NP Impact

Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s (NP) inaugural Partnership For Good event gave leaders across sectors insights into the lasting impact they can make when businesses, community organisations and NP work together.  

Beyond short-term corporate social responsibility efforts, businesses increasingly want to create meaningful, long-term social impact aligned with a deeper purpose. Community organisations that work with corporate sponsors are also searching for new collaborative efforts that have greater longevity.

Enter Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s (NP) Campus for Good initiative. By bringing together businesses and community partners, the Campus for Good platform serves as a social connector that matches businesses with community needs in a mutually beneficial way, resulting in positive impact that is both optimal and sustainable.

At the Partnership For Good event organised by NP’s School of Humanities & Interdisciplinary Studies (HMIS) in February 2026, close to 100 industry attendees from across different sectors came together to hear about practical solutions that are already making a difference.   

Purpose in Practice

Delivering impact through action looks different across various sectors. At the event, leaders discussed how various entities can come together to shape and drive effective change. 

Ms Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer at City Developments Limited (CDL), addressed the discipline required to embed social responsibility into business strategy.  CDL’s approach to sustainability encompasses not only how the organisation manages its environmental impact, but also the ways in which it serves communities and future generations. 

As a for-profit organisation, CDL adheres to the “3Ps” principle of “People, Public and Private”, striking a careful balance to meet the needs of consumers, employees, and the environment.

“Here at CDL, by focusing on our 'triple bottom line' of Planet, People, and Prosperity, we ensure that every development generates enduring environmental, social and economic impact for our employers, customers, workers in our value chain, and the community at large. Without a healthy planet and social equity, no people or business will thrive. It’s time to fast-forward collective action to build a resilient and sustainable future for all.”  Ms Esther An Chief Sustainability Officer City Developments Limited

Mr Chia Boon Chong, Senior Director of Group Sustainability at Singtel, highlighted how corporate resources can be mobilised to drive meaningful social impact. Beyond its ongoing support for special education schools through the Singtel Touching Lives Fund, initiatives such as the annual Singtel Carnival provide a platform to advance inclusion while encouraging innovation. 

For last year’s carnival, through a Singtel-sponsored hackathon, students from mainstream schools came up with inclusive activities and games for children and youth with learning disabilities. The result? Apart from beneficiaries enjoying a fun-filled carnival, the students walked away with a deeper understanding of what social inclusion looked like.

Mr Koh Seng Choon, Founder and Executive Director of Project Dignity, and recipient of The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year 2024, offered a ground-up perspective from the social enterprise sector. Project Dignity supports persons with intellectual disabilities through skills training. It also runs Dignity Mama, an initiative that empowers caregivers and young adults to operate kiosks selling donated books. He shared how this zero-cost model builds entrepreneurial confidence while advancing social inclusion and environmental sustainability.

Growing Capabilities through Collaboration

The purpose of Partnership For Good goes beyond sharing perspectives; it aims to uncover tangible opportunities for collaboration. One such initiative is the Corporate Purpose Internship, which enables students to contribute to social impact initiatives aligned with organisational priorities.

Alexander Wong, a final-year HMIS student and Corporate Purpose intern, spent six months at Singtel applying his diploma skill sets to meaningful causes. 

He shared, "Organising and managing the Singtel Carnival gave me the opportunity to apply my volunteer management skills on a much larger scale. Working with companies like Singtel, that are dedicated to making a positive difference, has enabled me to expand my abilities as I learn how to make full use of available resources to create greater social impact."

Get Involved

With NP’s Campus for Good platform, companies and partners from the social sector can look forward to being part of a broader community that is committed to forging the most rewarding kind of partnerships – those that are for good. 

“Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Campus for Good envisions the campus serving as a living platform for applied learning and cross-sector engagement – where students address social issues through interdisciplinary industry projects, internships and Service-Learning initiatives.”   Ms Sandra Toh Senior Director Ngee Ann Polytechnic

With NP’s Campus for Good platform, companies and partners from the social sector can look forward to being part of a broader community that is committed to forging the most rewarding kind of partnerships – those that are for good.