Energy Transition: Enabling Singapore Small and Medium Enterprises to Go Solar
Weina Zhang, Vigilia Ang and Yannis Yuan
20 February 2024, IVEY Case No. W34499
Green Consultant, a Singapore-based environmental consulting firm, had worked with several financial institutions before 2023 and was aware that many were interested in expanding their loan portfolios to include more environmentally inclined clients. In January 2023, one such client, a Singapore-based small and medium enterprise (SME) named Chang & Lee Manufacturing (CLM), approached Green Consultant to prepare a business proposal on how the SME could transition to solar energy. A green finance analyst at Green Consultant had one month to deliver a proposal to CLM. He had to consider the type of solar business model, the financing option, and the CLM stakeholders to engage, alongside CLM’s operational and financial conditions, to recommend the most economically feasible solar solution for CLM. This case will allow students to: 1) Compare the major business models for solar energy adoption and quantitatively evaluate the benefits and costs of each model; 2) Understand the financing options for solar energy adoption in Singapore; 3) Apply financial valuation models to solar energy projects; 4) Set up a general decision tree for solar energy adoption.
Greenpac Singapore: Doing Good in a Sustainable Way
Weina Zhang, Samantha Sue Yen Ho, Lorraine Chian Wey Tan, Mengjing Xu and Chunyu Yang
25 October 2021, IVEY Case No. 9B21N008
Greenpac (Singapore) Private Limited (Greenpac) was a green packaging solution provider, aimed to become a world-class knowledge-based company that offered innovative and environmentally friendly packaging solutions. Greenpac was also a champion of corporate social responsibility (CSR), advocating for environmental sustainability and social issues. The case will allow students to: 1) analyze the environmental and social impact of a leading small and medium enterprise (SME) in Singapore; 2) apply three published sustainability frameworks to evaluate the impact of CSR in an SME; 3) using survey results, analyze the challenges SMEs face when conducting CSR initiatives; and 4) provide a sustainable strategy for an SME for effective CSR initiatives with better employee engagement.
WaterEquity: Alternative Investment
Weina Zhang, Ben Charoenwong and Yuxin Zhou
22 June 2020, IVEY Case No. 9B20N016
In September 2018, WaterEquity, a US-based investment vehicle had to raise US$50 million in capital to provide clean water solutions for billions of people in four developing countries—India, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Through the lending facilities of the local microfinance institutions, WaterEquity could offer support to the poor and empower more women, generating both financial and social returns. The sales team had to propose sales pitches for alternative investments for three types of investors (foundations, endowment, and investment banks). Students need to: 1) apply the Markowitz efficient frontier analysis and optimal portfolio allocation models to real-time market data; 2) describe the effect of diversification on portfolio risk and return; 3) delineate the differences between financial and social returns; and 4) rationalize an investment strategy recommendation when standard utility functions are modified.
Samsui: Social Return on Investment
Weina Zhang, Ruth S.K. Tan, Dingyan Khoo, Gerald Chee Hean Koh, Damien Wai Cheong Lam, and Dehn Wei Jie See Toh
2 August 2019, IVEY No. 9B19M080.
Samsui Supplies & Services Private Limited provided 1.8 million meals annually to long-term care facilities in Singapore through the company’s flagship project, Samsui Central Kitchen. In April 2018, the director felt that the time was right to expand the project. To gain support for scaling up Samsui’s initiatives and maximizing the social impact the company was delivering, the director needed to quantify the value generated by the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives in a clear and simple way. Students need to: 1) evaluate the efficacy of a CSR initiative with a strategic approach that uses a firm’s capabilities to create benefits for society, add value to the business, and ensure tight links to core business values; 2) analyze the outcome of integrating inherent core competencies and ascertaining its scalability; 3) acquire skills to formulate a comprehensive CSR framework that aligns well with both the external market trends and the fundamental values of the organization; and 4) build an SROI model to evaluate the effectiveness of CSR efforts.
FoodXervices and Food Bank: A Call for Integration
Weina Zhang, Ruth S.K. Tan, Ye Bin Han, Tian Ning Hoo, Jia Ning Vivien Ng and Chuan Ming Tan
18 July 2019, IVEY No. 9B19M067
In 2012, the founders of food wholesale company FoodXervices Inc. Pte. Ltd. identified a gap between food wastage and food insecurity in Singapore. To reduce this gap, they established a charity arm, The Food Bank Singapore Ltd., which operated as a liaison, collecting near-to-expiry, excess, and unwanted food products from food suppliers, retailers, and restaurants for distribution to beneficiary organizations. In April 2018, the founders were considering integrating these two now-mature entities to take advantage of potential internal and external synergies. Students will help to: 1) identify the possible benefits and costs of integrating a for-profit company with an independent non-profit organization; 2) outline possible ways of integrating two independent entities without jeopardizing the interests of relevant stakeholders; and 3) use a logic model to evaluate different integration strategies, and recommend an optimum strategy.
SingTel: Philanthropic or Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility?
Weina Zhang, Ruth S.K. Tan, Shirley Jing Min Lim, Joan Jia Xin Loke, Wei Lim and Su Yuan Liow
18 June 2019, IVEY Case Publishing No. 9B19M053
In 2014, the vice-president of Group Corporate Social Responsibility at Singtel, a Singapore-based provider of telecommunications products and services, was scrutinizing his proposal for the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) transformation. He wanted to reposition Singtel’s CSR approach to create greater social impact while demonstrating greater benefit to the company beyond promoting its branding and reputation. Students will be able to acquire skills in formulating a comprehensive and strategic CSR framework that aligns well with both the external market trends and the fundamental values of the organization. These change management skills will prepare students for the diverse challenges of a dynamic work environment that is more demanding in value creation of CSR activities.