< Previous38 NIPSEA LFG SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 Building and enabling better communities NIPSEA Group is committed to driving positive and sustainable change in communities, with a greater emphasis on the markets we operate in. We look to effect tangible social impact by mobilising our assets and resources to best serve the community’s interests and ensure their development for the future. COMMUNITYPAINTING THE WAY FORWARD BEYOND COATINGS. BEYOND ASIA 39 > 1.7 million litres of paint contributed Community Impact COMMUNITY IMPACT AT A GLANCE (2019–2020) > $10.9 million committed to CSR initiatives > 4.6 million lives impacted 163,951 hours committed 5,724 employees engaged NIPSEA Group seeks to run an inclusive business that advances the communities in the markets we operate in. During the first half of FY2020, NIPSEA Group conducted a strategic review of our community impact activities to sharpen our focus in maximising social impact. The review looked to better align our competencies to the evolving needs of communities. We are proud to share our revised strategic corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) framework that guides our social investments and engagements moving forward to effect long-term socio-economic benefits for the communities around us. The framework is centred around three main pillars- Education, Empowerment, and Engagement, that leverages our coatings expertise and technology, as well as the collective resources of our Group-wide partners and employees to drive change. EDUCATION Prioritise collaborative and conducive learning platforms for children and youths EMPOWERMENT Drive initiatives such as vocational training and certification opportunities for painter communities ENGAGEMENT Health & Well-Being Elevate well-being of communities and meet livelihood needs during emergency circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic Protection & Preservation Enhance community spaces to elevate living conditions and safeguard cultural heritage through the refurbishment of national monuments40 NIPSEA LFG SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 Our Continued COVID-19 Support Across Asia 2020 was a year like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic brought on unprecedented effects on the world, in particular the widening of social and economic disparities that affected vulnerable communities the most. We are grateful that our partners and staff across NIPSEA Group stepped up outreach efforts to ensure the sustenance of livelihoods in communities, as well as help prevent the transmission of the virus. Supporting Painters’ Livelihoods Nippon Paint Bangladesh donated US$5,870 (BDT 500,000) to support 1,000 painters during the pandemic. They also launched a month-long commodity scheme that provided 1,500 painters with daily food essentials, such as oil and rice, with every purchase of paint products. This initiative allowed painters to sustain their daily livelihoods and continue to provide for their families. Providing Comprehensive Relief and Assistance for the Community Nippon Paint Turkey launched a COVID-19 relief package worth US$1.84 million (TRY 16 million) to support the community at the height of the pandemic. The package comprised different initiatives such as the provision of financial support, paint donations, as well as food and health essentials. A key initiative included making financial donations to “Biz Bize Yeteriz Türkiyem”, the country’s solidarity campaign that supported low-income individuals affected by the pandemic. Another initiative involved the donation of paint products to schools to ensure that students could continue lessons in clean and safe spaces. We also distributed food parcels and hygiene kits to affiliate painters as a sign of solidarity for the paint industry. The food parcels aimed to alleviate the financial strain of painters whose incomes were affected by the pandemic, while the hygiene kits allowed painters to continue working while remaining protected. Sustaining Workers’ and Painters’ Livelihoods Nippon Paint India launched the N Square Trust, a fundraising platform to alleviate the financial strain of daily living of affiliate workers and painters whose incomes had been reduced because of the pandemic. Within three months, the funds we raised supported 2,141 workers and painters in maintaining their daily expenses, such as purchase of food and sanitary items, during the height of the pandemic and consequent lockdown periods. 2,500 painters’ livelihoods were supported US$16,843 raised to provide 2,141 painters with temporary financial relief US$239,000 was contributed to the national solidarity campaign, in support of sustaining the underprivileged during the pandemic 2 million m 2 of school spaces refurbished 25,000 food parcels and hygiene kits were distributed to painters to alleviate livelihood strainsPAINTING THE WAY FORWARD BEYOND COATINGS. BEYOND ASIA 41 US$2,000 worth of paint contributed for the construction of resting shelters in three major hospitals in Metro Manila Shining a Spotlight on Local Heroes Nippon Paint Singapore sponsored US$594 (SGD 800) worth of gift donations each to five individuals in Singapore who had demonstrated selflessness in helping people in need during the height of the pandemic through individual means. This was carried out as part of a television series titled Ode to Our Invisible Heroes by Mediacorp, the country’s national media network, in showing our gratitude towards these individuals. The series showed how the five individuals went about their acts of kindness in serving the community, from providing food to the underprivileged, to volunteering transport assistance to the disabled and medical workers to hospitals. The show aimed to recognise the efforts of the heroes within the community, as well as encourage the public to be more proactive in supporting people in need. Caring for Medical Frontliners’ Mental Well- Being Nippon Paint Philippines contributed to the Oasis Project in a bid to ensure the well-being of medical workers at the frontlines of caring for COVID-19 patients. The project was initiated by the Office of the Vice President of The Philippines. We contributed US$2,000 worth of paint materials for the construction of resting shelters for medical workers at three major hospitals in Metro Manila. Spreading Community Awareness on Good Hygiene Practices Nippon Paint Indonesia organises Gapura Merah Putih yearly, a community initiative of painting and decorating Gapuras – the iconic arches across all of Indonesia to preserve the community spirit within the neighbourhoods. As part of Gapura Merah Putih 2020, we encouraged the inclusion of positive messages into the paint design of the Gapuras in a bid to uplift the spirits of communities in the midst of the pandemic. The initiative was carried out in accordance to strict guidelines and measures including safe distancing, crowd control and the wearing of masks throughout. During the programme, we also looked to increase the community’s awareness on heightened health practices by sharing good hygiene habits and educating on the common modes of virus transmission. US$2,970 was sponsored in gift donations to local community heroes 4,650 litres of paint worth US$10,585 contributed to uplift community’s spirits during the pandemic42 NIPSEA LFG SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 NIPSEA Group is committed to grow alongside the markets it serves. We recognise that education is the key to economic and social success. As such, we look to provide youth and children with access to education and conducive learning environments that enable them to become contributing individuals of society in future. Education US$487,000 invested to support the programme 26,000 hours contributed by 50 NIPSEA Group employees 15,000 young children in rural villages engaged in lessons through our student expedition programme Building Design Talent Pipelines NIPSEA Group launched Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA) in 2008 as our design flagship programme to achieve our vision of nurturing future generations of talents in the interior design and architectural space. It is a platform that offers young talents a myriad of opportunities to gain first-hand knowledge and exposure through personalised coaching and skills-building workshops by renowned industry practitioners worldwide. At the moment, AYDA is present across 16 geographical locations in Asia and has since engaged with 415,003 aspiring designers from 1,244 schools. In FY2020, NIPSEA Group continued to support the programme financially, as well as through employee involvement, engaging with 47,165 aspiring designers from 1,057 schools. Providing Access to Education in Underserved Rural Communities Colour, Way of Love is another Group-level community flagship programme. The programme aims to kick-start the educational journey of young children in rural areas of countries. Nippon Paint China continued to support the programme in FY2020 through the “China Students Education Support Award” initiative. We oversaw a student expedition team comprising approximately 100 tertiary students to 31 rural provinces across China to conduct lessons to children in village schools. This was in support of the nation’s strategy to increase social empowerment and economic development to underserved communities.PAINTING THE WAY FORWARD BEYOND COATINGS. BEYOND ASIA 43 3,600 hours invested over three years in the development of a book that illustrates the symbolism of the colour turquoise to the Turkish heritage US$37,283 invested in education scholarships for our employees’ children Preserving the Cultural History of Colour In FY2020, Nippon Paint Turkey completed a three year journey to preserve the cultural awareness of the colour turquoise, a symbolic colour to the Turkish culture, amongst the global community and future generations. In collaboration with art historian Dr. Gül Irepoglu, we wrote and published the first-ever book titled Turquoise: Legacy of Bright Sky, Lush Earth that delved into the history of turquoise and its intertwining with the Turkish culture across the three time periods of the Seljuk Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Current Age. We printed 5,500 copies of the book, in Turkish and in English, and distributed more than 2,200 books globally to foreign ministries and embassies, universities, and libraries, as well as to acclaimed artists and art historians, amongst others. Increasing Access to Tertiary Education for Our Employees’ Children Nippon Paint Malaysia provides tertiary education scholarships for our employees’ children. The scholarships are aimed at increasing the nation’s overall level of access to higher education for youth, while alleviating the financial burden on education fees for our employees. In FY2020, we awarded scholarships to eight individuals.44 NIPSEA LFG SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 NIPSEA Group believes in being a business that empowers the community around us. We hope to equip underserved communities with skills and knowledge, as well as instil in them confidence and ownership to overcome challenges. Empowerment 20,000 individuals were trained and certified Elevating Employability with Training and Certification Nippon Paint India continued to support our PROceed Painter Training and RPL Certification programme that provides unskilled individuals with basic skills in professional painting, while upskilling the capabilities of painters, with the aim of broadening their access to job opportunities. In FY2020, we expanded the programme in the Indian towns of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, where we trained and certified a total of 9,553 painters across a span of 14 months. It also serves as a networking platform for employers and the participants. 32 women empowered with home repair skills Inculcating Self-Reliance in Women Nippon Paint Hong Kong conducted home repair workshops to empower 32 women with home maintenance skills. The 2-month programme held in partnership with the Hong Kong Federation of Women’s Centres saw us contribute approximately US$1,145 and six litres of paint. The workshops conducted included classes on fungal extermination methods and wall repair techniques. PAINTING THE WAY FORWARD BEYOND COATINGS. BEYOND ASIA 45 Engagement NIPSEA Group recognises that a tight-knit community social fabric is key to the nation’s and our success. As such, we aspire to act as an enabler to build harmonious communities and improve social resilience. 200 litres of paint contributed to the creation of art pieces that promotes Thailand’s cultural heritage Celebrating Cultural Heritage Through Colour As part of We Care We Share, Nippon Paint Thailand donated paint to the artists participating in the Kin Hom Tom Muan Art Fest 2020, a community event that provides a platform for artists to express themselves creatively through art works or sculptures that draw reference or highlight the nation’s cultural heritage. Key art works exhibited include a live painting showcase by 10 artists that highlighted community solidarity, a photo exhibition on local sustainable agriculture practices, an exhibition of daily life in the Khuan Khama community, as well as fixtures titled The Art of Sensation. 60 elderly dementia patients engaged with through artistic expression Supporting Seniors with Dementia Nippon Paint Singapore partnered with Saint Luke’s Hospital and ArtSe (Art Social Enterprise) to engage elderly patients with dementia through art lessons. The goal of this programme was to foster healthy social interactions and mental stimulation for the elderly. We sponsored all art materials for the lessons and interactive sessions conducted over eight weeks. HEALTH & WELL-BEING PROTECTION & PRESERVATION46 NIPSEA LFG SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 26.9 tonnes of paint contributed for the repainting of culturally significant artefacts across Turkey US$12,485 worth of paint supplied to refresh communal and activity areas Uplifting Community Living Spaces Nippon Paint Malaysia supplied 172 litres of paint to improve the living conditions for the underserved community across PPR Sri Kedah, a public housing scheme, through refurbishment works. As part of the Colourful Dreams – SayangiRumahku initiative, we refreshed community spaces such as neighbourhood outdoor sports courts. The refurbishment involved the enlargement of the court area and the instalment of concrete slides and gazebos. Refurbishing Community and Cultural Spaces Nippon Paint Turkey supported the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism in carrying out restoration works of artefacts at significant cultural sites and community areas across eight Turkish villages on the Turkish Gallipoli peninsula as part of the country’s Historical Zone Plans. In the initiative titled Hail The Victory, we supplied all paint and necessary materials to repaint the facades of 116 artefacts that include village houses, cultural monuments, and community buildings, spanning a total surface area of 12,000 m 2 . The project aimed to increase the interest of the community, especially youth, to better understand the country’s heritage.PAINTING THE WAY FORWARD BEYOND COATINGS. BEYOND ASIA 47 Customer-first innovation for a better life NIPSEA Group recognises the need to build on our R&D capabilities to innovate across our products and transform processes as sustainability continues to play a critical role in driving value creation. In doing so, we position ourselves to better meet the needs of our customers and inspire change together. TECHNICAL CAPABILITYNext >