New Hope Community Services HQ
Blk 148 Yishun Street 11, #01-123
Singapore 760148
Tel : +65 6305 9620
Fax : +65 6755 3684
Good corporate governance should be weaved through every aspect of New Hope Community Services (New Hope CS)—our people, culture, and our public face. Integrity is what defines us and determines how we work. Therefore, in New Hope CS, good corporate governance extends far beyond the yearly ‘Code of Governance’ submission. It is not a bonus. Having a robust ethical foundation is at the heart of what makes us successful.
We have received the Charity Council’s Charity Transparency Award every year from 2016 – 2022, apart from 2020 and 2021 when the award took a hiatus. We were also honoured to be awarded the 2017 Charity Governance Award for charities in the mid-sized category. This award is the highest governance award that can be conferred to a charity and recognises its exemplary governance standards and practices.
We are committed to high standards of corporate governance. New Hope CS has complied with all the applicable guidelines of the Code of Governance Evaluation Checklist for Charities and Institutions of a Public Character. The complete checklist can be found at: www.charities.gov.sg
Our Constitution is available at the Registry of Societies.
New Hope CS is governed by a Board whose members are elected according to the Constitution. Presently, the Board comprises the:
They bring with them skills and abilities in diverse areas such as legal, finance, accounting, audit, business and management, human resource, communications, fundraising and technology. The Board charts the strategic directions of New Hope CS and ensures that we are run well and responsibly, so that we can continue to be effective, credible, and sustainable.
Board Members do not receive any remuneration for their involvement in any way. None of the Board Members held staff appointments. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is an ex-officio member who has the right to attend all Board and Committee meetings but does not participate in the Board’s decision making. The Board must meet at least four times a year. The attendance of Board Members can be found in the latest annual report.
The Board has established seven Board Committees that look into specific areas and ensure key matters are given increased time and scrutiny.
Audit & Risks Committee
The Audit and Risks Committee shall assist the Board of New Hope CS in fulfilling its responsibility to provide oversight of management regarding:
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee shall assist the Board of New Hope CS in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities relating to fiscal management by:
Giving Committee
The Giving Committee shall assist the Board of New Hope CS to optimise the engagement of partners, donors, stakeholders, and volunteers to increase giving in time, talents, treasures, and testimonies. The key objectives of the committee are to:
Human Capital & Nomination Committee
The Human Capital & Nomination Committee shall assist the Board of New Hope CS in:
Kampung Siglap Committee
The Kampung Siglap (KS) Committee shall assist the Board of New CS to:
Programmes & Services Committee
The Programmes and Services Committee shall assist the Board of New Hope CS to develop programmes and services and monitor performance against the organisation’s mission and strategic plan. It will:
Technology Committee
The Technology Committee shall assist the Board of New Hope CS to:
According to the Board Policy Manual, board composition is regularly reviewed and discussed whenever there are changes. In addition, all Board Members are required to submit themselves for re-nomination and re-appointment at the end of their two-year term according to the Constitution Article 8.2 & Article 8.3. There is no automatic renewal of term for all Board Members. The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer may be re-elected to the same or related post for another consecutive term of office (i.e. 2+2 years), capped at a maximum of two terms for the same role. After a two consecutive terms as the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer role, any re-appointment may only be considered after a lapse of at least two years. Currently, no Board Member has served more than ten consecutive years.
The Board conducts regular self-evaluation to assess its performance and effectiveness. Board Members attend relevant training to develop key competencies and keep abreast of relevant new laws and regulatory requirements. The Board proactively plans and conducts reviews for Board succession and renewal, and refines its strategy annually as well as whenever there are changes to the Board. The latest Board self-evaluation was conducted in January 2022.
The Board endeavours to ensure that there is an appropriate mix of core competencies and collective expertise to provide the necessary knowledge and objective judgment to meet its responsibilities. Board Members are recruited via suitable and qualified recommendations from our community partners, key stakeholders, and corporate volunteers. In addition, New Hope CS also considers potential candidates from the Centre for Non-profit Leadership Board Match programme. Board and Committee Members are recommended based on the following considerations:
The Human Capital & Nomination Committee identifies and reviews individuals who may potentially serve as Members, ensuring consistency with the applicable qualifications or criteria, and makes recommendations to the Board for approving candidates for nomination, appointment, and re-election.
New Hope CS' strategic thrusts and priorities outlined in the strategic plan 'Vision 2025' serve as guideposts in our pursuit of excellence. The Board regularly sets aside time to review, update, and approve our Vision, Mission and Values, ensuring each remain relevant to the changing sector environment and needs. These are communicated to relevant stakeholders and the public through various platforms, including the annual report and corporate website.
The Board reviews and approves strategic plans, and outcomes of New Hope CS programmes and services. The Management Team has developed an evaluation system that measures the effectiveness of its programmes through alignment with the funder’s outcomes and regular monitoring. The outcomes are also clearly defined to align with New Hope CS’ mission and objectives. The Management Team regularly updates the Board on the progress of its programmes and services through Board meetings or Committee meetings, and town halls.
The Programmes & Services Committee annually assesses New Hope CS’ success in any programme-related goals, as articulated in the mission and strategic plan adopted by the Board. All new significant programmes, services and initiatives are reviewed by the Programmes & Services Committee before recommendation to the Board for implementation.
The Board and those who oversee organisational governance matters are responsible for ensuring an effective system of internal controls to safeguard stakeholders’ interests and New Hope CS’ assets.
The Finance and Admin departments ensure that operations comply with the policies and procedures set out in the Internal Financial Controls and Processes Manual. The documented procedures for financial matters are in key areas including:
Reviews are conducted regularly to ensure effective functioning of the internal controls and processes.
The annual budget is prepared by the Finance department with inputs from the different departments, and reviewed by the Finance Committee before submission to the Board for approval. The annual Budget is updated where necessary at mid-year.
As part of internal controls, all purchases of more than $3,000 require three quotations to be obtained before approval of purchase and if there is any waiver, documented reasons and supporting documents must be obtained for approval.
Quarterly financial statements including comparative budget of New Hope CS, with analysis and explanations given for discrepancies, are first reviewed by the Finance Committee to identify unusual items and transactions as well as deviations from the annual budget before presentation at the Board meeting for review.
The investment policy approved by the Board sets out the objective, approved investment assets classes and Board reviews regarding any reserves invested. New Hope CS invests its reserves in low-risk investments such as Singapore Dollars fixed deposits held with full banks and finance companies in Singapore which are members of the Deposit Insurance Scheme (SDIC Scheme members).
The reserves are made up of unrestricted and restricted funds. New Hope CS targets up to a maximum of two years of operating expenses to ensure the charity’s ability to serve its clients are not subjected to the vagaries of the economy. New Hope CS endeavours to utilise the restricted funds within the next two years.
New Hope CS has established guidelines on fundraising. These guidelines are based on the best practices set out by NCSS and the Charity Council. All collections received (solicited or unsolicited) are properly accounted for and promptly deposited. New Hope CS does not disclose the identity of donors or share information on donors without prior permission from the donors. New Hope CS does not engage any third-party fundraisers.
New Hope CS' Board Members, staff and volunteers observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities relating to New Hope CS. As representatives of New Hope CS, individuals must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling their responsibilities and comply with all applicable laws and regulations. The Board has set in place a whistle-blowing policy, available for viewing on New Hope CS' corporate website: newhopecs.org.sg/whistleblowing-policy
The Board has approved documented Code of Conduct & Ethics for all Board Members, staff and volunteers. The Code of Conduct & Ethics is aligned to New Hope CS’ core values, Respect, Integrity, Compassion and Excellence.
New Hope CS has zero risk appetite for non-disclosure and entering into conflicting transactions. All employees, key executives and Board Members of New Hope CS shall provide a disclosure of their interests in all other organisations in which they are board members, have control or have a substantial shareholding or monetary interest to the Board when they are newly employed or appointed and whenever there are updates. In the event of potential or existing conflicts of interest, disclosure will be made in full and the party involved shall abstain from any discussion and decision on the matter.
A Conflict of Interest Policy and declaration is distributed to all Board members and staff. In addition, all staff and Board Members are required to declare on an annual basis that he or she does not have any personal or private business or associates that might be in a conflict to their functions or employment with New Hope CS. There is no known family relationship of the executive staff with any of the Board Members. No known conflict of interest arose during the year.
Under the direction of the Human Capital & Nomination Committee, New Hope CS ensures that the organisation has policies and procedures that continue to attract, retain and motivate social service professionals who have the abilities, experience and traits to restore HOPE to the displaced and disadvantaged. New Hope CS is also committed to the learning and development needs of Board Members, staff and volunteers, and believes in equipping them with the necessary skills to perform their roles effectively.
New Hope CS has put in place a performance management system where staff set and assess their own annual goals, with the guidance of their supervisors and management. The goals set by individuals are aligned to the goals that support New Hope CS’ strategic plans. Staff performance is reviewed on an on-going basis by the heads of departments and documented at least twice per year. Performance-related components in the remuneration package are linked to fulfilling specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound targets in line with New Hope CS' strategic objectives.
The Human Capital & Nomination Committee makes recommendations to the Board for changes in the human resource policies for staff that cover recruitment, remuneration, benefits, training and development, performance appraisal, disciplinary actions, and cessation of employment.
New Hope CS has documented Volunteer Management (VM) policies consisting of volunteers planning, selection, onboarding, training, supporting, and recognising volunteers. In VM strategic planning, the VM team primarily seeks to understand the needs of the organisation, identify the areas requiring volunteer support, and plan the next phases of the volunteer cycles. Volunteer recruitment occurs via referrals, NVPC's Giving.sg platform, approaches from the public and completed application forms. Briefings and orientation are conducted to prepare our volunteers for their identified tasks and roles. These briefings allow volunteers to clarify any questions they have about us, their roles, expected responsibilities and risk awareness. Tours are also conducted where necessary for volunteers to familiarise themselves with the specific volunteering environment. Regular check-ins and feedback with the volunteers are made to support the volunteers in terms of resources, feedback, and engagement.
Appropriate background checks on Board Members, staff, and volunteers are carried out by the relevant committees and teams, including the Human Capital & Nomination Committee, the Management Team, Human Resource team and VM team.
The Board has established procedures relating to releasing information about New Hope CS and its activities to the media, its stakeholders, and the public. The Board designates the CEO as the spokesperson for New Hope CS.
New Hope CS has various policies and processes to comply with the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA). Data is used only for purposes disclosed unless otherwise permitted under the law. Reasonable security arrangements are also in place to comply with the ten obligations of PDPA. In addition, New Hope CS has been Data Protection Trustmark certified by IMDA since February 2019, and was re-certified in February 2022.
The Board has established procedures and systems to identify, regularly monitor, review and manage any major risks that New Hope CS may be exposed to.
Risk management is incorporated into all areas of New Hope CS’ operations, including legal and compliance, strategic and operational health and safety, quality processes, social work programmes, technology and corporate governance at all levels.
Risk management is the responsibility of the Board, management, staff, and volunteers in all areas of New Hope CS. All have a significant role in the management of risk within their area of influence. Staff and volunteers are responsible for adhering to New Hope CS’ Risk Management Policy, Risk Management Procedure and all other New Hope CS key governance documents. Managers and supervisors will ensure that staff understand their responsibilities and assist in fostering a risk-aware culture. Regular training and assistance will be provided to relevant staff to assist with risk management.
New Hope Community Services HQ
Blk 148 Yishun Street 11, #01-123
Singapore 760148
Tel : +65 6305 9620
Fax : +65 6755 3684
