<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>DBS sending wrong message on volunteerism
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I AM appalled by DBS Bank's public rebuke of Ms Josie Lau for taking up the post of president of the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware).
The bank said it supported her involvement as an executive committee member, but not as president. The rationale given was that being president of Aware would compromise her work performance. Another reason was that she had not heeded its protocol in seeking an external appointment.
Ms Lau had run to be an exco member, but due to the sudden resignation of the elected president, she had stepped up to take on the president's role.
Bearing in mind the swift turn of events, should DBS not applaud Ms Lau for stepping forward, instead of rebuking her? I assume there is no conflict of interest as she was allowed to be involved as an Aware exco member.
I am concerned about the message on volunteerism that DBS is sending to women - or men, for that matter.
With higher governance standards expected of the charity and voluntary welfare sector, boards in these organisations need people to step up to volunteer their time and expertise.
By rebuking one of its vice-presidents who had stepped up to take on a leadership role in a volunteer organisation and dictating her level of involvement, DBS is sending a wrong message. It also prejudged Ms Lau's performance, even before she had been given the chance to prove herself.
If all other organisations took DBS' stance, we would never have seen the likes of Ms Grace Fu, who was from PSA; and Ms Jessica Tan, Microsoft Singapore's managing director, contributing to society and their families in their multiple roles as career women, MPs, wives and mothers.
Teo Tze Wei <!-- end of for each --><!-- Current Ratings : start --><!-- Current Ratings : end --><!-- vbbintegration : start -->
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I AM appalled by DBS Bank's public rebuke of Ms Josie Lau for taking up the post of president of the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware).
The bank said it supported her involvement as an executive committee member, but not as president. The rationale given was that being president of Aware would compromise her work performance. Another reason was that she had not heeded its protocol in seeking an external appointment.
Ms Lau had run to be an exco member, but due to the sudden resignation of the elected president, she had stepped up to take on the president's role.
Bearing in mind the swift turn of events, should DBS not applaud Ms Lau for stepping forward, instead of rebuking her? I assume there is no conflict of interest as she was allowed to be involved as an Aware exco member.
I am concerned about the message on volunteerism that DBS is sending to women - or men, for that matter.
With higher governance standards expected of the charity and voluntary welfare sector, boards in these organisations need people to step up to volunteer their time and expertise.
By rebuking one of its vice-presidents who had stepped up to take on a leadership role in a volunteer organisation and dictating her level of involvement, DBS is sending a wrong message. It also prejudged Ms Lau's performance, even before she had been given the chance to prove herself.
If all other organisations took DBS' stance, we would never have seen the likes of Ms Grace Fu, who was from PSA; and Ms Jessica Tan, Microsoft Singapore's managing director, contributing to society and their families in their multiple roles as career women, MPs, wives and mothers.
Teo Tze Wei <!-- end of for each --><!-- Current Ratings : start --><!-- Current Ratings : end --><!-- vbbintegration : start -->
