Claire Chiang

Claire Chiang

April 21, 2005

As the vice-president of an upscale chain of resorts, you'd expect Claire Chiang to luxuriate in an opulent lifestyle.

Photograper: JOYCE FANG

But the 53-year-old managing director, retail operations, of Banyan Tree Gallery is no stranger to travelling in economy class.
And she owns only one designer bag and gown.
Her still unused four-year-old Salvatore Ferragamo bag was a gift from 'a very dear friend', and her Benny Ong original is 'over a decade old'.
The bulk of her wardrobe consists of custom-made designs and coordinates sourced during her travels.
Today, the mother of three children aged 11 to 22 is clad in a self-designed reversible square vest.
A fan of 'interesting Asian ethnic pieces', she also has a soft spot for silver pieces which complement her tanned complexion.
'But I don't sunbathe,' she says. 'I was born a black baby.'
The former Nominated MP also professes to be not much of a strappy shoe girl.
And age, she says, has made heels 'increasingly difficult to walk in'.
Even under the most elegant of gowns, she's likely to be sporting a pair of sturdy boots because 'nobody can tell what I wear underneath'.
Ask her where to find the best shoes and her answer is a swift one.
'China has damn good shoes. At a good price too.'
Her bagI like artistic bags like this, which I bought in Hong Kong for under $100. Branded bags are too delicate and small for me. The way I use bags, I would scratch them up.

1. Hair kitAll these items are essential for my long hair. When the wind is blowing I use the clip to get it out of the way. And if I'm going out at night, the stick will bun it up. The perfume bottle contains hairspray. To tidy up my hair, I simply comb and spray.

2. Photo bookletMy daughter Ren Yung gave this to me for my 52nd birthday. As you can see, my three children are named after trees. I kept this in my wallet until I developed a phobia of it being stolen. I'd rather my wallet stolen than this.

3. Sunglasses and caseI bought these in 1978 in Hong Kong when I was a newly-wed. I think they're pretty groovy, and they're the only pair I wear today.

4. Singapore Compact brochureAs president of Singapore Compact (a private organisation which promotes corporate citizenry), I'm actively trying to get different companies involved in social responsibility. I carry these around to give out, and I just gave two out yesterday. We believe that no longer should businesses be there just for profits. They should also be stakeholders in building the community.

5. NotebookI was travelling from Bangkok to Laos recently in a small plane when I was overcome with a sense of claustrophobia. To help me breathe and take my mind off my fear, I wrote down my thoughts using my left hand even though I'm right-handed. I like travelling, but I don't like flying. Each time I do, it's a major process for me.

6. Hem-pickerI have a Linus syndrome with this - it's my security blanket and I've carried it with me for 30 years. It's great for getting rid of loose threads and splinters. I've used it on my children as well as my husband and myself.

7. Banyan Tree alarm and key chainI used to carry a whistle for security reasons, but this key chain can give out a very loud alarm that goes on and on. I've given all the female staff of Banyan Tree Gallery one and it's selling very well at our shops.

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Ms Claire Chang is the President of Singapore Compact, an initiative that was started to forward Corporate Social Responsibility. She is also the Executive Director of the Banyan Tree Gallery. She responds to shareholders?complaints as to why its hard earned profits go to NPOs (Non-Profit Organizations).

CC: I don’t think it’s tested assumption and we should test it, that shareholders do complain about companies doing well. There is literature that has shown, copious amounts of literature, that big companies and what they’re doing has brought about a better reputation, a brand following, customer loyalty and a bigger market share. So there is enough literature to actually convince us that doing good does not necessarily mean the company is losing out and for shareholders today, there is a change in demographic, a change in patterns and market patterns. People are sensitive to choosing companies that actually adopt CSR. I also think it has to be a top management endorsement that can be translated into a proper company policy that you put out to the market, and the market therefore chooses and selects. That option should be given.

Ms Chang also goes into what can be done to forward the corporate mind set of giving.

CC: It’s important to have it in your AGM (Annual General Meeting) and I would truly encourage corporations here to establish a position called a Manager for CSR or extend your HR functions to include CSR. But until it adopts at the top management level, it’s not going to filter down to corporations. Once it’s adopted by top management, this spirit of giving and then the pattern of giving naturally follows. There won’t be so much struggling by NPOs to get that dollar because the top management agrees, they’re committed to a certain cause, there’s continuity and persistence in the cause and it will snowball. Why corporations are giving on a very ad hoc basis is because of leadership changes: they are interested in different things and different charities. So we do not have consistent continuity. Whereas if corporations adopt very specific causes and increase the depth of donations and the width of understanding, there is more chance of having good corporation giving. I will therefore urge the NPOs to sharpen their skills in marketing their cause. You are the ones running the social causes so you know and you’re passionate about it so learn to make good presentations. What this needs is enlightened self-interest at the corporate level and the NPOs sharpening their marketing skills and not take for granted that they needn’t account for the dollars given and go back to your donors to explain, to present and appreciate your donors as well.