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DIRECTORY OF SINGAPORE PROCESS & CHEMICALS INDUSTRIES 2021/2022
Covid-19 testing regime over a 14-day period at specified on-boarding facilities in the source countries before departure for Singapore. Upon arriving in Singapore, workers are subject to the prevailing SHN (Stay Home Notice) health protocols and safe-management measures.
The pilot has been carried out on a small scale and in a calibrated manner to manage the risks involved and validate the robustness of the pilot process. No incident of Covid-19 cases was reported in the first few batches of workers who arrived under the pilot programme.
Addressing migrant workers’ mental health
Also of great concern to the Association, has been the prevalence of declining mental health of migrant workers during the pandemic.
The pandemic has affected our migrant workforce’s work, social, recreational, and personal wellbeing. The high number of COVID infections at workers’ dormitories at one stage had created misconception amongst Non- Government Organizations (NGO) and the public about workers’ living conditions, as well as the strict mandatory SMM.
Mr Quek said that ASPRI had galvanised the support of the Dormitory Association of Singapore Ltd (DASL), SCAL and ASMI to jointly engage with relevant NGOs to provide a balanced perspective from their members.
The proactive effort was necessary as the “association recognises that these inaccurate perceptions will fuel advocacy for drastic improvements of workers’ rights along with renewed calls to reduce the number of migrant workers and ultimately drive future manpower policies,” he added.
Launch of Process Industry Digital Plan (IDP)
With members continuing to face acute manpower shortage and rising business costs,
the Association has since 2020 actively engaged them to pivot towards using more digital tools in their operations.
ASPRI had formed a Digitalisation, Innovation & Technology Adoption (DITA) Workgroup in 2019 with the support of Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to put together an Industry Digital Plan (IDP) for the Process sector.
On 26 August 2021, DITA launched the Process IDP to help members tap on advisory services and a suite of digitalisation tools based on their readiness for implementation. It comprises a Digital Roadmap that helps in identifying gaps in members’ digital capabilities and provides a step-by-step guide to adoption, and a Training Roadmap that offers digital training suggestions for their staff.
DITA is also looking into developing a Digitalisation Readiness Index (DRI) using the BPPII to help members assess their current level of digitalisation across various business functions.
The Association has appointed a full-time programme manager, Mr Ethan Chia, to reach out to members to drive adoption of the DITA Workgroup’s initiatives.
(See page 50 for ASPRI’s Digitalisation Story)
Addressing member’s Carbon Emissions issues
In the area of low carbon emissions, Mr Quek said the Association will work closely with EDB, ESG and JTC to work with members and external partners to pilot and testbed CCUS solutions that are financially viable and have scalability potential.
On 28 July 2021, the Association organised a webinar on “Increasing Profit Through Lowering Emissions”, to help members understand how reducing carbon emission can provide their companies with a competitive advantage.
In particular, they learned that through LowCarbonSG they could access tools and guidance to help them decarbonise more effectively. The Carbon & Emissions Recording Tool (CERT), for example, helps companies to track their emissions and identify areas where they can become more energy- and resource- efficient.
The webinar was led by Dr Ryal Wun, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact Network Singapore (GCNS). He is also the Managing Director Singapore, Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) Singapore, which helped co-organise the event with ASPRI.
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