA’s management and the steadfast commitment of over 1,000 of its staff in hands-on volunteering activities are certainly deserving of recognition.

PSSA 2011 winners: