4 July 2024, Singapore – Singapore sustainability non-profit EB Impact and Singapore-listed real estate giant, City Developments Limited has unveiled a new Youth Innovation Hub at Republic Plaza which will be a dedicated space for sustainability innovation in Singapore.

The Hub, which serves as EB Impact’s new home, will be a dedicated space for the non-profit’s wide range of programmes, including its flagship Sustainability Exchange youth mentorship initiative, networking opportunities, mentorship meetings, engagements and events that empower individuals to address critical sustainability challenges.

Situated at the heart of Singapore’s Central Business District, the Youth Innovation Hub will serve as a vibrant centre for EB Impact’s activities and will be open to their wider network of youths for collaborative use.  

EB Impact’s flagship programmes include the highly successful Sustainability Media Academy which focuses on media and communication education, and its newest initiative, the Sustainability Education Grant, which provides financial aid to underserved youths pursuing sustainability.  

EB Impact’s programmes have developed a strong alumni network who will also greatly benefit from the space, through continued learning opportunities such as workshops, and discussions where alumni can share their insights and meaningfully engage with one another.

“Empowering youths as a force for change to drive climate action and sustainable innovations has been CDL’s long-standing commitment.  We are excited that the Incubator4SDG space at Republic Plaza will embark on a new journey with EB Impact to enable youths to accelerate action and collaboration for positive causes,” shared Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer, CDL.

“EB Impact is thrilled to collaborate with CDL on this new Youth Innovation Hub, which will be our new home for our programmes. It will serve as a much-needed community space that offer those in our ecosystem an opportunity to collaborate, meet and host initiatives, to further scale the impact of their projects and this youth-driven community,” said Jessica Cheam, founder and chair of the board, EB Impact.

To mark the opening of the new Hub, EB Impact also launched the fourth edition of Sustainability Exchange programme, a mentorship programme connecting youth-led initiatives with mentors who are seasoned professionals to solve specific sustainability problem statements aligned with Singapore’s Green Plan.

A 2023 study by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) reveals a surge of over 100 ground-ups; projects initiated by the public to tackle various issues, emerged during the pandemic. Of this number, over half are led by youths between 18 to 34 years old.

Sustainability Exchange taps into a groundswell of youth-led climate and sustainability initiatives in Singapore. In the fourth edition, the programme will welcome youths working on both new and established projects. This season will also feature new upskilling workshops in essential areas such as leadership succession, vision planning and fundraising.

EB Impact and its wide range of partners will work with these teams to further advance and scale their impact for the community, with measurable results and ensure their longevity as a grassroots organisation. Applications, which open today, seeks youths looking for a home and community support for their projects.

The programme will offer mentorship from seasoned sector-specific mentors, workshops for capacity building, a strong network of alumni and a grand finale where all teams can compete for funding will continue to be part of the programme.  

EB Impact’s new innovation hub will be open to all youths in the programme as a meeting and working space to collaborate.

“We are thrilled to be launching our fourth edition of Sustainability Exchange here in this space and are grateful for the support of our partners CDL, Meta and OCBC who have made this flagship platform available for Singapore youths to be empowered and provided with the tools and resources they need to contribute to solving specific challenges in the communities around them,” added Cheam.

Since its inception in 2020, Meta has been a key partner of the Sustainability Exchange. It is continuing its partnership for the fourth year, underscoring its dedication to providing youths with a platform to develop new skills and contribute to sustainable development. OCBC will also return to support the programme for a third season, providing our youth participants with the crucial seed funding needed to test new ideas or enhanced solutions through its #OCBCCares Environment Fund.

Ms Koh Ching Ching, Head of Group Brand & Communications, OCBC shares: “We are pleased to support Sustainability Exchange for the third year in a row. The funding from the #OCBCCares Environment Fund has helped to germinate and breathe life to ideas that our community can adopt to fight climate change.”  

“One of my favourite ideas from last year’s projects is that which encourages a culture of reducing waste and repairing spoiled items through a one-stop platform that diagnoses issues, provides solutions and links users with suitable repairers. I look forward to more creative solutions that can drive sustainable change in our daily lives,” she added.

Over the years, Sustainability Exchange has cultivated fertile ground for impactful ideas to flourish and make a tangible difference in our society. The programme has positively impacted more than 165 youths, onboarded 47 mentors from various sectors, and provided $150,000 in funding across the previous three seasons. Teams that received seed funding have focused on diverse sustainability challenges in Singapore, such as energy efficiency, human-wildlife conflict, household waste, food security, and electronic waste management.  

EB Impact is also excited to launch a new editorial series in partnership with Asian sustainable development media platform Eco-Business. This series will spotlight the inspiring journeys of the past winners of Sustainability Exchange who received seed funding from OCBC and have begun implementing their projects. Through these stories, EB Impact and its partners will showcase the transformative potential of youth-led sustainability initiatives.

With the opening of EB Impact’s new Youth Innovation Hub and the launch of Sustainability Exchange Season Four, EB Impact and its partners are committed to developing a robust ecosystem for the next generation of sustainability leaders.

Applications open

Sustainability Exchange starts accepting applications today. Interested mentors and youth-led sustainability initiatives are invited to apply for ‘Sustainability Exchange Season 4’ from now till the application closes on 28 July 2024.  

To apply as a youth individual or team, please click here.  

To apply as a mentor, please click here.

Booking Form: Youth Innovation Hub

If you are a youth interested in utilising the Youth Innovation Hub, click here.

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Note to Editors:

All media coverage on the event should include a mention of Sustainability Exchange, an initiative by EB Impact, in partnership with CDL, Meta, and OCBC. View the full programme here.

For media inquiries, interviews and photos, please contact:

Kaamela Barvin
kaamela.barvin@ebimpact.org  
Community and Marketing Manager
EB Impact
(+65) 9666 0064
1 Rochester Park, #03-01, Rochester Commons, Singapore 139212

About EB Impact

EB Impact is the non-profit arm of Eco-Business, focused on delivering training and programmes to Asia Pacific’s underserved communities with a focus on youth to generate positive sustainable development impact. We are headquartered in Singapore with a strategic focus on Education and Youth. All our programmes are designed to directly generate positive environment and social impact for society.  

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About Meta

Founded in 2004, Meta’s mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Meta is now moving beyond 2D screens, exploring immersive experiences, like augmented, virtual and mixed reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.  

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About OCBC

OCBC is the longest established Singapore bank, formed in 1932 from the merger of three local banks, the oldest of which was founded in 1912. It is now the second largest financial services group in Southeast Asia by assets and one of the world’s most highly rated banks, with an Aa1 rating from Moody’s. Recognised for its financial strength and stability,  

OCBC is consistently ranked among the World’s Top 50 Safest Banks by Global Finance and has been named Best Managed Bank in Singapore and the Asia Pacific by The Asian Banker.

OCBC and its subsidiaries offer a broad array of commercial banking, specialist financial and wealth management services, ranging from consumer, corporate, investment, private and transaction banking to treasury, insurance, asset management and stockbroking services.

OCBC’s key markets are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Greater China. It has over 610 branches and representative offices in 18 countries and regions. These include the more than 330 branches and offices in Indonesia under subsidiary Bank OCBC NISP, and 100 branches and offices in Hong Kong, China and Macau under OCBC Wing Hang

OCBC’s private banking services are provided by its wholly-owned subsidiary Bank of Singapore, which operates on a unique open-architecture product platform to source for the best-in-class products to meet its clients’ goals.

OCBC’s insurance subsidiary, Great Eastern Holdings, is the oldest and most established life insurance group in Singapore and Malaysia. Its asset management subsidiary, Lion Global Investors, is one of the largest private sector asset management companies in Southeast Asia.  

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About City Developments Limited

City Developments Limited (CDL) is a leading global real estate company with a network spanning 163 locations in 29 countries and regions. CDL’s aim is to be recognised by customers, employees, and peers as an innovative creator of quality and sustainable spaces. CDL values innovation, collaboration, and integrity.  

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About Sustainability Exchange

Sustainability Exchange is a youth-mentorship programme by EB Impact which facilitates knowledge-sharing between corporates and the youth community. This initiative allows for youths to tap on the mentors’ vast industry experiences and to gain valuable insights in the sustainability space, while allowing for corporate mentors to work alongside the youth talents, generating innovative solutions that seeks to address Singapore’s climate and sustainability issues.