NTUC Launches First Workplace Safety Community Of Practice For Hospitality And Consumer Businesses

• The community of practice, formed in partnership between NTUC and Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO), also comprises unions, safety experts and industry leaders
• NTUC also signed three separate Memorandum of Understanding with Global Sustainable Tourism Council; international tea brand, CHAGEE; and AI Singapore, to boost job prospects of workers

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) launched the first Community of Practice (CoP) for the Hospitality and Consumer Business (HCB) sector¹ at the inaugural HCB Symposium today. In partnership with the Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO), this pioneering initiative with NTUC brings together unions, safety experts, and industry leaders to strengthen Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) standards across the sector, driving best practices and safer workplaces for both workers and businesses.

This initiative was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Mr Andy Lim, Chairman, HCB Cluster & Vice-President, Central Committee, NTUC; and Mr Bernard Lew, President, Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO). It was witnessed by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Ng Chee Meng, Secretary-General, NTUC; Ms Adeline Ng, Director, Workplace Safety & Health Institute (WSHI); and Mr Winston Yew, Director, Industry Development, Workplace Safety & Health Council (WSHC).

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said, “Our unions play a vital role in uniting the perspectives of workers and employers. They provide a crucial platform for employees to voice concerns and collaborate with companies on effective safety measures. A safe workplace is every worker’s right, as it enables workers to focus on their tasks, significantly boosting productivity and fostering a resilient workforce in the Hospitality and Consumer Business sector.”

CoP by NTUC and SISO: Enhancing Safety of Workers in the HCB sector

The new CoP by NTUC and SISO will curate relevant content for HCB WSH CoP sessions, focusing on addressing key sector-specific issues like slip, trip, and fall hazards, working at height risks, including and beyond other safety risks as advised by Ministry of Manpower or WSHC.

The CoP will also identify and drive adoption of innovative WSH technologies among companies to eliminate the need for workers to engage in hazardous tasks, improve workers’ situational awareness and minimise the risk of workplace accidents.

Additionally, the partnership will foster knowledge transfers between workers through curated learning journeys, fireside chats and networking session. This ultimately aims to strengthen safety culture across the HCB sector and equip companies and workers with essential skills to maintain safe workplaces.

Looking ahead, the MOU with SISO will strengthen WSH standards in the HCB sector and set a foundation for similar initiatives in other sectors, driving a culture of safety and continuous improvement for both companies and workers.

Andy Lim, Chairman, HCB Cluster & Vice-President, Central Committee, NTUC said, “The Community of Practice is a proactive, hands-on approach to addressing safety in the Hospitality and Consumer Business sector. By working together on practical areas like risk assessment and adopting safety solutions, we are equipping workers and companies with a robust foundation for safe practices. These efforts would help to create a culture of safety that adapts to the unique demands of our industry, ensuring that safety is always at the forefront of operations.”

NTUC’s Partnerships with GSTC, CHAGEE and AISG: Expanding Skills and Job Opportunities for HCB Workers

In addition to the CoP, NTUC signed three other MOUs aimed at supporting worker upskilling and job creation within the HCB sector. The first MOU is between NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC); the second is between NTUC and CHAGEE, an international tea beverage brand; and third between NTUC and AI Singapore (AISG). These different MOUs reflect NTUC’s commitment to enhancing skills development and career advancement for workers.

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng added, “Beyond the new CoP, NTUC’s partnerships demonstrate our commitment to empower workers through skills upgrading and creating new job opportunities. Together, these initiatives improve workers' welfare, support career growth, and ultimately help them achieve better wages and a more sustainable future.”

The three MOUs aim to achieve the following:

1. NTUC LHUB and GSTC – Upskill Workers with Sustainable Tourism Training in the Hospitality and Tourism Sector

   The MOU between NTUC LHUB and GSTC aims to upskill workers, including those in the HCB sector, through specialised training in sustainable practices. As part of the collaboration, NTUC LHUB will offer a variety of programmes contextualised for the Singapore market, focusing on enhancing skills specific to tourism and events managemen². In addition, the two organisations will co-develop new programmes, such as the GSTC Sustainable Attractions Course and the GSTC Sustainability 101, to provide essential knowledge in sustainability for tourism professionals³.

   The collaboration will help enhance workers’ employability and job prospects within both local and international companies based in Singapore, enabling businesses to better meet market demands through a more skilled workforce.

    

2. NTUC and CHAGEE – Create 1,000 New Jobs by 2025 and Develop a Skilled Workforce

   The MOU between NTUC and CHAGEE aims to enhance the wages, welfare, and career prospects of CHAGEE’s existing workforce through various NTUC offerings such as NTUC’s Company Training Committee (CTC) and tapping on NTUC’s Training and Placement Ecosystem (TPE). The partnership will identify the business and training needs of the company and its workers to ensure that customised training programmes are created to align with industry standards and designed to meet their business objectives.

   CHAGEE is committed to creating 1,000 new jobs by 2025, with NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) leading recruitment outreach to support these hiring efforts. This will provide employment opportunities for workers in the HCB cluster of unions, strengthening the workforce within the HCB sector and contributing to its overall economic growth.

   In addition, CHAGEE is planning to launch its first ‘Silent Store’ in Singapore. Operated by deaf employees, the ‘Silent Store’ will provide a space that champions inclusivity. CHAGEE will partner NTUC and adopt assistive technologies funded by the CTC Grant to augment the service experience within the store.

    

3. NTUC and AISG – Provide Opportunities to Upskill Workers to Leverage Artificial Intelligence
   
   The MOU between NTUC and AISG aims to educate companies who have formed CTCs with NTUC on Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), including offering advisory AI workshops such as AISG’s “AI Ready Clinics For Leaders” programme. AISG will also provide a unique AI Readiness Index (AIRI) assessment tool, allowing NTUC to facilitate and assess companies’ AI maturity assessment as part of the CTC initiative.
   
   As companies learn how to adopt AI to enhance their business operations, workers will stand to benefit from increased opportunities to upskill to adapt to new AI tools and processes. This will enable them to effectively contribute to the evolving needs of the workplace and enhance productivity in AI-driven workplaces.

Inaugural HCB Symposium – Driving Business and Workforce Transformation Through Emerging Technologies and AI

Themed The Power of Emerging Technology & AI in Driving Business & Workforce Transformation, the symposium today focused on how companies can leverage the use of emerging technologies and AI to drive business and workforce transformation. It was attended by over 300 industry stakeholders, including business leaders, HR professionals, industry experts, and union representatives from the HCB sector.

To date, more than 300 CTCs have been formed within the HCB sector. Through 86 approved CTC Grant projects, companies have adopted technologies such as cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, point-of-sales (POS) systems, human resource management systems (HRMS), and smart warehousing to drive efficiency and business productivity. These initiatives have committed to benefit about 1,260 workers through either an average wage increase of five per cent and/or a structured Career Development Plan (CDP), strengthening workforce capabilities across the cluster.