Corporate Social Responsibility
Business Families Empowering Grassroots Enterprises
ABOUT WE-EMPOWER
Succession Advisory Partners supported WE-Empower Ltd is a CSR initiative from January 2023 to 30 May 2024. It is a public company limited by guarantee incorporated in Singapore and having its registered address at 23 New Industrial Road, #04-08/09 Solstice Business Center, Singapore 536209. We-Empower Ltd is a non-profit that is working to change the face of entrepreneurship in the Asean region. WE- empower business families to empower grassroot enterprises in inter-related industries, so the entire community thrives. We work to ensure we all become stakeholders in each other’s futures.
It is founded by Leng Lim Leroy, Melvyn Goh, Shih Choon Fong and Chew Keng Chuan.
Why WE?
The “We” in We-Empower stands for “We”-Entrepreneurship. This is distinct from the traditional, heroic “I”-entrepreneurship, which involves only individual entrepreneurs.
“I”-entrepreneurship has enabled economic growth, but not well-being. This is no longer relevant in a world beset with complex, interconnected, and intractable problems such as climate change, resource scarcity and social polarisation.
What is the solution? Business families empowering grassroot enterprises
We must create truly inclusive, sustained, growth. One where everybody “wins”.
We-Empower does so by convening different, sometimes traditionally competitive, groups together to form an ecosystem that can create restorative economics. We break down artificial dualities and eschew “us” vs “them” dynamics that have defined modern capitalism to help businesses move towards what we call “stakeholder capitalism”. This is when the entire ecosystem and community benefits from entrepreneurial activities.
Our focal point is on business families because of the impact they represent. They already have reach, resources, expertise and organisational structures with multiple generations of leaders who can help grassroot enterprises succeed. In doing so, they will help the entire community, and their own businesses, thrive.
How do we do this? Multi-disciplinary partnership
We-Empower works with successful business families to amplify their resources to help grassroot enterprises thrive. Our multi-disciplinary approach sees us bringing them together with different partners with different expertise to create lasting impact. This includes higher education partners who can provide a platform for research and knowledge sharing and other funders looking to co-fund projects for scalable impact.
Our focus will be on working with grassroot enterprises in the region which can provide positive impact in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) areas. The goal will be to create restorative economics and regenerative ecologies.
RECENT NEWS
June 6, 2023- MOU signed between WE-Empower and higher education partner SUSS
WE-Empower Ltd signed on its first higher education partner when it inked an MOU with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) in June 2023. The initiative aims to foster meaningful collaborations between business families and grassroots enterprises in the ASEAN region through philanthropic giving, student internships/entrepreneurship, applied research, and relationship building.
The collaboration between WE-Empower Ltd and SUSS will also encourage business families and the growing Family Office sector to contribute to the social good in their home countries and the region, creating family legacies that make a positive impact. (Link MOU Press Release)
On July 27, 2023 – Signing ceremony between WE-Empower and SUSS
In his keynote speech to mark the event, former Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam outlined the significance of bringing together business families, industry practitioners and knowledge partners and others.
The signing event saw the MOU culminated into a signing agreement attended by approximately 100 guests in attendance, including academics and administrators from SUSS and IAL (Institute for Adult Learning), business families, representatives from family foundations, corporate leaders, grassroots entrepreneurs, student entrepreneurs, and members of the media. The Guest-of-Honour for the event was Mr. Tharman SHANMUGARATNAM, Former Senior Minister, highlighting the significance of the collaboration between academia and industry.
On July 27, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) culminated in a signing agreement, which was attended by approximately 100 guests. The attendees included academia and administrators from SUSS and IAL (Institute for Adult Learning), business families, foundations, corporate leaders, grassroots entrepreneurs, student entrepreneurs, and members of the media. The event was graced by former Senior Minister of Singapore, Mr. Tharman SHANMUGARATNAM who grace the event as the Guest-of-Honour. For more information, please refer to the press release linked
