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      The global food industry is under pressure as macroeconomic uncertainties affect energy costs and agri-food tech investments. 

      As an open economy, Singapore cannot afford to treat this as a distant issue. In response, the country is reviewing its food production strategy and tackling key challenges, including the need to boost consumer demand for local produce.

      Companies like KPMG play a crucial role in supporting Singapore’s broader sustainability agenda. Recognising that people are an important part of the shift towards food security, the professional services firm is empowering employees to make sustainable choices, creating long-term behavioural change that extends across the wider ecosystem.

      This belief underpins the efforts of Siddarth Khanna, Senior Manager, Financial Services, Audit, KPMG in Singapore and Jan Saniel, Associate Director, Corporate Finance, Deal Advisory, KPMG in Singapore, who lead GreenDot together.

      The Employee Resource Group raises awareness about sustainability and champions green initiatives through ground-up activities.  

      From left: Siddarth Khanna and Jan Saniel

      We might not be able to change the world, but we can take concrete steps to make a tangible difference.

      Siddarth Khanna

      Senior Manager, Financial Services, Audit

      KPMG in Singapore

      Siddarth was inspired to join the ground-up initiative after being involved in sustainability-related work during a secondment in advisory, where he met Jan.  

      Meanwhile, Jan joined GreenDot in 2020, when he was looking for a way to make a difference amid disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

      To turn awareness about food sustainability into action, GreenDot worked with a “farming-as-a-service” provider to introduce a seedlings programme for KPMG employees two years ago. This built on the efforts of KPMG’s edible vertical gardens, a prominent fixture at the firm’s Clubhouse. 

      Under the weekly seedlings programme, GreenDot works with the service provider to equip staff with seeds and nutrients to grow their own greens at home. This has cultivated staff’s personal interest in growing local produce, with the programme being well-received. 

      The group’s initiatives also spark conversations around other sustainability-related issues such as circularity and waste reduction. For example, it has held composting workshops using coffee grounds and orange peels from KPMG’s pantry. On another occasion, staff collected plastic bottle caps during a beach clean-up and transformed them into coasters and carabiners.

      “We saw a full circle of what could be produced from the waste we collected,” says Jan.

      GreenDot has also contributed to the recycling of e-waste. Collection bins installed by the group amassed 32kg of e-waste in FY2023, up from 27kg in the previous year, reflecting increased engagement of KPMG’s people in circularity initiatives. 

      Why is it a good idea to house a movement like GreenDot in a professional services firm? There are synergies between ground-up schemes and the deep expertise and strategic thinking of KPMG’s people. 

      My background puts me in a position where sustainability always comes up – how it affects a company’s top line, costs or overall valuation. We have engaging conversations with clients about their own initiatives, and it’s rewarding to reflect that in our work and what we’re doing at GreenDot.

      Jan Saniel

      Associate Director, Corporate Finance, Deal Advisory

      KPMG in Singapore

      In the face of environmental challenges, the work of people like Jan and Siddarth signifies the importance of a shared responsibility that starts at the workplace, with ripple effects in the rest of society. These actions prove that change doesn’t always have to be top-down to make a lasting impact.

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      cherine-fok
      Cherine Fok

      Partner-in-Charge, Our Impact Plan, KPMG ESG

      KPMG in Singapore

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