Be Well, Lead Well: Mental Wellbeing as a Business Strategy

****CEO-Dialogue - by invitation only****

Are you a CEO of a SwedCham member company and interested in participating in this dialogue?

Please contact Lisa Ferraton at lisa.ferraton@swedcham.sg

Singapore's local economy loses an estimated S$15.7 billion annually to lost productivity due to stress and anxiety, yet businesses are still slow to prioritise workplace wellbeing. In a recent parliamentary address​, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong recognised mental health and wellbeing as a key priority on the national agenda.

By prioritising the mental wellbeing of their workforce, businesses foster a more supportive and inclusive environment where employees feel valued, understood, and empowered to perform at their best. Investing in mental health initiatives not only enhances employee satisfaction and retention but also reduces absenteeism and healthcare costs associated with untreated mental health conditions. Moreover, a workplace culture that champions mental wellbeing cultivates creativity, resilience, and innovation, driving long-term business growth and sustainability. As mental health continues to gain prominence in the corporate agenda, organisations embracing it as a core business strategy are poised to thrive in the evolving landscape of the twenty-first century.

To spotlight the crucial issue of mental health, eight European Chambers have united for this event, recognising it as a priority for our senior leaders to explore. By teaming up with WorkWell Leaders​, a prominent non-profit in Singapore dedicated to championing workplace wellbeing, we aim to create a platform for CEOs to engage in meaningful discussions and explore how they can lead the change within their organisations to foster positive transformations surrounding mental health.

We are delighted to have Suyeon Kim​, Country President, AstraZeneca Singapore​, Boudewijn Pesch​, Vice President APAC, Axis Communications ​and Li-San Tan​, CEO, National Council of Social Service​ (NCSS) with us for this panel discussion, which will be moderated by Anthea Ong​, Founder & Chairperson of WorkWell Leaders​. We will explore why mental health is an integral part of sound business strategy by addressing a number of important topics, including:

• How can leaders drive cultural transformation from the top down?
• How can CEOs keep employee wellbeing high on the agenda, when many industries demand short-term performance optimisation against a need for longer-term transformation?
• What should be the role of middle managers in addressing mental health?

Panelists will touch on these topics and many more while sharing their own insights and challenges in their respective mental health journeys.

NB: This event is open to participating Chambers' CEOs by invitation only.

Agenda:

8.15-8:30 am: Registration and light breakfast

8.30-8:35 am: Welcome note - Priit Turk,​ Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to Singapore

8:35 am: Brief introduction - Lisa Ferraton​, General Manager, Swedish Chamber of Commerce Singapore​

8.40 am: The workplace wellbeing landscape in Singapore - Li-San Tan​, CEO, NCSS​

8.50 am: Dialogue on why workplace wellbeing is an essential CEO strategy for business growth - panelists and audience

9:50 am: Closing remarks by Nele Cornelis​, Executive Director, European Chamber of Commerce (Singapore)​.

A heartfelt thank you to the Estonian Business Hub ​and the Estonian Embassy in Singapore​for generously allowing us to host this event at their venue. The Estonian Business Hub in Singapore and its activities are funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU​.