BANKING ON THE COMMUNITY
‘Strong families build strong communities’: StanChart gives back to support family well-being
The bank has created volunteering opportunities in inclusive fitness and financial literacy
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Lindsay Wong
Published Wed, Jul 22, 2026 · 07:00 AM
- The financial literacy booth teaches financial habits such as saving, donating and investing. PHOTO: STANDARD CHARTERED
[SINGAPORE] At the recently concluded National Family Festival (NFF) 2026, families enjoyed a range of activities from carnival games to performances to arts and crafts workshops
For some, it was an opportunity to come together and give back to the community by volunteering at event booths and facilitating the activities.
Adelle Li, director of China corridor at Standard Chartered, and Adam Hoskin, the bank’s director of sustainability engagement, spent two weekends in May volunteering at NFF with their two daughters
They helped run game stations about sustainable oceans on May 16 to 17 at NFF in Kallang Wave Mall. They were also game masters at a financial literacy booth with Prudential Singapore on May 30 to 31 at NFF Family Carnival in Expo
Both volunteering activities were “wonderful experiences” for their children, they said, adding that the experience instilled “many life skills beyond the core messages around sustainability, financial literacy and volunteering more generally”
The couple added that it was “rewarding” to see their children interacting with other children and taking the initiative to run activities
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“Our eldest took initiative and was confident in explaining how the games work to participants of all ages from the outset. Our youngest, who is generally a little shyer, eventually opened up and enjoyed helping other children participate.”
They are keen to volunteer again, too
“We created some wonderful family memories, we all learnt new things about each other, sustainability and financial literacy and each of us came away happy that we contributed positively to the community.”
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Supporting families
StanChart expanded its support for NFF this year, creating close to 500 volunteering opportunities for its employees and families nationwide
A financial literacy booth and workshop at the festival taught habits such as saving, donating and investing
Meanwhile, game stations at NFF activations in Kallang Wave Mall and Sengkang Grand mall helped families learn about ocean sustainability, and how the Standard Chartered Foundation is creating opportunities for underserved young people through the Asean Ocean Economy initiative.
Another programme StanChart supported during NFF was Fit for All: Beyond Limits, an inclusive fitness event to encourage persons with disabilities and their families to be active together
It was co-organised with imPAct@Hong Lim Green under the People’s Association
“Building on our involvement in both Beyond Limits and NFF in 2025, we recognised a natural synergy between the two initiatives in affirming the importance of families, caregivers and the wider community in building inclusive support systems,” said StanChart
Following their collaboration on initiatives such as NFF since 2025, StanChart signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s (MSF) Family Life Group this year to expand support for families through the Families For Life (FFL) movement
“As the first bank to formalise an MOU with MSF, StanChart is deepening its commitment to supporting families through financial literacy, community engagement and volunteerism, helping build greater financial confidence and resilience,” it said.
The collaboration will be focused on engaging employees and their families through FFL initiatives, extending financial literacy programmes, mobilising volunteers, promoting family-friendly workplace and community practices, and providing collaborative opportunities
StanChart said that supporting family well-being also benefits the wider community, with events such as NFF creating bonding experiences for families
“We believe strong families build strong communities. Families are often the first and core
Volunteering opportunities
Besides NFF events in May and June with NFF as the anchor initiative, employees also participated in a beach clean-up and blood donation drive. This was part of the bank’s Global Employee Volunteering Month in June, which serves as an annual rallying point.
This year marks 20 years of the bank’s institutionalised employee volunteering leave for staff
Employees receive three days of paid volunteer leave every year, which can be used for bank-organised activities or personal charitable endeavours.
StanChart said a key feature of its employee volunteering programme is the flexibility it offers, which allows them to contribute meaningfully to a diverse range of community needs
The bank’s volunteering opportunities have evolved from event-based activities to a more skills-based approach, where employees can tap their expertise in areas such as financial education, employability support and mentoring
“We’re increasingly focused on skills-based volunteering because it enables colleagues to apply their professional expertise in ways that create deeper and more sustainable impact,” StanChart explained
In Singapore, employees contributed more than 8,300 hours of skills-based volunteering in 2025, up from 5,700 hours in 2024
Employees also volunteered to support environmental conservation, disability inclusion, family-focused programmes and community activities which “contribute to national social priorities”, the bank said
StanChart was the winner of Singapore’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026
Patrick Lee, CEO, Singapore and CEO, Asean and South Asia at StanChart, said: “Employee volunteering reflects the important role businesses can play in strengthening the communities they serve
“As we celebrate 20 years of fostering a culture of volunteering at StanChart, building on our longstanding commitment to uplifting communities, we will continue to leverage our network and reocial compact, contributing to a more inclusive and resilient society.”
This article is part of a series on doing good for our community, supported by Standard Chartered Bank
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