People of Purpose
Our Approach
As a purpose-driven organisation, DBS strives to create impact beyond banking. Through DBS People of Purpose, our employee volunteer movement, employees are empowered to be a key partner in our impact journey and bring the bank’s values to life.
With two official volunteer-leave days per year, employees are encouraged to volunteer their time and skills to make meaningful contributions to the community.
Our Focus & Impact
Our volunteering efforts across our core markets have been focused on three focus areas – education, elderly and the environment. Employees volunteer in skills- and service- based programmes, sharing their time and skills to give back to the communities they live and work in.
We also mobilise employees to support DBS Foundation’s commitment to uplifting the lives and livelihoods of those in need, such as by providing essential needs to the underprivileged and fostering inclusion by equipping the underserved with financial and digital literacy skills.
Since 2015, DBS People of Purpose have contributed >780,000 volunteering hours across our key markets. In 2023 alone, we positively impacted >150K beneficiaries (a 42% increase from 2022).
Moving forward, along with the bank’s SGD 1 billion commitment to fund community initiatives over the next decade, our 36,000-strong workforce will contribute over 1.5 million volunteer hours to support vulnerable segments.
Our People
Explore why our employees go above and beyond their duty to create an impact.
Teaching seniors digital literacy skills with 'Getai' shows
Empowering people with disabilities with financial literacy skills
Rallying the Call Centre to volunteer
Teaching migrant workers digital literacy
Mentor-mentee pair proves that ITE is not 'the end' of their dreams
Driving communication accessibility for the deaf using AI
Regional Partners
Read about how we’ve worked with partners to understand and support the needs of local communities to drive long-term, sustainable and meaningful impact in their lives.
Recognition Over the Years
2024
- Global: Anthem Awards (Employee Volunteer or Fundraising Initiative), Webby
2023
- Global: Awards for Excellence (World's Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility), Euromoney
- Global: Steward Leadership 25 (SL25), Stewardship Asia Centre
- Regional: ASEAN Rural Development and Poverty Eradication Leadership Award (Private Sector), Ministry of Social and Family Development
- SG: Community Chest Awards (Charity Platinum Award), Community Chest
- SG: Community Chest Awards (Volunteer Partner Award), Community Chest
- HK: FinanceAsia Awards (International - Biggest ESG Impact), FinanceAsia
- TW: ESG Award (Foreign Company), Global Views Magazine
- ID: MIX PR of the Year Award 2023 (PR Programme of The Year – Internal PR Programme), Majalah MIX
2022
- SG: President’s Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards (Organisations of Good - Large Enterprise), National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre
- SG: Champion of Good (Champion of Good), National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre
- SG: Community Chest Awards (Charity Platinum Award), Community Chest
- SG: Community Chest Awards (Charity Silver Award), Community Chest
2021
- Global: Awards for Social Purpose (Best in Community Engagement), The Drum
- Regional: PRCA SEA Awards (Purpose Award), Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) SEA
- SG: Community Chest Awards (Volunteer Partner Award), Community Chest
- HK: Caring Company 2021-2022 (10+ Caring Company), Hong Kong Council of Social Services
2020
- SG: Community Chest Awards (Volunteer Partner Award), Community Chest
- SG: Community Chest Awards (Charity Platinum Award), Community Chest
- SG: Community Chest Awards (Charity Silver Award), Community Chest
- SG: Champions of Good (Champion of Good), National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre
2019
- SG: President's Challenge Social Enterprise Awards (Social Enterprise Champion of the Year - Corporation), raiSE
- HK: Financial Institution Awards (Service Award - Corporate Social Responsibility), Bloomberg Businessweek
2018
- SG: Champions of Good (Champions of Good), National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre
- HK: Financial Institution Awards (Corporate Social Responsibility - Outstanding Award), Bloomberg Businessweek
Find Out More
Learn more about our commitment towards creating impact beyond banking in the latest Sustainability Report, check out these videos or get in touch at PeopleofPurpose@dbs.com.
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