Geneco continues to #PowerTheChange in the New Year as it announces its latest Chinese New Year (CNY) campaign #VoyageToProsperity, launching a comprehensive approach that focuses on education, sustainability and environmental aspects, to increase awareness and foster a sense of responsibility towards the conservation of Singapore’s coral and marine life.

Research from the Reef Ecology Lab at the National University of Singapore underscores a pressing reality: Singapore has seen a significant decline in coral cover due to land reclamation, resulting in the loss of about 60% of its coral reef extent. As coral reefs play an important role in the marine ecosystem and support an estimated 25% of all marine species, protecting and preserving them has become a critical priority.

This CNY, Geneco is collaborating with Marshall Cavendish Education (MCE) to cultivate awareness and a sense of responsibility from an early age, emphasising the preservation of Singapore’s coral and marine life.

In alignment to the overarching theme, Geneco’s red packets are symbolised with thriving corals together with an abundance of marine life to reflect the depths of prosperity beneath our waters. Every red packet will also contain lesser-known information about Singapore’s distinctive coral reefs, incorporating a design concept that encourages Singaporeans to delve deeper beneath the surface to discover the rich mosaic of oceanic biodiversity in our nation’s surrounding waters.

In addition, new partners like CapitaLand malls and PAP Town Councils will bring Geneco’s annual Used Red Packet Recycling initiative to greater heights. CapitaLand malls will boost the campaign by making the recycling bins available in 10 of its malls while PAP Town Councils incorporate Geneco’s recycling bins at more than 30 locations across the nation, expanding the initiative to heartland areas as well.

Game-Changing Education: Geneco and MCE’s Youth-Empowered Collaboration

In collaboration with MCE, Geneco co-created the Voyage To Prosperity Game with Gabriel Chin, 10, from St Joseph’s Institution Junior as part of MCE’s Summer Coding Hackathon 2023. Involving children from 9 to 12 years old, the theme for the contest, “Code the Ocean”, shares Geneco’s vision of educating, instilling environmental consciousness and inspiring Singaporeans to become stewards of our environment and ecosystems from young.

“We are excited to partner with Geneco to use technology to educate and inspire the young learners on the importance of conserving Singapore’s coral and marine life. MCE believes in nurturing the joy of learning- The Voyage To Prosperity Game does just that as it provides a fun and interactive learning experience for our young learners to understand more about our precious marine ecosystems and how it contributes to a sustainable future for all through the campaign.” said Yeoh Cheng Poh, Head, Marshall Cavendish Education.

The game will be available to the public via the #VoyageToProsperity campaign site. To spur public participation, Geneco will pledge S$10,000 to Garden City Fund’s Plant-A-Coral, Seed-A-Reef Programme with 10,000 gameplays. The top five players of the game will also stand a chance to win $28 worth of eCapitaVouchers weekly, from now until 29 February 2024.

Haul in a Prosperous Chinese New Year with Geneco’s Marine-Inspired Red Packets

In line with the theme, Geneco’s will launch its CNY red packets in two unique hues of pink and blue, featuring a captivating design of corals and fishes, tastefully accented with gold detailing and printed on environmentally friendly paper. Known as the “Rainforests of the Sea”, coral reefs are among the ocean’s most precious gems, serving as one of the foundations of marine ecosystems. The intricate design pays homage to the richness of local marine biodiversity, reinforcing the key message of Geneco’s #VoyageToProsperity campaign.

As part of a long-standing partnership with Garden City Fund, the red packets will also feature lesser-known facts about coral reefs and marine conservation in Singapore to further educate the public and spark interest in native marine life.

We appreciate Geneco’s support to Garden City Fund over the years. As we welcome Chinese New Year this year, we hope that through Geneco’s Voyage To Prosperity campaign, more families will come to appreciate the vibrant marine biodiversity in Singapore’s waters and support the Plant-A-Coral, Seed-A-Reef programme to help marine conservation.”

– Prof Leo Tan, Chairman of the Garden City Fund

Local prominent artistes and key opinion leaders including Felicia Chin, Hong Ling, and Jesseca Liu will also be supporting the initiative through their social media platforms, driving awareness and participation to the slew of activities Geneco has lined up this CNY. Additionally, 100 lucky winners will stand a chance to receive an exclusive set of the limited edition Geneco red packets and S$28 eCapitaVoucher simply by participating in Geneco’s Facebook and Instagram giveaways happening from now to 25th January.

Geneco Expands Annual Used Red Packet Recycling Initiative

Building on the success of previous years’ Used Red Packet Recycling initiatives, Geneco further expanded its partnerships in the fourth edition of their Used Red Packet Recycling efforts. Apart from the continued collaboration with CRU, IUIGA, REFASH, Wisma Atria, and OTO, Geneco is proud to announce new partnerships with CapitaLand malls, PAP Town Councils, and SG Recycle this year.

Starting with 410 kg of used red packets collected in 2021 and reaching an impressive over 2930 kg last year, Geneco has seen an overwhelming 615% increase in participation from corporate partners and the public alike. Geneco is dedicated to surpassing previous achievements by collecting even more used red packets in the ongoing year, reflecting their commitment to elevate the impact of the initiative and building on the solid foundation established in 2021.

In a dedicated effort to steer Singapore towards a zero waste future, SG Recycle will repurpose the collected used red packets into recycled paper products. CapitaLand malls and PAP Town Councils will actively support by hosting Geneco recycling bins islandwide, bringing the total number to over 90 bins, more than a 200% increase from the 30 bins in the previous year. These bins will be available at participating locations from now to 31st March.

Geneco’s #VoyageToProsperity Pop-Up at Tampines Mall

Taking place from 31st January to 6th February, Geneco will be holding a pop-up at Tampines Mall’s Atrium Concourse. This pop-up serves as a pivotal platform to extend the campaign’s outreach, acting as a focal point to engage the public and unite Singaporeans in championing the conservation of marine biodiversity and coral reefs.

Throughout the pop-up event, besides having the opportunity to win S$28 eCapitaVouchers as the top 5 weekly high scorers in the Voyage To Prosperity Game, the public are encouraged to participate to receive an exclusive Geneco reusable straw. The first 50 participants between 3pm and 6pm on 3rd and 4th February will also receive this year’s limited edition Geneco red packets and Geneco Green Starter Kit¹ upon participation.

Throughout the pop-up, Geneco recycling bins will be made available at the event to encourage the public to actively take part in the recycling initiative.

Beyond external initiatives, Geneco is nurturing internal involvement through staff tours which are part of Garden City Fund’s Plant-A-Coral, Seed-A-Reef programme. These tours aim to deepen employees’ understanding and appreciation of marine conservation efforts. The guided walk at St John’s Island and the visit to the Public Gallery at the Marine Park Outreach and Education Centre serve as immersive experiences for staff to connect with and support marine conservation first-hand.

“At Geneco, the #VoyageToProsperity campaign represents our ongoing commitment not just to foster change, but to empower the community from a young age. It’s about nurturing a connection between individuals and preserving our marine life through education, engagement, and collaborative efforts,” shares Alex Chan, Head of Brand, Communications and Marketing at Geneco. “We aim to spearhead meaningful transformation and inspire the youths to become stewards of marine life conservation to ultimately build themselves a sustainable future”.

To find out more about Geneco’s #VoyageToProsperity CNY Campaign, please visit www.VoyageToProsperity.sg. If you would like to make a donation directly to NParks’ Garden City Fund for the Plant-A-Coral, Seed-A-Reef programme, you may do so on their website.

¹ Consists of foldable umbrella, collapsible silicone water bottle, foldable silicone straw and reusable grocery net bag

Images: Geneco