«DBS Food Forest,» a community farm conceptualized in partnership with Edible Garden City, is expected to grow over 50 varieties of edible plants and herbs.
DBS today announced plans to develop Singapore’s first community farm in a bank at its DBS Asia Hub building in Changi Business Park, which it hopes will «create accessible, hands-on farming opportunities at the workplace and help nurture a new crop of citizen farmers among its employees.»
In a statement on Wednesday, the bank said the initiative is a «commitment to sustainability, responsible business practices, green design, employee engagement, as well as the productive use of space.»
The community farm, which is expected to open by the end of the year, will include an on-site composting system and provide a supply of fresh plants and herbs to the bank's in-house cafeteria. DBS employees will be involved in activities such as weeding, maintenance and harvesting, the announcement said.
Virtuous Circle
«Our aim is to spark a virtuous circle, with our employees positively influencing their families and friends, which in turn leads to more edible gardens blooming across the island. We believe that small steps can make a big difference, and we want to spark change by raising the community’s awareness of the amount of effort needed to grow what we eat, and ultimately foster a more mindful approach towards food,» Shee Tse Koon, DBS Singapore Country Head, said about the bank's support of sustainable food systems.
DBS said it plans to start more of such community farms at its various office locations in Singapore and in the region.
