May Day Awards 2018: Meritorious Service – conferred on persons, who after having received the Friend of Labour Award, continue to make outstanding contributions for three years or more to the Labour Movement.
By Shukry Rashid
Currently an executive director of Wing Tai Holdings Limited, Tan Hwee Bin has been concurrently serving the Labour Movement in many ways since 2006.
With a background in accountancy and management, Hwee Bin has guided the Singapore Labour Foundation (SLF) in sound management of its finances and investments.
As member and subsequently chairman of the SLF Audit and Risk Committee, Hwee Bin has helped ensure that the SLF Group continues to put in place a robust framework for risk management and adopt good corporate governance practices.
This has also enhanced the integrity of the SLF Group’s financial processes and procedures, and its functioning of internal controls.
Leader of Health
Besides serving with SLF, Hwee Bin is also involved with NTUC Health. As its chairman, she has seen the social enterprise through periods of significant developments that include the integration of NTUC Eldercare and NTUC Unity Healthcare into NTUC Health in 2014 – this was to build on the expertise of the two co-operatives and to do more for working families.
She led NTUC Health into the nursing home sector, and wellness and chronic disease management services against the backdrop of an ageing population. She also led NTUC Health’s board on strategic business decisions and encouraged the team to expand NTUC Health’s reach to create greater social impact in health and community care.
Under her leadership, NTUC Health is today the largest provider of an integrated suite of health and eldercare services in Singapore.
A Fair Price for All
Hwee Bin served as a director in NTUC FairPrice from 2006 to 2015, and as chairman of its Audit Committee. She oversaw the co-operative’s accounting and financial reporting, regulatory compliance and disclosure. She also monitored its internal processes and reviewed annual reports with external auditors.
She has dedicated much time and effort as FairPrice’s chairman of the Establishment Committee, ensuring that the social enterprise’s terms and conditions of employment were competitive to attract talent.
A Privilege and Honour
Hwee Bin said that it has been her privilege and honour to serve the Labour Movement.
She added: “Since joining the board of NTUC FairPrice in 2006, to the eventual appointment on NTUC Health and SLF boards, it has been an immensely enriching journey.
“I have gained greater insight into the needs of the working families and the challenges they face. It motivates me to work towards helping the working families in a sustainable and practical way. I look forward to continue serving the Labour Movement through my board participation in this fast-changing world.”
In response to being conferred the Meritorious Service award, she said that she will serve when called upon, and not with an award in mind.
“But nevertheless, I am humbled when recognised. I am grateful for this award, and I certainly hope I could do more for the Labour Movement in the years to come,” she added.
Hwee Bin was awarded the Public Service Medal (PBM) in 2011. She is also a director for the Agency for Integrated Care.
