Standing Stronger Together: CDL’s COVID-19 Community Initiatives
In a show of solidarity, CDL has contributed to initiatives in support of vulnerable individuals, families and communities affected by COVID-19.
10 MAY 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a global crisis, plunging the world into a state of flux, and resulting in grave uncertainties ahead. In these challenging times, supporting the community is vital, and giving back remains one of CDL’s core tenets.
To support Singapore’s social service agencies to continue delivering critical services to vulnerable individuals, families and communities during this difficult period, CDL, together with contributions from our entire Board and the Executive team, have made a S$400,000 donation to The Invictus Fund administered by Singapore’s Community Chest.
To help our workers at our development projects stay well, CDL further organised a dollar-for-dollar staff donation drive, successfully raising S$88,000 in a week to procure necessities such as data cards, food and masks for our affected workers.
Our tenants are our valued partners and CDL will continue to engage them closely to support and sustain their businesses. To help them tide over this difficult period, CDL has committed over S$30 million in rental relief and support for our tenants in Singapore and overseas. Tenants facing severe cash flow issues will be offered more flexibility in rental payments.
In terms of building wellness, we have increased ventilation, filtration, cleaning, and disinfection in our buildings and their common areas. In early 2020, prior to the circuit breaker and safe distancing measures, we also distributed, for over a month, immune-boosters and health protection essentials, such as Vitamin C drinks and hand sanitisers, to our tenants at Republic Plaza, Fuji Xerox Towers, City House and other CDL office buildings.
Within Southeast Asia, we have also stepped in to support hard-hit areas where we have established deep roots. This includes Phuket, the province with the highest number of confirmed cases in Thailand, where our employees at Jungceylon Shopping Mall in Patong donated 1,800 handmade face shields to local hospitals to help frontline workers cope with the pandemic.
At the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, our hospitality subsidiary, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Limited (M&C) swiftly pushed out its global campaign “We Clean. We Care. We Welcome.”, with measures such as more rigorous cleaning and sanitisation of guest rooms and public areas, and temperature taking for staff and guests. Regular staff training to ensure proper hygiene practices and COVID-19 awareness were also put in place. Despite being heavily impacted by COVID-19, M&C has also rolled out support programmes to public health authorities, medical workers, and other frontline personnel in locations where it operates globally.
For instance, earlier this year, Grand Millennium Beijing partnered with businesses Silver Mountain Group, HKI Group and non-profit organisations Beijing Yu Sun Say Charity Foundation and GoHigh Capital to donate urgently needed medical supplies to 36 frontline hospitals and medical institutions in Hubei, Henan and Shandong provinces, Beijing, Tianjin and Hong Kong.
While the outlook for Singapore and our global economy can seem grim, we must continue to keep a strong and positive mindset. Standing together, we will get through this crisis and emerge stronger. – CDL Group CEO Mr Sherman Kwek
The donation of these medical supplies led by Grand Millennium Beijing included 487,500 surgical gloves, 68,400 masks, 4,500 medical protective gowns, 1.5 tonnes of disinfectants, and 100 forehead thermometers.
As CDL Group CEO Mr Sherman Kwek said, “While the outlook for Singapore and our global economy can seem grim, we must continue to keep a strong and positive mindset. Standing together, we will get through this crisis and emerge stronger.”
Visit CDL’s COVID-19 Community Initiatives webpage for details.
properties.
