Established in 1968, DBS was established as the Development Bank of Singapore to finance the nation’s industrialisation. True to our heritage, being purpose-driven remains deeply rooted in our DNA today. DBS Foundation, established in 2014, is pivotal to our efforts to be a force for good, providing over SGD 17 million in grants to 140 businesses to catalyse their growth and societal impact. The Foundation also collaborates with private and public sector partners on community initiatives, including financial and digital literacy programs.
As the world faces complex challenges, DBS Foundation aims to support the most vulnerable and foster a more inclusive society by providing essential needs like education, healthcare, and employment, and empowering individuals with financial know-how. In 2023, DBS pledged up to SGD 1 billion over ten years to this cause, supported by 1.5 million employee volunteer hours.
In partnership with SG Cares, the DBS Foundation launched the Community Pop-up Market in September 2023, benefiting over 1,400 households across Punggol, Sengkang, Bedok, and Geylang. These markets allow beneficiaries to choose about $100 worth of necessities. Additionally, DBS has run financial and digital literacy initiatives, such as DBS Supermarket Shopping Trips for seniors and financial literacy workshops for children.
All programs are supported by DBS People of Purpose, our employee volunteerism movement. Partnering with SG Cares has enabled us to design meaningful initiatives and scale our efforts to reach more in the community.