New VolunteerInc programme to link businesses with volunteer opportunities, making giving back 'easier and more impactful'

Businesses in Singapore should look towards giving back to their communities, and VolunteerInc. is a new programme that will allow them to do so in a more targeted manner, said Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo.

Neo, who co-chairs the Economic Strategy Review (ESR) committee on human capital, launched VolunteerInc. and encouraged businesses to look beyond workforce development on the second day of the Singapore Business Federation's (SBF) Future Economy Conference on Thursday (May 14).

VolunteerInc. is SBF's corporate volunteering programme, established through a strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and enabled by the SBF Foundation. 

This programme will help companies to design, start and sustain meaningful corporate volunteering through a structured framework in an "easier and more impactful" way.

"VolunteerInc. will reduce these constraints by connecting businesses with suitable volunteer opportunities tailored to their size, interests, and capabilities," he said, highlighting Cook Medical as a business that has benefitted from the programme's volunteer matching.

The manufacturing company was connected directly to Project Dian and M³@Bedok, and worked to support families in public rental flats with multiple food distribution initiatives over Ramadan.

To engage 6,000 employees by 2030

While VolunteerInc. helps companies align volunteering efforts with business values, workforce interests and strategic priorities, it also matches companies with suitable volunteer organisations based on their capabilities.

The programme has already gained significant momentum, with over 50 partner companies, said Neo, and aims to engage 600 companies and 6,000 employees by 2030.

Grab is another example of a local business that has partnered with VolunteerInc. 

The company was matched with Beautiful People — a charity supporting women from disadvantaged backgrounds — and developed a hands-on AI workshop with its technological expertise to train 15 beneficiaries on how simple AI tools can support job preparation and everyday workplace tasks. 

Apart from VolunteerInc., the Government has also been working with businesses and community organisations to make it easier to give back through various initiatives, including the SG Cares Volunteer Centres.

Additionally, businesses can contribute to communities and receive tax incentives such as the Corporate Volunteer Scheme and the 250 per cent tax deduction on donations to Institutions of Public Character, both of which were just extended for three more years at Budget 2026.

@asiaone Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo announced the launch of a new VolunteerInc programme at the Future Economy Conference on Thursday (May 14). #sgnews #Singapore #Businesses #DoGood #SocialImpact ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

Neo said: "A strong future economy and a 'We First' society are not competing goals – they are mutually reinforcing. The business case is just as compelling as the case for social impact."

Future Economy Conference

The 2026 edition of SBF's Future Economy Conference brought together over 1,500 business leaders, policymakers and industry partners to examine how Singapore enterprises can remain competitive, resilient and trusted in an increasingly complex operating environment.

The conference was also centred on the release of the Economic Strategy Review's 32 recommendations that will help set out an economic strategy to secure growth and create good jobs for Singapore in a fundamentally changed global environment. 

The recommendations conclude the ESR's engagements with over 7,700 stakeholders across trade associations and chambers, unions, businesses, and workers.

Overall, the recommendations were rooted in three imperatives which called for Singapore to sharpen its value proposition, enhance agility and adaptability and build resilience alongside efficiency.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com