Singapore, 20 October 2018 – In support of United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), City Developments Limited (CDL) has organised the inaugural SDG City Challenge (SDGCC) held this morning, with support from partners such as Building and Construction Authority (BCA), Health Promotion Board (HPB) and Sport Singapore (SportSG).

About 1,000 participants took part in SDGCC, including C-Suite and senior executives from major corporations and government agencies1, as well as their friends and family members across diverse ages. In addition to an Eco-Treasure Hunt at CDL’s City Square Mall, they tackled various fitness challenges such as a 34-storey vertical race, an ActiveSG obstacle course and an 800-metre walk-and-jog at South Beach (CDL’s joint venture mixed development).

Attendees were also treated to a fun-filled carnival at South Beach with 18 booths by ActiveSg, Edible Garden City, Green Is the New Black, HPB, StrawFree Singapore and Uglyfood to raise awareness about an eco-conscious and healthy lifestyle.

A first-of-its-kind People, Private and Public (3P) sectors partnership to promote the UN SDGs in Singapore, SDGCC contributes towards SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 17 (Partnership for The Goals). They are part of 17 UN SDGs set by the UN General Assembly in 2015. The SDGs have garnered the support of 193 nations including Singapore, with a collective aim to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. Furthermore, the strong turn-out for SDGCC including infants, toddlers and active agers above 70 years old is in line with the UN SDGs’ “Leave No One Behind” agenda.

Mr Sherman Kwek, Group Chief Executive Officer of CDL, said, “As part of our ethos of ‘Conserving as we Construct’, CDL strives to fulfil our role as a developer of spaces, lives and communities. We believe that a sustainable built environment will provide high quality spaces for people to live, work and play. Through SDGCC, we hope to encourage participants to adopt the SDGs in their daily lives and better understand how healthy lifestyles, green buildings and eco-friendly practices are intricately connected for a sustainable future.”

Mr Hugh Lim, Chief Executive Officer of BCA, said, “BCA firmly believes that companies have an important role to play in providing healthier and greener workplaces for the well-being of their employees. Green Mark buildings enjoy better air quality according to a recent study by the National University of Singapore. This translates to a better working environment for occupants. For interior office fit-outs, we encourage companies to take on new BCA-HPB Green Mark for Healthier Workplaces scheme to demonstrate their commitment towards providing healthier workplaces for their employees and protecting the environment.”

Mr Zee Yoong Kang, CEO of HPB, said: “We are delighted to be part of the inaugural SDG City Challenge. An active and healthy lifestyle is a key contributor to well-being, which in turn supports the development of a liveable city. As Singaporean adults spend the majority of their day at work, the workplace is a key touchpoint in supporting our people in leading a healthy lifestyle. It is through strong partnerships with building developers like CDL, that we can positively affect workplaces, by bringing health programmes and activities to more workplace clusters. This will make healthy living more accessible, impacting the health of more workers.”

Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO of SportSG, said, “This collaboration reinforces the importance of embracing ownership of one’s health and well-being. Our people are Singapore’s key strength. SportSG is glad to have like-minded partners like CDL that believe sport is a strategy for resilient communities now and for the future.”

More information on CDL’s sustainability efforts can be found at www.cdlsustainability.com.

1 These include ActiveSG, Barclays, BCA, CBM, CBRE, CDL, DBS, EY, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, HPB, JLL, JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach, KPMG, National Parks Board, North West Community Development Council, National University of Singapore, ONG&ONG, Orchard Hotel Singapore, Seagate, Sembcorp Marine, Sport Singapore, Ssangyong Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd, W Singapore – Sentosa Cove.