2023 marks a significant year for Geneco as we were thrilled to celebrate our 5th Anniversary, with a noteworthy achievement — the announcement of Singapore’s No.1 Residential Electricity Retailer by the Energy Market Authority with a strong over 20,000 households — a clear testament to our customers’ continuous and growing support over the years.

Beyond the title, being the leading brand serves as an opportunity for us to drive impactful change as we build a sustainable home for future generations, and we are thankful for all who have joined us on our journey to #PowerTheChange for social and environmental good.

As the year comes to a close, join us as we take a look at and celebrate the key milestones.

Keeping Chinese New Year traditions for a sustainable future

We know Chinese New Year to be a time when families often gather and participate in age-old customs to convey well wishes for the new year. Red packet exchanges are common practice, though they are often discarded when celebrations conclude.

With #GreenForProsperity, we created an opportunity to align traditional practices with a more eco-friendly approach and remind everyone about the importance of prioritising sustainability amidst the festivities.

As part of the campaign, we collaborated with the National Parks Board’s (NParks) Garden City Fund to spotlight 4 native wildlife on our Geneco red packets, which are made from 100% recycled paper, to inspire Singaporeans to look deeper into our green spaces and be amazed by our native biodiversity. Within each of these limited-edition Geneco red packets, we also included a lesser-known fact about these chosen wildlife.

Going beyond the sustainability message encapsulated in the red packets, we rallied Singaporeans to take action and make their pledge to support the conservation of our native biodiversity. With over 72,200 pledges received by the end of the initiative, we were heartened to see many Singaporeans who have joined us in our efforts to #PowerTheChange.

With strong support from the public over the years, we also brought back our Used Red Packet Recycling Initiative for its third consecutive year, encouraging all to drop off their used and excess red packets for recycling. Together with partners CRU, IUIGA, OTO, REFASH and Wisma Atria, we placed 30 red packet recycling bins across the island and passed the collected red packets to Tay Paper Recycling to give them a second life of purpose.

Thanks to the overwhelming response from our nation, we collected more than 2,930kg of red packets this year, reflecting the collective efforts put in by Singaporeans to make our long-standing traditions an even greener one.

Celebrating 5 years of Powering The Change

2023 was also a very special year for us as we commemorated our 5th anniversary with #GenecoFiVesta, where we celebrated our customers and partners for supporting us with their trust and growing our Geneco Family to become Singapore’s No. 1 Residential Electricity Retailer, with over 160,000 homes — and most importantly, to thank them for being a part of our journey towards building a more sustainable home for all.

As part of the campaign, we launched our #SeedTheFuture initiative where we partnered with NParks’ registered charity and IPC, Garden City Fund to raise awareness about the Singapore Botanic Gardens Seed Bank’s efforts to conserve seeds of threatened plant species in Southeast Asia, to sow the seeds to build a greener future.

In collaboration with local ice cream brand, Apiary, we created the first-ever exclusive carbon-neutral certified Geneco #SeedTheFuture ice cream. Made with natively found fruits and seeds, the main flavour of the ice cream is a refreshing Calamansi Lime accompanied by Attap Seeds, one of the seeds conserved at the Singapore Botanic Gardens Seed Bank.

As part of our commitment to NParks’ #OneMillionTrees movement to plant 250 trees over five years and contribute towards the Singapore Green Plan 2030, we also planted another 50 trees at Bedok Reservoir on Earth Day (22 April), marking the third consecutive year of our Plant-A-Tree event. Through our green efforts to #SeedTheFuture, we hoped to continue inspiring all to contribute to Singapore’s goal of becoming a greener and more sustainable city.

Spotlighting the importance of mental well-being

As the happiest nation in Asia, there was no better day than National Day, to shine a spotlight on the importance of mental wellness of our people. 

In celebration of our nation’s  58th birthday, we invited everyone to seek their own secret garden within our City In Nature – and discover a personal haven where they can find solace and rediscover what brings them happiness. 

With 9 Therapeutic Gardens across our nation that have been established by NParks to contribute positively to the well-being of Singaporeans, we hoped to spotlight and bring these gardens to life through our collaboration with Daryl Aiden, where he shared a creative photo collection of how he reimagined the gardens through his lenses. 

As part of the initiative, we showcased the photos of 9 Therapeutic Gardens reimagined by Daryl Aiden for online voting and held photo gallery pop-ups at REFASH Chinatown Point, REFASH Funan, REFASH Tampines One, and Funan Mall for public viewing.

In just one month, we received an overwhelming response of over 45,500 votes and the top 3 winning photos were chosen to be printed on our limited edition Geneco X Daryl Aiden tote bags, and given away with every purchase at all REFASH stores in August – further promoting sustainable practices for Singaporeans.

With all the support and heartfelt comments received during the campaign, we were encouraged to know that many Singaporeans resonated with the campaign and more importantly, that we were able to spark more conversations about mental well-being.

Inspiring all to help turn lives around with second chances

This holiday season, we aimed to share warmth as we inspired the public to embrace hope as a powerful force of change, by providing hope to others through giving second chances and building an even more inclusive society. As part of the initiative, we featured a curated collection of 6 Inspirational Quotes of Hope, surrounding personal themes of hope, encouragement, and connection, specially narrated by Mediacorp 987 DJ Joakim Gomez, and celebrity host, Kelly Latimer.

Together with Yellow Ribbon Project, we invited all to join hands with us to cast ‘The Magic of Hope’, encouraging everyone to contribute towards the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts of inmates and ex-offenders. Through the support of $15,000 to Yellow Ribbon Project, we were delighted to present festive exclusive Red Velvet & Almonds Cookies that have been thoughtfully researched and meticulously handcrafted by inmates from the Yellow Ribbon Bakery.

To continue spreading cheer amidst the festivities, we held our first-ever Net Zero ‘The Magic of Hope’ Pop-up Café, joining hands with Huggs Coffee as well to share the message of helping to turn lives around with second chances. In the spirit of gifting, we gave away a limited edition Geneco Tote Bag and Yellow Ribbon Pin to anyone who voted for their favourite quotes over the weekends, and also encouraged shoppers to drop by the cafe for holiday gifts from Yellow Ribbon Bakery’s Christmas Collection and grab a drink from Huggs Coffee, where a portion of each purchase will directly contribute to the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts of inmates and ex-offenders.

To make this initiative an even more meaningful one, we invited TikTok influencers, Simon Khung and Luke Chan, to spread warmth by giving out free hugs and handing out sweet treats to the public.

With the support of the public, we gave away 46,200 of these festive exclusive cookies to those who voted for their favourite Inspirational Quotes of Hope.

A Final Nod to 2023

Looking back at 2023, we are heartened by the belief and support of our partners, communities and families for our initiatives and in building a sustainable home that we can celebrate for generations to come.

Let’s continue to #PowerTheChange for a brilliant 2024 – one that is filled with hope, joy and purpose.

Before we end the year, here is a look back at our milestones this year in a video recap.

As the year-end approaches, it is not only an opportunity for us to look back at what we could have done differently but it is also a time for us to look ahead and think about how we can do better. Not just for ourselves, but for others as well, especially those who need help to make right what was wrong.

This festive season, we have joined hands with Yellow Ribbon Project for a meaningful and heartwarming initiative — The Magic of Hope, to help turn around lives for a fresh start, a new beginning, and a better tomorrow.

Vote For Your Favourite Inspirational Quotes of Hope

As part of our campaign, we have curated a collection of 6 Inspirational Quotes of Hope narrated by Mediacorp 987 DJ Joakim Gomez and celebrity host Kelly Latimer. Each of these quotes surrounds personal themes of hope, encouragement, and connection.

Through these quotes, we hope to inspire all on the boundless possibilities that accompany each journey and share the message of hope with those who are going through a challenging time.

Simply visit www.themagicofhope.sg to vote for up to 6 of your favourite Inspirational Quotes of Hope and you can stand a chance to be 1 of 5 lucky winners to receive $100 eCapitaVoucher. Voting can be done daily from now till 31 December 2023. If you know of anyone who needs encouragement during this time of the year, you can also download these quotes by clicking on the icon at the bottom of each video and sharing it with them.

We are also heartened to have Key Opinion Leaders like Belinda Lee, Ben Yeo, Rui En, and Sonia Chew, who have shared their personal story on second chances. Check out their posts below.

Savour our Exclusive Festive Cookies

Through the support of $15,000 to Yellow Ribbon Project, Geneco is delighted to present festive exclusive Red Velvet & Almonds cookies that have been thoughtfully researched and meticulously handcrafted by inmates. If you wish to receive one of these 3000 complimentary festive gifts, look out for our pop-up café in December.

These specially crafted cookies provide the inmates with valuable skills as they work towards their successful reintegration into society. We hope that you can support the initiative to reaffirm their worth and bolster their confidence to guide them on their paths toward a brighter future.

Welcome to The Magic of Hope Pop-up Café

Join us at our first-ever Net Zero pop-up café this holiday outside ION Orchard from 7 to 17 December, 10 AM to 10 PM. At our café, you can do your Christmas shopping and buy the perfect gift from Yellow Ribbon Bakery’s festive collection and drinks from Huggs Coffee, where a portion of each purchase directly contributes to the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts of inmates and ex-offenders.

Receive a limited-edition Geneco tote bag along with a Yellow Ribbon pin, between 7 to 17 December on weekdays at the pop-up when you vote for your favourite Inspirational Quotes of Hope. Those who vote at the pop-up cafe during the weekends of 9 to 10 December and 16 to 17 December will be rewarded with a bag of exclusive Geneco x Yellow Ribbon Red Velvet & Almonds cookies.

Don’t miss out on the special guest appearance of TikTok influencers, Simon Khung and Luke Chan who will be visiting the pop-up café on 9 December, 6 PM to 8 PM. To spread the joy, they will be giving out free hugs as well as the exclusive Geneco x Yellow Ribbon cookies to those who have voted.

Join us as we #PowerTheChange for a fresh start, for new beginnings and for a better tomorrow.

Together.

As the happiest nation in Asia, there is no better day than National Day to shine a spotlight on the importance of mental wellness of our people. After all, it has been in our pledge since day one, “happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation”

With the 58th National Day approaching, we want to inspire a collective spirit by initiating conversations around mental health, and encourage Singaporeans to focus on their wellbeing with the help of green spaces in our latest campaign, #MySecretGarden. 

Being one of the greenest nations in the region, we have over 400 parks, 3,347 hectares of nature reserves and an extensive 300km park connector network that is easily accessible to refresh and renew ourselves. What’s more, the National Parks Board (NParks) has widely researched and developed 9 Therapeutic Gardens around our City in Nature that can contribute positively to the health and well-being of residents. 

Together with NParks, we also collaborated with photographer Daryl Aiden Yow and REFASH as we embarked on a journey to share with all about the nine Therapeutic Gardens across our island. Through the restorative power of nature, our goal is to foster happiness and instil a profound appreciation for these green spaces.

Vote for your favourite Therapeutic Garden

With #MySecretGarden, we want to spotlight the 9 Therapeutic Gardens across our nation that have been established by the National Parks Board (NParks) to contribute positively to the wellbeing of Singaporeans. 

From the first Therapeutic Garden with a seaview at Pasir Ris Park to the largest Therapeutic Garden at Jurong Lake Gardens, we want to bring alive these Therapeutic Gardens with our creative photo collection of how Daryl Aiden views the gardens through his lenses.

To cast your vote for your favourite Therapeutic Garden, head to www.mysecretgarden.sg and select up to 5 of your favourite images from Daryl’s creative photo collection. 5 lucky voters will be rewarded with a $100 eCapitaVoucher. You can vote daily and voting ends on 31 July 2023.

With your support by voting, we hope to reach 10,000 votes and we will be donating $10,000 to NParks’ registered charity and IPC, Garden City Fund. This donation will help support 6 to 9 beneficiary groups in Therapeutic Horticulture Programmes, allowing them to reap the mental health benefits from nature-related activities within these gardens.

Refresh your mind with REFASH

In line with #PlasticFreeJuly, we’ve partnered with REFASH, Singapore’s largest online thrift store brand that aims to inspire the next generation of consumers to think second-hand first in order to advocate for a healthy, sustainable future through fashion. 

Catch limited-time pop-ups in stores across Chinatown Point, Funan and Tampines One, from now till 31 August, where you can shop preloved clothing while viewing Daryl’s captivating images of the Therapeutic Gardens. 

Don’t forget to vote for your favourite to receive a complimentary set of nine postcards from the campaign. When voting concludes, the top 3 winning images will be distributed as limited edition tote reusable bags, available with every purchase from 9 to 31 August. Take home a piece of therapeutic art, and carry the message of nature and its profound impact wherever you go with your tote bag.

9 Therapeutic Gardens, one inspiring exhibition

Established by NParks in 2017, Therapeutic Gardens are outdoor spaces built with horticultural principles to meet the physical, psychological and social needs of park visitors. The serene spaces offer much-needed respite, alongside health benefits that alleviate mental fatigue and reduce stress levels associated with urban lifestyles. 

With the artistic vision of Daryl Aiden, we reimagined these green sanctuaries as hidden edens with an ethereal touch. From the riverine Therapeutic Garden at Punggol Waterway to countryside-inspired HortPark, you can expect to see images of all the nine gardens on display at Funan Mall, Basement 2. 

View the full exhibition from 17 till 23 July at Funan and take home complimentary gifts, including a limited edition set of Geneco X Daryl Aiden postcards, and a Sprout plantable pencil, while stocks last. What’s more, you can receive a Geneco Green Starter Kit worth $40 if you are one of the first 50 voters each day on 22 and 23 July, from 3pm to 6pm.

Let’s continue to #PowerTheChange starting from within and we hope you can find your haven of happiness.

For Geneco, 2022 is a significant year where we celebrated a key milestone of being Singapore’s No.1 Residential Electricity Retailer, serving over 160,000 homes. But being number 1 goes beyond the title. It is about being able to do more and change things for the better.

The journey of doing good for our environment is a collective effort and we are thankful for the tremendous support from our partners and customers who have joined us in our journey to #PowerTheChange. Let’s take a look at and celebrate the key milestones that we have achieved with you as the year comes to a close.

Embracing Chinese New Year Tradition with Sustainability

Today, Singapore is one of the greenest cities in the world that safeguards more than 7,800 hectares of green spaces. And this Chinese New Year with the theme #ChangeBringsProsperity, we hope to bring awareness to the importance of a sustainable living environment and encourage everyone to contribute to green efforts in their own ways towards the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and for our future generations.

As part of the initiative, we have partnered with NParks’ Garden City Fund to spotlight 4 exquisite native flora on our limited edition red packets, which are made from 100% recycled paper, to inspire everyone to step out of their usual activities and appreciate the green spaces in our nation.

While giving red packets is a long-standing tradition of Chinese New Year, we want to remind Singaporeans that we can all still practise sustainability as we celebrate these festivities. After a successful launch last year, we brought back our inaugural Used Red Packet Recycling Initiative and received even greater support from the public with a total of 1,040kg red packets recycled. Together with like-minded partners – CRU, IUIGA, Refash and Wisma Atria, we placed 25 red packet recycling bins across the island. These red packets were then given to Tay Paper Recycling for pulping into other paper products.

Through such sustained efforts, we hope to encourage Singaporeans to #PowerTheChange so that we can share our prosperity with future generations.

Reinforcing Our Commitment to the #OneMillionTrees Movement

When the Singapore Green Plan 2030 was launched last year, a nationwide movement by the National Parks Board (NParks) to plant 1 million trees was set in motion. As community is key to the success of this movement, Geneco has pledged to plant 250 trees by 2025. To make this commitment a more meaningful one, we held our second Plant-A-Tree event by planting another 50 trees at Punggol Park on Earth Day (22 April) this year. With this year’s Earth Day theme, “Invest in our Planet”, we hoped to remind everyone that all of us have a part to play in the restoration, conservation and protection of our planet, as we continue to #PowerTheChange for a greener tomorrow.

To commemorate our 160,000 homes milestone, we were even more motivated to go the extra mile this year and planted an additional 150 trees in September, to reinforce our commitment to tackle climate change by playing an active role in the greening of Singapore. We would like to thank everyone who joined us and raised a total of $45,000 for NPark’s Garden City Fund, where we matched every donation made to the fundraiser via giving.sg dollar-for-dollar.

Rediscovering Singapore’s Hidden Green Gems

In celebration of our nation’s 57th birthday, we invited everyone to reimagine our ‘City In Nature’ by discovering hidden green spaces that are unimaginably found in Singapore. As part of the campaign, we held a photography contest and inspired Singaporeans to capture the unexplored wonders that our nation has to offer.

With an overwhelming response of over 930 photo submissions, we could see that many Singaporeans took the time out to explore the unexplored and appreciate the hidden green gems in our nature. We proudly showcased the top 20 shortlisted photos for online voting and held a photo gallery event at Waterway Point for public viewing. In less than a month, we received more than 32,800 votes and the top 3 winning photos were chosen.

We are very encouraged by the overwhelming support received from everyone and we hope that they will continue to be inspired to rediscover the lush green spaces that we have here and contribute to nurture our nature together.

Gifting Messages of Social and Environmental Good

As we power homes and businesses in the nation, we also believe in powering change. For good. For sustainability. For all.

This season of gifting, we hope to spread the message of doing good by inviting everyone to go beyond their pages and help to rewrite new chapters for those who need it more with our #HappilyEverAfter campaign. We collaborated with 3Pumpkins – a socially-engaged, non-profit organisation to raise awareness for the ‘Tak Takut Kids Club’ programme that helps less privileged children and youths to find their place in the larger community through arts.

Together, we created a beautiful e-book titled ‘The Little Green Heroes’ that is co-illustrated with the imaginative children, Cindy, Ruda and Sulaiman, from the ‘Tak Takut Kids Club’ programme as part of our fundraising initiative for 3Pumpkins. The e-book is available online on our #HappilyEverAfter website, where you have the option to download a copy to read or immerse yourself in the story as read aloud by Kelly Latimer.

We also joined hands with BizLink Centre, a non-profit organisation dedicated to serving the disadvantaged individuals, in particular persons with disabilities, to prepare 1,000 #HappilyEverAfter Festive Cards. The cards were then distributed across Singapore via Strides Mobility’s electric taxis.

To continue spreading the message of doing good, we held a #HappilyEverAfter ice-cream event at Orchard and gave away complimentary ice-cream for anyone who had downloaded ‘The Little Green Heroes’, and encouraged them to contribute to the fundraising.

With the support of the public, we have raised over $16,800 that would help to contribute to 3Pumpkins’ purpose and Power The Change for these children.

Looking back, 2022 has been eventful and fulfilling. These milestones could not have been achieved without your support and we would like to give a very special thanks to our partners, communities and families for believing in us and supporting our initiatives.

Let’s continue to #PowerTheChange by doing good for a greener and more sustainable future.

Till then, here’s a video recap of what we have achieved together in 2022.

Entering into the second year of the pandemic, 2021 has come with its own set of challenges. While the year has been about continuous adapting and living with the new norms amid these Covid-19-related conversations, the topic of climate change has come to the fore, buoyed by the freshly unveiled Singapore Green Plan 2030 and recently concluded 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). 

It is heartening to see governments, businesses and individuals alike coming together to make a difference for our planet Earth. Regardless of seemingly small actions like bringing our own reusable containers for takeaway meals or national-level movements of setting Singapore’s green targets, we believe that each effort counts in making a collective difference.  

Looking back at 2021, Geneco have also rallied our communities and partners to do good for our environment as we continued to build upon what we’ve achieved in the past year. The year has no doubt been fruitful for us as we kept true to our mission to #PowerTheChange. As the year comes to a close, let’s take a look back at some of the milestones we’ve achieved together with you. 

Chinese New Year Red Packet Recycling Bins

We kicked off 2021 with the exciting launch of our inaugural Used Red Packet Recycling Initiative. In partnership with like-minded local brands such as CRU, IUIGA, Tay Paper Recycling, and one of our Changemakers – Refash, we deployed 28 recycling bins across Singapore to encourage the public to drop off their used red packets and make a difference for our rainforests by recycling and reducing our paper waste. These red packets were then sent to Tay Paper Recycling to be pulped and made into other paper products. 

We were truly heartened by the overwhelming response from the nation, with more than 410kg of red packets collected in less than a month! As Singaporeans remain eco-conscious even amidst the festivities, we look forward to keeping this tradition alive and continue making a difference for our planet in 2022. 

Geneco’s joins NParks’ #OneMillionTrees – Plant-A-Tree Programme

As part of Singapore’s plan to transform our country into a City in Nature, the government has committed to planting a million trees across our island over the next decade. These trees play an important role by serving as natural filters and adding to the lush greenery we enjoy in Singapore. At the same time and most importantly, they contribute to strengthening our country’s resilience towards climate change. 

Achieving this ambitious goal of one million trees requires contributions from both the public and private sector. As such Geneco has pledged to plant 250 trees over the next five years and is proud to be doing our part for this nationwide effort.

Our plan was set into motion on Earth Day (22 April) this year at Windsor Nature Park, where we planted our first 50 trees together with our Changemakers – Comcrop, Cultivate Central, The Food Bank Singapore, Green Nudge, Refash and Repair Kopitiam – as well as like-minded corporate partner Standard Chartered Singapore. 

On the very same day, we also launched our new comprehensive and integrated solar panel solution – the Power Eco Total Home Solution, for landed residential homes.. 

These mark another of our many green efforts as we contribute to Singapore’s goal to becoming a greener and more sustainable city. 

Powering Change with our #ChangeMakersSG

Throughout the year, we were honoured to also continue strengthening the bonds with our #ChangeMakersSG partners while giving back to the communities and furthering our green message.  

In the midst of 2021 when the nation went into Heightened Alert once again for Covid-19, many organisations were impacted and our Changemaker – The Food Bank Singapore – was no exception.  

In a bid to increase their delivery efforts and distribute 1,500 food bundles to  their beneficiaries, Geneco rallied for support from our social media family, and together, we prevented more than 6,700kg of food from being wasted. 

And as the nation moved forward with the ease of safety measures in July, we partnered with And as the nation moved forward with the ease of safety measures in July, we partnered with Refash and join in the global #PlasticFreeJuly movement, to encourage everyone to #PowerTheChange and reduce their single-use plastics.

By contributing 1,300 Geneco tote bags to  Refash’s outlets, customers could redeem these tote bags for free instead of opting for plastic bags with any preloved item purchased.

Through such sustained efforts, we hope to inculcate greater awareness towards the harmful effects of plastic waste and inspire individuals to take a step towards a #PlasticFree future! 

Go Green Your Way with Power Eco Add-on

In celebration of our nation’s birthday on 9 August, Geneco launched our Power Eco Add-on, Singapore’s first-and-only green add-on for electricity plans.

To show our commitment towards our country’s sustainability efforts and the SG Green Plan 2030, Power Eco Add-on was conceived to encourage and ease Singaporeans in embarking on a journey towards building a greener home.

With its affordable yet flexible offering where customers can choose from different levels of green – 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% – and between Carbon Credits (CC) or Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) for their electricity plan, we hope to empower our customers to #gogreenyourway and make a difference for the environment.  

We were truly heartened and encouraged by the response received within a month of the Power Eco Add-on’s launch. As we look towards the new year, we hope to continue being the catalyst towards inspiring individuals to opt for greener alternatives.  

The Jolly season to be Green

Topping off these initiatives, we also encouraged Singaporeans to embark on a green journey with monthly giveaways on our social media platforms, with two exclusive giveaways for 2,000 Geneco customers on 11.11 and 12.12 in celebration of the year end #JollyGreen season.

In total, we have distributed over 6,000 eco-friendly lifestyle items that include Microgreen Kits, Sprout Plantable pencils, 100% recyclable foldable umbrellas, collapsible water bottles, reusable straws, grocery net bags and more.  

Through these green giveaways, we aim to inspire everyone to make a meaningful change for our environment in the long-term.  

2021 has truly been a fulfilling year for Geneco despite the continued uncertainty faced around the world.

These milestones could not have been achieved without your support and we’d like to thank each of our #ChangeMakerSG partners, communities and families for your confidence in us.

As we look ahead into 2022, let’s continue to #PowerTheChange for a greener and more sustainable future. 

Before we end off, here’s a quick recap video on our green milestones for 2021:  

From our Geneco family to yours, here’s to a greener and better 2022! 

Without a doubt, 2020 has been a year like no other. From the fight against a global pandemic to the increasing urgency against climate change, it has been a year of changes and challenges for us and our communities.

While 2020 has been tough in its ways, we are also encouraged by the help rendered to one another during this challenging year. We applaud the essential workers who have stood at the frontlines, families who have stayed strong, and individuals who have chosen to lend a helping hand through the crisis. Against all odds, we stay united as one.

With that in mind, Geneco wanted to play our part and give back in ways that we can – for the environment, for the community. As the year comes to an end and we look to fresh beginnings, let’s look back at some of our key moments though this year.

Celebrating Geneco’s second anniversary

To mark Geneco’s second anniversary, Geneco launched #ItTakes2 to celebrate this milestone with our partners and customers in coming thus far with us. It has always been in Geneco’s DNA to collaborate with like-minded partners to promote for a more sustainable lifestyle while giving back to the community, and for this campaign, we wanted to do the same. After all, it takes two to make a larger impact and to power a bigger change.

We collaborated with one of our ChangeMakers partners – The Food Bank Singapore, to spread good amid this difficult time. The beginning of COVID-19 led to the organisation seeing a 70% drop in their donations, affecting beneficiaries and low-income families from receiving the food they need. Geneco is heartened that, together with the support of our customers and Instagram & Facebook followers through comments and words of encouragement, we were able to work with The Food Bank Singapore in donating 1,000 meals  to help these families in need during this period.

Stay home with Geneco

The implementation of the ‘circuit breaker’ measures in April caught the entire nation by surprise. Non-essential travels were not permitted, shops had to close, people could no longer gather, and working-from-home became the default approach for businesses when possible. Coupled with the daily news of the pandemic, it had been hard to cope for many. To help uplift the spirits and tide through the sudden need to stay in, #StayHomewithGeneco was born with a curated set of content across our social media platforms to ease the time spent at home. Featuring community initiatives that citizens can help and contribute even while staying at home to sharing complimentary lifestyle resources, #StayHomewithGeneco focused on doing good for both the community and our well-being.

With the opportunity of staying in with our families, Geneco took it to heart to power family time through our series of green crafts with a #PowerFamTime giveaway to encourage families to savour the time we got to spend together with our loved ones. We received an overwhelming response of more than 100 submissions from families and how they treasure family moments together through green craft activities during this time.

Power the change with Geneco

As the daily news continue to surround the development of the global pandemic, many have been disheartened by the pessimistic news and happenings all around the world. Instead, Geneco wanted to motivate and inspire Singaporeans to seek ways to power different qualities such as togetherness and giving despite the difficult times through our #PowerTheChange campaign.

A social campaign anchored on discovering inspiring qualities demonstrated by everyday Singaporeans – featuring a series of profiles who conveyed stories of strength and compassion – to focus on the good and unite everyone to power through.

Beyond the profile features, Geneco once again collaborated with its partners from the #ChangeMakersSG programme in supporting their various initiatives of giving back to the community. From distributing of masks with Refash and The Food Bank Singapore, to powering ComCrop’s food production efforts to meet the rising demand of local produce from COVID-19, Geneco is committed to power the change with our partners for our future generations.

As mask wearing becomes an essential part of our daily lives, the demand for them also increased exponentially among the public such that shortages of masks were witnessed, leading to many who may not have sufficient masks at home. Together with Refash and The Food Bank Singapore, 15,000 masks were distributed to vulnerable communities during this time to ensure they are well equipped and well protected whenever they need a mask.

In addition, with the COVID-19 situation, many countries have been placed in lockdown, inevitably causing a disruption in our country’s food supply chains. As a result, ComCrop is currently standing at the forefront of our country’s food production efforts to maintain our nation’s food security, while at the same time fulfilling the government’s ’30 by 30′ goal. To do our part in strengthening sustainable food production in Singapore, we at Geneco have also committed to subsidise ComCrop’s electricity bills for a year in support of their sustainability efforts.

Read here in more detail on Geneco’s #PowerTheChange campaign.

An open letter to our future generations

Even as we progressed through the year with the pandemic still in tow, the urgency to fight against climate change cannot be ignored as well. Therefore, we wanted to do our part in encouraging Singaporeans to lead a greener lifestyle on this special National Day.

In celebration of the nation’s 55^th birthday on 9 August, Geneco marked the occasion with a campaign anchored on commemorating the decisions our forefathers had made for the nation in the past and how we should emulate the same spirit towards our nation for our future generations.

The #ToOurFutureGenerations campaign aimed to shed light on aspiring Singaporeans who constantly strive to make an impact within their respective fields, inspiring future generations to do the same for our nation.

Among our featured profiles we have Dawn Sng, Educational Experiences Designer with Cultivate Central – one of our ChangeMaker partners. Her role sees to bring families to connect with nature and to realise the importance of preserving these natural elements for the children of the future to enjoy.

To further spread our green message and our commitment towards green living for future generations, Geneco also collaborated with Cultivate Central in the distribution of 550 DIY micro-green kits to provide a hands-on experience for our customers in growing their own greens, sharing with them the cycle of life and the small acts we can do to preserve the Earth for the future.

Be jolly together this festive season

To wrap up the year on a happy note, Geneco’s #JollyTogether campaign focused on finding joy while doing good for families, community, and the environment this festive season. Celebrating our resilience and tenacity in overcoming a difficult year, Geneco launched weekly giveaways on Instagram for our followers to share eco-friendly habits and ways we have adopted as a family to give back to our environment. These acts may be small, but we recognise the collective impact it can have in fighting climate change should we stay consistent and spread the importance of doing good for our planet.

Together, we have received over 500 green tips from our giveaways, encouraging families to remember to be eco-friendly whenever they can even during the holidays!

As arduous 2020 may have been, it was truly an unforgettable year for Geneco. We would like to thank the community and families as well as our ChangeMakers for constantly supporting Geneco this year and the various opportunities to journey through and stand together amidst uncertainty. From our campaigns, partnerships with organisations and participation from the masses, we have seen that as a united community, we can go to greater heights and realise our green vision as one body.

From our Geneco family to yours, here’s to a greener and better 2021!

Here at Geneco, we strive to be more than just an electricity retailer. Through our social initiatives, we want to make meaningful contributions to individuals and society alike where we embrace the values of sustainability, giving and positivity.

This is especially important now. With daily news surrounding the COVID-19 situation, spirits have been dampened with lives everywhere becoming increasingly difficult and stressful by the day. Learning about businesses going into recession and figures of retrenchment, it seems difficult for most of us to remain positive.

Channelling the Right Energy

In the current climate, we choose not to be bogged down by negativity and pessimism. Instead, we at Geneco believe in the importance of focusing on what we have and what we value to power through this period.

Our intent is to motivate, uplift and inspire Singaporeans during this period, seeking ways to power different qualities such as togetherness and love within their lives. We want to show people that despite these difficult times, there remains many opportunities to uplift and empower those values within ourselves and those around us.

With this in mind, we launched #PowerTheChange – a social campaign aimed towards seeking out inspiring qualities shown by ordinary Singaporeans. Featuring stories of strength, compassion, and unity displayed within our communities, we hope to motivate Singaporeans as we weather this challenging time together.

Sharing Powerful Stories of Gratitude, Compassion, and Progress

One of the featured profiles was David Hoe, founder of Project Stable Staples – a ground up initiative helping disadvantaged households who have lost their incomes due to the COVID-19 situation. By sending them weekly grocery vouchers, the initiative hopes to provide each home with some “stable staples” every week.

David Hoe during his teaching days

Coming from an underprivileged background himself and losing his mother at a young age, David received plenty of help from his peers and mentors who helped him through his difficulties to become a teacher and eventually a Community Partnerships Officer with MOE, where he supports students from disadvantaged families. His gratitude and mantra of ‘paying it forward’ was what inspired him to start Project Stable Staples.

To date, David’s project has supported more than 266 families living in rental flats, with his social initiative set to help even more.

David chose to power kindness.

Founder of fashion label, Minor Miracles, Dawn Bey hand stitching masks to raise funds for migrant workers

Another inspiring story was from Dawn Bey, founder of Minor Miracles who displayed empathy and compassion in reaching out to employ fashion graduates who are unable to find jobs due to the current situation. Dawn and her new employees put their sewing skills to use by stitching and crafting face masks using leftovers from Minor Miracle’s signature colourful fabrics to be sold to the public.

All profits made from selling the masks were subsequently donated to charities supporting migrant workers and community services.

Dawn chose to power compassion.

Homemaker Helen Goh, spending time with her grandchildren using video call

Last but not least is a homemaker who led an exciting life. Helen Goh was a business owner, a manager and held many other jobs throughout her working life. She adapted quickly to changing environments and constantly learned new skills to stay relevant.

Even as a grandmother now, she has not forgotten that learning is a lifelong pursuit. To stay connected to her family during the circuit breaker, Helen familiarised herself with technology and video call apps so that she could continue seeing her children and grandchildren, even while they are apart.

Helen chose to power progress.

Geneco’s #PowerTheChange Efforts

Aside from sharing such inspiring stories in times of gloom, Geneco is also committed to make a difference within the community. Our #ChangeMakersSG programme promotes collaboration between ourselves and other green advocates. In this spirit of partnership and togetherness, we want to do our part by supporting our ChangeMakers’ initiatives, creating a cohesive community to reach out to the disadvantaged around us.

Refash, one of our ChangeMakers, was facing difficulties when all nine of their retail outlets were forced to close as part of the circuit breaker measures, causing the brand to lose its revenue streams. Fortunately, Refash was able to quickly turn the situation around, by sourcing for 3-ply masks to be sold to the public as an alternative revenue stream to keep their business alive.

To support of our ChangeMaker, whilst understanding the crucial need of masks among Singaporeans even after the Circuit Breaker period, Geneco purchased 15,000 masks from Refash to be distributed to the less privileged in Singapore. To bolster this initiative, we also brought The Food Bank SG on board to help distribute these masks as they deliver food to vulnerable communities.

Aloysius Sng from Refash packing the masks before they are distributed through Food Bank SG’s channels

Besides powering togetherness with Refash and Food Bank, Geneco has not forgotten to power sustainability, one of the core values which remains crucial to us.

Our ChangeMaker, ComCrop, is Singapore’s first rooftop greenhouse making use of advanced hydroponic techniques to farm their vegetables, which allows them to utilise 90% less water than traditional farming methods. With these tools at hand, ComCrop aims to build a sustainable future whereby Singaporeans can have access to healthy and locally produced food from their supermarkets.

With the current COVID-19 situation, many countries have been placed in lockdown, inevitably causing a disruption in our country’s food supply chains. As a result, ComCrop is currently standing at the forefront of our country’s food production efforts to maintain our nation’s food security, while at the same time fulfilling the government’s ’30 by 30′ goal: cultivating enough food locally to meet 30% of the country’s nutritional needs by 2030.

However, with the rising demand placed on local farmers, ComCrop’s rooftop greenhouse is experiencing a greater strain to increase production, as they continue to cultivate fresh and pesticide free produce to feed Singapore’s nutritional needs.

To do our part in strengthening sustainable food production in Singapore, we at Geneco have also committed to subsidise ComCrop’s electricity bills for a year in support of their sustainability efforts.

ComCrop team members posing with their rooftop farm

We hope that our #PowerTheChange campaign will inspire Singaporeans to choose positivity as we emerge gradually from the various stages of our country’s lockdown.

Each person’s story is different, and every scenario distinct, but with the correct mindset and motivation, each one of us has the opportunity to inspire different qualities of goodness within our lives, and to the lives of those around us.

Together, we can join hands to power change in many different ways.

What will you power today?

Click here to watch the video

Here at Geneco, we continuously strive to be a green champion by exploring green initiatives to promote a more sustainable lifestyle for our future generations.

However, we know that we can’t do it alone. While each of us can contribute individually, working together as a community creates powerful change—which is why we are always looking for opportunities to collaborate with like-minded partners. The theme for our 2^nd anniversary, #ItTakes2, also reflects this, as we look to celebrate and build on community efforts that have spurred change, such as our ChangeMakersSG programme, which was developed to encapsulate this spirit of partnership.

Now, let’s have a throwback as we take a look at some of our key collaborations with our ChangeMakers over the past year that have reached out, involved and inspired a wider community:

1. From Farm to Table with Comcrop

With Singapore importing more than 90% of the food we eat, local farms may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about food sources for the nation.

However, Comcrop, Singapore’s urban farming pioneer, wants to change that. Founded in 2014, Comcrop wants to build a sustainable future in which Singaporeans can have easy access to healthy, locally produced food. Their produce is sustainably farmed using advanced hydroponic technology that uses 90% less water than traditional farming, and free from harmful pesticides or herbicides.

Geneco customers having their hand at making their own popiah using locally grown vegetables

We collaborated with Comcrop to organise a Farm-to-Table Popiah Making Party. Exclusive to our customers, the event provided participants with a unique food experience, as they used ingredients that were grown on-site at Comcrop’s urban rooftop farm complex in Woodlands.

Urban agricultural farm tour for Geneco customers

More than just filling up their bellies, our customers also brought home the knowledge of how food can be grown sustainably in this city state through urban agriculture.

2. Instilling sustainability habits from young with Cultivate Central

Cultivate Central started in 2014 because of a single vision – to create urban food gardens that connect children to nature, giving them a space to learn how to grow their own food and to live sustainably. Through various hands-on programmes and activities, Cultivate Central aims to help Singaporeans discover nature.

Children learning how to grow and care for their microgreens at our workshops with Cultivate Central

During the March school holidays, Geneco partnered Cultivate Central to create a series of specially curated urban food garden workshops for children to learn what they can do to protect the earth for their future.

Carefully planted Microgreen plants by the customers and their children

Participants had the opportunity to have a hands-on experience, learning about growing, caring, harvesting and even preparing microgreens for consumption. A special kit was put together to give children a chance to mix the soil and sow the seeds, before they are greeted with their fruits (or vegetables) of labour, which included Kang Kong, Broccoli and Red Radish.

Remember, one is never too small to make a difference in sustaining a green future!

3. Feeding communities with Food Bank Singapore

Food waste is a critical issue for Singapore. In fact, it is one of the biggest waste streams in Singapore and the amount of food waste generated in Singapore has grown by 30 per cent over the past 10 years and amounted to 763 million kg of food waste generated in 2018.

The Food Bank Singapore was founded to create a centralised food resource management in our country to allow for unwanted or unused food to be given to those in need, rather than going to waste.

Putting a smile on everyone’s face as Executive Vice President of Geneco, Mr Low Boon Tong, serves the dishes to the beneficiaries

Understanding the need to raise awareness surrounding the issue of food waste, we partnered Food Bank Singapore to engage the elderly community at our “Feed the City” event. Held at Plentyfull, employees from Geneco took time off to volunteer with the Food Bank to serve and engage with the elderly with an afternoon of games alongside the delectable spread.

And what a joyous afternoon it was! By the end of the event, the restaurant was filled with laughter where everyone was on their feet, dancing and belting out to their favourite tunes.

4. Launching a repair culture in the heartlands with Repair Kopitiam

The common practice whenever an appliance breaks down would be to dispose it. How many of us do think about the possibility of repairing the item to restore it to its original condition?

With the culture of convenience, it is no surprise that most Singaporeans would succumb to simply buying a replacement. The thought of repairing may have never crossed their minds, when in fact, a simple repair can breathe in new life.

Repair coaches guiding residents on how to repair their appliances

By showing people how easy it is to put a stop to our throwaway culture, Repair Kopitiam hopes to promote sustainable living among Singaporeans and, eventually, reduce waste for good.

Mr. John Ng, CEO of YTL PowerSeraya , Mr. Low Boon Tong, Executive Vice President of Geneco and Dr. Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, learning from repair coaches at Repair Kopitiam’s third official location in Ang Mo Kio

To spread this message to more Singaporeans, Geneco helped Repair Kopitiam launch its third location in Ang Mo Kio, to focus on residents in the central heartlands of Singapore. This official launch was graced by Dr. Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. Together with Mr. Veerappan Swaminathan, founder of Repair Kopitiam and Mr. John Ng, our CEO, Senior Minister Dr. Amy Khor presented the aprons to the inaugural batch of Repair Coaches from the area.

Through monthly repair sessions at the various sites within Singapore, Repair Kopitiam hopes to inspire more communities to not only think twice about their consumption habits, but to also be part of the growing repair culture.

5. Celebrating a green Christmas

Last Christmas, Geneco decided to open its very own Christmas Lodge at The Atrium of Wisma Atria. Our customers and shoppers were invited to be participate in a green Christmas through our sustainable crafting workshops.

Participants making their very own LED dancing Light Christmas Ornaments

Held every week for the month of November, we partnered with Cultivate Central and Repair Kopitiam to organise workshops comprising sustainable craft activities, including Cocodama moss ball Christmas decorations, and LED-light ornaments.

We also brought our festive joy to our customers with sustainably brewed coffee in special Christmas flavours and even challenged them to light up their own LED Christmas Tree by generating power on our kinetic bicycles.

It’s been an inspiring journey so far, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the support from all our partners and customers! #ItTakes2 to bring about real change, and we look forward to powering the change with you in building a more sustainable nation for our future generations!

If you are interested and would like to learn more of Our ChangeMakersSG programme, you can visit here.

Are you ready for Christmas?

Visit our Christmas lodge at Wisma Atria from now till 1 Dec 2019 to power up yourself to be ready for a wonderful green Christmas.

Sustainable Crafting Workshops This Christmas

With the rise of sustainability, you can make your Christmas a greener one with our sustainable crafting workshops for young and old. Workshops were held every week for the month of November and comprised of sustainable craft activities you would have never thought of for this Christmas.

Cocodama Workshop
Participants were able to create their own Cocodama, a botanic creation made from the coconut husks, forming a beautiful personal “potted plant” that can be displayed at home.

Under the guidance of our coaches and with their help of their parents, our young guests were able to exercise their creativity and create beautiful cocodamas of their own.

Seed Card Crafting
Another hit among the younglings was the seed crafting booth at our Christmas Lodge. Intrigued by the small seeds and what they can grow to become, children made their own Christmas cards using a mixture of seeds such as kang kong seeds and black eye seeds, to bring home to their loved ones.

Not only are the cards compostable, the seeds encourage the children to plant their own seedlings and track their growth to become fresh produce.

Dancing Light Ornaments
Making your own LED Christmas ornaments might see like a task too daunting for anyone. However, at our Christmas workshop, participants got to make this a reality. Participants were greeted with a range of tools to engage in basic soldering work to make their own LED ornaments.

The kids were amazed by what they could create with the simple soldering skills they procured and how they could easily create a dancing light Christmas ornament. It’s the perfect addition to their Christmas decorations at home to let the kids show what they can make.

Festive T-shirt Coaster
What to do with all those t-shirts that you no longer wear? Here at our crafting booth at the Geneco Christmas Lodge, we show participants on how they can up-cycle their old shirts to make their own coasters for this holiday season. Definitely useful with all the upcoming festival celebrations where you host your family and friends.

Light Up Your Own Christmas Tree

Other highlights at the Geneco Christmas lodge include a kinetic bicycle that will convert the energy generated from its rider into electrical energy that was used to light up a Christmas tree decoration behind the bicycle.

This activity was an absolute favourite among the energetic children, who couldn’t wait for their turn on the bicycle, and were extremely fascinated by the tree lighting up from their own efforts. Along the way, they were also able to learn about how energy is created and appreciate how much energy is needed to power our daily appliances, and why energy conservation is important for us.

Visitors to our Christmas lodge can also try their hand at this kinetic bicycle, and take part in our Christmas Instagram contest. Take a picture of yourself on the bicycle with the lighted Christmas tree on Instagram and tag us with the hashtag #genecochristmas, and you could be one of five lucky winners with the most number of likes to receive $50 worth of shopping vouchers! Geneco customers who visit our Christmas booth can also redeem a free cup of sustainability-sourced coffee.

Get yourself ready for Christmas now and visit us at the Geneco Christmas lodge at the Level 1 Atrium in Wisma Atria before 1 December 2019!

Don’t miss our final workshop this weekend, where your children can also try their hand at creating a dancing light ornament. As long as you are a Geneco customer, you’re free to join our workshops and activities!

Every year, Singapore generates about 60,000 tonnes (that’s 60 million kg) of e-waste – a figure that’s expected to increase with rising affluence and technological advancements. While most of us are chasing after the latest mobile phone models, few are aware that our nation is struggling to manage a growing mountain full of discarded electronic items such as refrigerators, washing machines, televisions and mobile phones. The buy-and-throw-away culture is prevalent and is contributing greatly to our concerns with e-waste management.

But why put e-waste in the spotlight? All e-waste contains small amounts of hazardous materials, for instance, heavy metals such as lead found in TVs and ozone-depleting chemicals found in refrigerators. Many people simply throw these items down the chute, or leave them at rubbish bins and bin centres.

What can we do? Many times, these items just need a little fix and they will work as good as before. Instead of buying a brand new appliance to replace what you thought was broken, a group of ‘Repair Coaches’ at Repair Kopitiam are trained to help Singaporeans with repair of all kinds of faulty products like electrical appliances and household items. They believe that a sustainable future lies in reducing such e-waste through repairing one appliance at a time.

Together with Repair Kopitiam, Geneco aims to reduce e-waste by encouraging the community to consider if an appliance can be repaired before it is discarded, and also inspiring and imparting skills onto fellow Singaporeans as the nation strives to meet the goal of Zero Waste.

On the first week of May 2019, Geneco and Repair Kopitiam put together a repair skill workshop to share some simple repair tricks with families – sew your name, solder a circuit board, use an electric drill, upholstery, assembling appliance and continuity testing.

Under the supervision of Repair Kopitiam’s Repair Coaches, even the little ones are given the opportunity to try seemingly technical tasks such as soldering or continuity testing!

The event saw about 200 adults and children across 3 days. Each one of them had a chance to pick up a new skill and make something on their own using recycled materials. For instance, they learned how to use a sewing machine to sew their name on a recycled piece of cloth and made it into a wristband.

You are never too small to make a difference! Making the world a greener place starts today. If we can start thinking about how we can repair a broken item before throwing it away, we can all help in reducing tonnes of e-waste in Singapore.

For updates on our future activities, do follow us on our Facebook and Instagram!

Start your sustainable journey with us today by choosing Geneco’s Get Sunny plan.