Corporate Social Responsibility

On 28 February 2015, Cogent donated a total of $100,000 to two children charities, namely, The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, as part of its programme to celebrate Singapore’s Jubilee as well as its 5th anniversary as a listed company on the Mainboard of the Singapore.

The Group is grateful to Singapore for the opportunity to grow its business for the last 40 years and for the opportunity to list Cogent on the Mainboard of the Singapore Exchange five years ago. This donation was an expression of this gratitude and an opportunity to be a blessing to the community.

Cogent’s former Chairman Mr Tan Yeow Khoon presenting the cheque of $100,000 to Ms Tan Bee Heong (general manager of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund) together with beneficiaries and Cogent’s management and their families.

On 3 August 2015, Cogent donated $110,000 in support of Yu Neng Primary School’s fundraising efforts initiative, Pay-It-Forward, which saw students and parent-volunteers coming together to handstitch 1,200 fabric SG50 bears. The proceeds from the fundraising project went to the children’s charity concert – ChildAid, which was jointly organised by The Straits Times and The Business Times.

Cogent sees this as a meaningful project as it encourages the younger generation to do their part for the community. It was also a timely opportunity to honour the pioneer generation for their contributions to nation-building.

Principal of Yu Neng Primary School, Mrs Clara Lim-Tan (second from left), Ms Tan Bee Heong (general manager of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund) (third from left) and Ms Serene Goh (Straits Times’ schools editor and co-chair of ChildAid2015) (fifth from left), receiving the cheque of $110,000 from Cogent’s CEO Benson Tan.

With them are Mr Ng Beng Chok (chairman of Yu Neng Primary School’s advisory committee) (left), and (from right), Ms Pauline Ng, (chairman of PSG), Ms Lui Lay Yee and Ms Jessica Wong from PSG, Mr Colin Goh (CEO, The RICE Co), and Mr Alvin Tay (The Business Times’ editor and chairman of The Business Times Budding Artists Fund).

Cogent’s CEO Benson Tan receiving a token of appreciation from Mr Patrick Daniel, Editor-In-Chief of the English and Malay Newspapers Division of Singapore Press Holdings, for Cogent’s support in the ChildAid 2015 which raised nearly S$2 million for its beneficiaries –The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund.

ChildAid 2015’s Guest-of-Honour, President Tony Tan and the First Lady, taking a picture with donors and beneficiaries

On 21 August 2015, Cogent donated $255,000 to St Luke’s Eldercare for its Bukit Timah Eldercare Project which was initiated by the Bukit Timah Citizens’ Consultative Committee.

This donation helped to purchase a newly-developed wireless motion tracking system for some 100 households in Bukit Timah that have elderly either staying alone at home or who are alone during the day when their family members are at work. The system monitors their movements and is able to detect any anomalies and alert a call centre manned by volunteers.

With the ageing population in Singapore gaining focus, Cogent sees a rising need in ensuring the safety of aged residents in their own homes while their caregivers are at work.

Benson Tan, CEO of Cogent, speaking to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Sim Ann at the Bukit Timah constituency’s 60th anniversary carnival where the Cogent-sponsored Bukit Timah Eldercare Project was launched.

Cogent’s CEO Benson Tan presenting a cheque of $255,000 to representatives of St Luke’s Eldercare, witnessed by Guest of Honour, Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan and Member of Parliament representing the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Sim Ann.

Since 2012, Cogent has been actively collaborating with Community Chest Singapore to raise funds for charitable social service programmes, and encourages its employees to contribute monthly to this charity fund to assist the less fortunate.

The Group is honoured to be one of the donors funding 228 critical social service programmes offered by 83 charities to help over 300,000 people. These programmes help provide education and therapy for children with special needs, keep at-risk youths on track and help the disabled to lead independent lives while keeping lower-income families together.

In November 2015, Cogent was among 28 organisations singled out for the Community Chest’s SHARE Bronze Award. This was part of the The Community Chest Awards 2015 which gives recognition to companies and organisation for their outstanding contributions to social service.

To celebrate The Grandstand’s first anniversary on 1 March 2013, Cogent Land Capital launched a charity project named the “WALK Project” We All Love Kids. WALK is part of the Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiative to share the fun and enriching facilities at The Grandstand with underprivileged children from Melrose Home.

Melrose Home provides a supportive environment for children and teenagers with care and protection within a residential setting. Melrose Home currently houses about 45 children and is located 2 kilometres from The Grandstand.

Every month, children from Melrose Home spends a day of fun and enrichment at The Grandstand attending enrichment classes, kids’ sports and fitness activities, arts and crafts, music, dance, taekwondo as well as feast on the Grandstand’s delectable range of international cuisine.

Every year, Cogent partners with Singapore Lion Befriender to distribute items, donated by its employees, to the elderly in need. This collaboration, which began in 2013, continues to be the cornerstone of the Group’s community outreach efforts.

By helping the senior residents, Cogent hopes to inculcate the spirit of volunteerism among its employees and to foster compassion towards the elderly.

Volunteers from Cogent and Singapore Lion Befriender with residents in a recent community outreach.