Our employees and Financial Representatives have also been raising funds for the Singapore Cancer Society through the Great Eastern Women’s Run. This outing is part of our corporate efforts to contribute more meaningfully and holistically, by creating opportunities for volunteers to befriend and interact with communities whom we have been supporting.

If you would like to support our cause and be that ray of sunshine to brighten lives, your generous donations are much appreciated here: https://lnkd.in/gizynusc. This fundraiser ends 30 September, so please make your contributions sooner than later!

The remarkable impact

Volunteers’ efforts resulted in a remarkable 140.53kg of recyclable materials collected. This included 65kg of paper, 46.84kg of plastic, 24.83kg of glass and 4.11kg of metal. It’s a testament to what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause.

A heart-warming experience

All volunteers put their best foot forward, eager to make a difference. They not only contributed to the environment but also had the rare opportunity to connect with the elderly. They were patient and warm towards volunteers who went knocking on doors to collect recyclables and conduct a survey.

Volunteers were inspired by the enthusiasm of the senior citizens towards recycling. For instance, many residents had diligently cleaned and dried their plastic containers, glass bottles, cans, and set them aside for recycling. Witnessing this commitment was inspiring and heartening.

The most significant part of this initiative was the genuine connection formed between volunteers and the elderly residents. It was a humbling experience showing that when we come together for a common cause, our differences fade away leaving behind a shared commitment to a better future.

As we reflect on this incredible journey, it inspires us to continue our efforts in making a difference, one recycling bin at a time.

This initiative was part of Great Eastern’s commitment to the OneMillionTrees movement, a vision to restore greenery in our city. Over the next ten years, this movement seeks to plant more trees across Singapore. It aligns perfectly with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030.

What truly makes this achievement stand out is the sense of community it fostered. By digging into the earth volunteers were not just planting trees but also deepening their roots in the community. Planting trees isn’t just about adding greenery to our surroundings but enhancing our resilience in the face of climate change.

The National Parks Board of Singapore was appreciative of our employees’ heartfelt efforts. It's a testament to the impact we can have when we unite for a common goal.

This initiative reflects the spirit of Great Eastern in nurturing a sustainable future for generations to come. Together, the RAFABA volunteers have shown that every tree planted today is a step closer to a brighter and greener tomorrow.

Teams from different entities in Great Eastern Malaysia joined hands to support the community in improving the quality of life as well as protecting the environment, supporting two among four important pillars in the Great Eastern Cares programme. Volunteering activities were organised for employees to contribute their time and effort, as well as to grow in empathy and show great care and love towards each other and the world we live in.

June 19 – 23
The Clothes Donation Drive by Life Programme collected 870kg of clothes from 113 donors across GELM, GEGM, and GETB to be recycled or upcycled by Kloth Circularity, an organisation that turns waste into new products and resources with higher material value and purpose.

August 26 and September 2
The Gotong Royong with Hospis Malaysia gathered 32 volunteering employees from GELM and GEGM to spend two Saturdays maintaining the NGO’s building. This included the basic cleaning of their medical equipment and surroundings, as well as a fresh coat of paint for their walls.

September 8-10
The Kelab Sukan Great Eastern (KSGE) incorporated a beach cleaning activity for their 50 members as part of the agenda in their 2-day KSGE Annual Trip 2023. The beach cleaning activity took place along the open beaches in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. The team collected almost 300 litres of trash during the 1.5-hour activity.

September 10
The volunteering hours at the home of Taman Sinar Harapan was a humbling experience for volunteers from GELM and GEGM. Our employees partnered with regular volunteers from different organisations to aid the disabled occupants of the home, including maintaining physical hygiene (e.g. clipping nails and haircuts) and cleaning their wards.

Sharing Ramadan blessings through in-kind donations

Following the GREAT Ramadan & GREAT Aidiladha initiative, employees of Great Eastern Malaysia shared their blessings with the residents of Pertubuhan Islam Peribadi Mulia and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Ulul Azmi in the form of in-kind distribution to improve their lives.

Staying true to the purpose of helping people to help one another in times of need, a total collection of RM4,000 has benefited residents. The funds were used to purchase personal and self-care needs, groceries and household items.

The items were handed over in July, in a ceremony held at Pertubuhan Kebajikan Ulul Azmi by the Head of Marketing, Nurul Sheila Khalib, in the presence of the residents, who were delighted with the assistance received. Thank you to the employees of GETB, GELM and GEGM who supported and donated towards this initiative – they have lived up to the spirit of reach for great with the vulnerable community that needs help the most.

The GREAT Aidiladha Programme

GETB participated in Kembara Korban in June, which is a large-scale qurban activity organised by the Yayasan Budi Islam Malaysia (YBIM). GETB contributed two cows worth almost RM12,000. The qurban meat was distributed to six beneficiaries which house the underprivileged communities within Klang Valley.

The qurban meat handover ceremony by YBIM took place at Pusat Pengumpulan Hasil Pertanian where frozen packed meat was handed to GETB representatives. The total contribution of 70kg of qurban meat was frozen to ensure its freshness upon delivery to the respective beneficiaries.

This initiative enabled beneficiaries to celebrate the festivities while living up to the spirit of kindness and Islamic practices associated with Aidiladha.

8 August 2023 – The 1st GREAT Comfund
16 employees from Legal & Corporate Secretariat, Internal Audit, Investment Management, and Human Capital Dept visited Sasana Tresna Werdha Ciracas Nursing Home, Jakarta. In addition to giving donations and basic necessities, they comforted and cheered up the elderly in the nursing home by interacting with them, singing, playing games, and storytelling.

9 August 2023 – The 2nd GREAT Comfund
13 employees from Risk Management & Control Advisory, Compliance and Strategic Planning Office Dept visited the Yayasan Kasih Anak Kanker Indonesia which is a charitable organisation for children with cancer. It was a fun session as the children enjoyed watching a clown perform magic tricks and singing along with the employees. GELI also provided gifts and donations for the children.

11 August 2023 – The 3rd GREAT Comfund
45 employees from the Operations Division provided online financial literacy session for the Hegarmanah Village residents. This is a continuation of the RFG Grant program in January which provided free internet access in Hegarmanah Village. The financial literacy session on the topic of Financial Protection was made possible using the internet installed previously. The session was targeted at helping the residents to develop their businesses more efficiently with good financial management, especially by getting used to a culture of having an emergency fund or insurance.

GELI is committed to helping communities and individuals through such initiatives so that they can realise their own version of Great and Reach for Great.

The planting ceremony was held on 24 August 2023 and was attended by Fauzi Arfan, Finance Director of Great Eastern Life Indonesia, as well as three GREAT Ambassadors from three departments within Great Eastern Life Indonesia. Fauzi Arfan handed three mangrove seedlings to the farmers, encouraging them to help create clean air.

Great Eastern Life Indonesia also conducted a financial literacy session to enable mangrove farmers to better manage their finances. These include managing income, making budget planning, as well as anticipating financial risks, so that they can achieve their financial goals.

The session was presented by Nadia Harsya, who is a Financial Planner, and Fauzi Arfan. From the financial literacy session, the knowledge level of 15 mangrove farmers increased by 69%. Tests were conducted before and after the session to assess how engaged the farmers were.

This tree planting initiative was help to commemorate World Environment Day on 5 June 2023. This is the second year that GEGI has participated in the event.

Aziz Adam Sattar, GEGI President Director, who was present at the event to represent GEGI in planting tree seedlings, stated that he really supports this event because it is very relevant to the company's ESG commitment to take part in efforts to save and preserve the environment.

On 4 August 2023, two weeks before the event, Great Eastern Life Indonesia held an Instagram Live with the theme Reach for a Greater Tomorrow: Collaboration to Support Indonesian Children to Be Great. The inspirational talk via Instagram Live presented by Roy Hendrata Gozalie (Head of Marketing for Great Eastern Life Indonesia), Sumanda Tondang (Director of Fund Development and Communication for SOS Children's Villages Indonesia), and Carla Felany (Ultra Marathon Charity Runner). They shared their perspectives about enabling children to achieve their dreams.

On the day of Run To Care 2023, the Great Eastern Life Indonesia Team was also present to accompany the runners. At the starting line, Great Eastern Life Indonesia provides activation such as social media contests, and a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ with prizes. Participants also receive a race pack.

Roy Hendrata Gozalie, Head of Marketing for Great Eastern Life Indonesia, was also present to encourage the runners as well as flag the start of 288 runners at SOS Children's Village Semarang, Central Java together with Sumanda Tondang, Director of Fund Development and Communications SOS Children's Village Indonesia.

At the finish line, Yungki Aldrin, Compliance Director of Great Eastern Life Indonesia, attended a finisher welcoming ceremony at the Hamba Foundation at Yogyakarta, Central Java on 20 August 2023. On this occasion, Yungki Aldrin not only gave out medals for several finishers, he also received a painting from one of the beneficiaries as a token of gratitude for the support provided by Great Eastern Life Indonesia.

Great Eastern Life Indonesia and The Indonesian Red Cross Society (PMI) held a blood donation drive on 5 July 2023 which was open to all Great Eastern Life Indonesia employees and interested members of the public.

There were 83 participants in total—47 of them were employees. In line with the spirit of Reach for a Greater Tomorrow, this blood donation is expected to help and even save people's lives.

Parenting doesn’t need perfection - it just needs a little help. As parents, nothing beats seeing the happy faces of your little ones. That’s why we created The Great Family Play Day, a full day of fun on 16 July 2023 at the Sports Hub, to help parents create memories and more laughter for (and with) their kids.

It was gratifying to see 600 customers and their families having fun at seven different sports stations, catching candy from the Candy Cannon, and enjoying snacks and drinks together. Their beaming faces said it all as they put their camaraderie and skills to test in achieving their family and individual bests at the games. The young ones were equally involved in activities such as archery, basketball and soccer as they aspired to #ReachforGreat.

We also hosted our friends from Daughters Of Tomorrow and Singapore Cancer Society, the two beneficiaries under Community Chest that are supported by the fundraising efforts of our staff and financial representatives through the Great Eastern Women’s Run 2023. We gave out special goodie bags and lucky draw prizes to further brighten everyone’s day.

If you would like to support these organisations or our fellow colleagues in the fundraising, you may donate generously at: https://www.simplygiving.com/event/gewr2023

Leadership Huddle

At the recent Leadership Huddle in Singapore, over 200 senior leadership team members came together for a day of insightful discussion and sharing. They discussed best practices to shape organisational culture and fostering a collaborative environment guided by our core values. Through the dynamic and experiential session, the leadership team also touched on the importance of building and leveraging on networks amongst different teams in the organisation to achieve our business goals and #ReachForGreat.

Making Life Great (MLG) sessions for all staff have started in July and all divisions would have gone through the session by end of November.

The LIFE Programme celebrates its 10th anniversary this year! Since 2013, this has been a flagship programme at Great Eastern empowering our colleagues to take charge of their personal well-being.

Over the years, this programme has pivoted from physical well-being to encompass a more holistic approach towards total well-being, covering Physical Health, Mental Health, Financial Health and Social Well-Being. In celebration of this significant milestone, we have rolled out “The Perfect 10” this year – 10 special activities to commemorate 10 years of Moving Together as One in shaping wellness in our organisation.

Aromatherapy Workshop

Aromatherapy has been widely known to do wonders for our personal well-being. A specially curated 2-in-1 Fragrance Mist & Aroma Balm workshop was organised for colleagues in Singapore. Through this fun and interactive workshop, our colleagues had the opportunity to take a break from work, recharge and indulge in the soothing power of aromatherapy while fostering meaningful connections with their fellow colleagues. At the end of the session, they were also able to take home their custom scented fragrance mist and aroma balm – much to their delight.

Activity Based Financial Workshop

As part of our focus on holistic well-being, our colleagues in Singapore had the chance to participate in this self-discovery financial workshop, to learn more about their perception of their personal finances and understand how being aware of their behavioural biases can guide them to make more informed financial choices.

DIY Bubble Tea Making Workshop

Bubble Tea has become a go-to drink for many, especially after a long day at work or when you just need a fun and affordable treat to alleviate your negative mood. In conjunction with the opening of the new Wellness Space, colleagues were invited to join in the workshop where they got to learn about the entire tea making process, types of tea and their benefits as well as the chance to customise their very own bubble tea drink while enjoying this fun social activity with colleagues.

New Faces & Opening of New Floors of Great Eastern Life Indonesia’s Office

Great Eastern Life Indonesia's office located on the 5th floor of Menara Karya, has been renovated and transformed into a modern open workspace. Great Eastern Life Indonesia has also grown to occupy an additional floor - the 10th floor at Menara Karya.

The aim was to create an environment that encourages collaboration, communication, and creativity among employees. As a result, the old office layout with cubicles was replaced with an open space design. The corners of the office have been specifically designed to remind us of our sustainability efforts.

To create a delightful experience for employees, a self-service coffee machine from Jump was introduced so that employees can buy coffee easily.

In the office pantry there are posters with various sustainability messages to start a zero-waste lifestyle such as ‘bring your own lunch boxes and cutlery’, ‘bring your own tumbler’, ‘bring your own shopping bags’ as well as messages to avoid food wastage. Even the office toilet has a reminder to use toilet paper wisely for our forest sustainability and not to waste clean water.

This new office was inaugurated by the Board of Directors of Great Eastern Life Indonesia on 22 August 2023, to coincide with the Town Hall 27th Anniversary. The Board Directors consist of Clement Lien Cheong Kiat - President Director, Nina Ong - Director of Bancassurance, Yungki Aldrin - Director of Compliance, and Fauzi Arfan - Director of Finance. Symbolically, Mr. Clement cut the ribbon in front of the new office on the 10th floor of Menara Karya to mark the inauguration of the new office for Great Eastern Life Indonesia.

Who run the world? Girls!

In an impressive display of grit and determination, participants challenged their physical and endurance limits across five sports stations: tyre lift, shuttle run, box jump, battle rope, and plank. It was heartening to see the ladies cheer each other as they surpassed their fitness ceilings and achieved personal bests. The loudest cheers went out for Tay Pei Lei who emerged as the fitness champ. She also topped the box jump category with 87 repetitions. Her tip to those who are starting their fitness journey: start small and be consistent.

A big thank you to all the amazing ladies who joined us for Great 115. You are all winners in our eyes!

A Takaful plan with everlasting benefit for generations to come

Great Eastern Takaful Berhad (GETB) recently launched a new product, i-Great Infiniti. This is a Takaful savings plan that provides monthly cash payment up to the age of 100 (next birthday). It is targeted at pre-retirees, mass affluent, high-net-worth individuals, and parents with young children who want to accumulate and pass on their wealth to the next generation. Up to three generations can benefit from the product through the monthly cash payments, cash value/maturity benefit and the life protection benefit.

i-Great Infiniti features a flexible contribution term of 5, 10, or 20 years and includes a no lapse facility which helps a certificate remain enforced as long as the contribution is paid on time. It does not require participants to undergo medical underwriting.

In conjunction with the launch, GETB ran a campaign from 14 to 31 August 2023 in which i-Great Infiniti was offered with a complementary 10% cashback on contribution paid. An excellent opportunity for those looking to secure the future of their loved ones.

Value-added free will writing for new participants

Launched in January 2023, i-Great Nova was positioned as a high coverage plan with flexible coverage term. Participants can opt for an automatic increase of sum covered every 5 years for their plans by adding on a rider.

The plan features loyalty, compassionate and maturity benefits, as well as additional death benefit during Hajj/Umrah on top of death benefit, and total and permanent disability benefit. It also allows for continuous protection with auto extension of coverage to age 70, 80, or 100 depending on the initial expiry age. Since riders can be attached to the plan, there is great opportunity for customisation.

GETB partnered with Amanah Warisan Berhad (AWARIS), a Malaysian digital and Shariah trustee institution, to provide value-added services to participants of i-Great Nova from 10 July 2023 until 16 September 2023. Through this collaboration, individuals who participate in the plan with a Basic Sum Covered of RM300,000 and above will receive free comprehensive will writing services.

GETB offers an additional family discount in July and August

i-Great MediHarapan offered by Great Eastern Takaful Berhad (GETB was first launched in September 2019, providing medical protection for individuals and their families in times of need and emergency. Campaigns would occasionally be run to increase its attractiveness in the market.

Participants receive a 5% discount when they participate in i-Great MediHarapan with their spouse or family members. From 10 to 30 July 2023, participants who undertook the plan with their spouse and family members received an additional 5% family discount. The campaign was then extended until the end of August due to overwhelming responses from the public.

Participants get to enjoy up to RM200,000 overall annual limit for only RM3.50 daily, depending on the selected Room and Board arrangement and participants’ demographics. The product features unlimited overall lifetime limit, with medical coverage up to age 100 years (next birthday). Participants benefit from the plan as they only have to pay RM300 of the hospital bill per disability. It is indeed a medical plan that goes above and beyond.

To help the sales team reach its achievements in 2023, starting from third quarter 2023, all Regional Bancassurance Manager (RBM), Senior Regional Bancassurance Manager (SRBM) and trainers are invited to attend the Business Communication Training event, at JW Marriott Hotel, Jakarta.

An effective communication strategy is one of the keys to success in achieving the targets for each region. One form of this is by establishing good communication with partner banks and customers. Ivhan Sasmita was a speaker at the event, he’s an expert in various fields, especially insurance and banking. He also led focus group discussion sessions and KPI reviews from each region. In this session, each region is required to present its KPIs for Q3.

The session concluded with Nina Ong as Bancassurance Director inviting the entire sales team to join for dinner while sharing her stories and experiences.

This session is aimed at helping sales teams to achieve their greatest performance at the end of 2023.

GEGI Agency Trip 2023 to Japan

Great Eastern General Insurance Indonesia (GEGI) completed the 2023 GEGI Agency Trip to Japan on 25 August – 1 September 2023 after the Covid pandemic ended. This Agency Trip is an annual activity by GEGI to recognise Top Agents who excel throughout the year. This year, there were 31 participants with the majority being GEGI Top Agents and it became even more lively with the participation of GEGI Directors.

This year's trip has the theme Great Partners for Greatest Achievements, which is a hope for better cooperation to achieve the best results for the Company and its Agents. All agents enjoyed and were impressed with the experience.

Great Wellness Program for Group Insurance Customers

Great Eastern Life Indonesia (GELI) creates innovative programs for Group Insurance customers through the Wellness & Mental Health Program.

GELI organised a Great Wellness Movement with the theme Reach for Great Wellness: Elevate your Wellness Journey on 25 August 2023 at the Thamrin Nine Ballroom aimed at creating a culture of healthy living, improved quality of life, and a reduction in the rate of medical cost increases. This program is one of the added benefits of the Great Eastern Life Indonesia Employee Benefits Program.

The event was attended by 66 participants from 19 companies. It comprised of zumba, a talk from Great Eastern Life Indonesia's partner Good Doctor about Technology-based Health Services (Telemedicine) which can be accessed through the Great Eastern Corporate (GEC) Apps anytime and anywhere, as well as a Cross Fit Challenge. The event concluded with a performance from famous Indonesian singer Delon.

Various partners of Great Eastern Life Indonesia also set up booths at the venue. These include, Optik Melawai that provided free eye check-up for participants, Audy Dental booth that provided a free dental check-up, and Bio-Test that provided simple screening.

The Great Wellness Movement promotes a culture of healthy living for all Group Insurance customers.

Kudos to our team from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia for clinching six wins at this year’s Insurance Asia Awards held on 27 July!

These awards are testaments to our commitments to customers as a trusted name in insurance, and to our workforce in providing them opportunities to learn, grow and make a difference.

• Health Insurance Initiative of the Year – Singapore
• Digital Transformation Initiative of the Year – Singapore
• Education Insurance Initiative of the Year – Singapore
• Digital Transformation Initiative of the Year – Indonesia
• ESG Initiative of the Year – Indonesia
• Sustainable Takaful Initiative of the Year – Malaysia

Malaysia

Great Eastern Takaful bagged the Most Valuable Brand Award

Great Eastern Takaful (GETB) was awarded the Most Valuable Brand – Takaful Solutions by The BrandLaureate BestBrands Awards 2022/2023.

The awards recognise outstanding brands on an international platform.

Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand Award

GELM won Gold in the Reader's Digest Trusted Brand Award 2023 under the category of Life Insurance for the 20th consecutive year and Health Insurance for the 6th consecutive year.

Indonesia

1. Insurance Market Leader Awards 2023 by Media Asuransi
Great Eastern Life Indonesia acknowledged as Life Insurance Market Leaders 2023 in the Insurance Market Leaders Award 2023 organised by Media Asuransi.

2. Best Insurance Awards 2023 by B-Universe Media Holdings
Great Eastern Life Indonesia won the Best Insurance Awards 2023 for the 4th consecutive year.

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