By Shireen Binte Effendy

OCBC is honoured to receive the SG Enabling Mark (Silver) award in 2025 — a testament to the collective impact we have made by integrating  individuals with disabilities into the workplace with the support of SG Enable through our Non-conventional Talent Hire Initiative.

We celebrated this achievement on 21 March with our hiring managers, HR teams and external partners like Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) and Inclus. An OCBC intern from Group Human Resources recounts her experience.

I was excited to witness the Enabling Mark Silver Accreditation celebrations in March, which highlighted the ABC sustainability framework's "B" for "bringing impact to communities."

I saw firsthand how OCBC supports diverse talents, including persons with disabilities (PWDs), by moving beyond traditional hiring practices.

The Enabling Mark is a national-level accreditation by SG Enable that recognises organisations for their best practices and outcomes in disability-inclusive hiring and support.

Achieving the Silver tier represents a significant milestone in OCBC's commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace and integrating individuals who are often overlooked by traditional hiring practices. As a registered Open Door Programme employer with SG Enable since March 2023, we have placed six individuals with disabilities into the OCBC family.


Why this Matters

The event began with a speech from Lee Hwee Boon, Head of Group Human Resources, reflecting on OCBC’s commitment to non-conventional talent hiring since 2023. She emphasised that the Enabling Mark Silver Accreditation is a testament to the collective efforts of managers, HR teams, and external partners, reminding us that real change requires commitment from all.

“The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. For many of us, we’ve already started the journey. For the rest of you, I say, get on board.”

Her words highlighted the importance of creating an inclusive workplace. She challenged us to share and amplify this initiative, inspiring me to do my part to help others feel a sense of belonging and feel appreciated.

Insights from the UNBOX Speakers

The UNBOX segment featured diverse speakers sharing their insights on inclusion.

Jacelyn Lim from the Autism Resource Centre spoke about her journey to advocate for diversity, emphasising the courage to support hiring individuals on the autism spectrum.

“Not all of us may be called to make a career change, but in your space, you may have a role to play in hiring someone on the spectrum – and that is what I mean by courage.”

Meanwhile, Fe Eusebio from Group Operations & Technology shared her experience mentoring PWD hire Daniel Kwa in her cybersecurity team, demonstrating how the right support allows talent to thrive.

“Through the experience, we (the team) better understand how we can work, collaborate, connect and collaborate with Daniel. We also gain deeper insight into how people on the autism spectrum react. Daniel’s emotions need to be taken care of while he is working with us.”

One of our PWD hires, Lionel Lee, recounted his first year at OCBC, highlighting how a supportive environment empowered him to succeed despite challenges.

“Our team is very collaborative, and we foster very good relationships with each other. Everyone has been so supportive, especially with being able to find common ground and being flexible with my working arrangements.”

Fathima Zohra, an inclusive employment recruiter, shared her journey of becoming disabled at 20, advocating for the recognition of disability as a strength rather than a limitation.

“When you keep pitying a person with a disability, you’re taking away their power. Rather, I hope people encourage my community and me.”

To learn more about this inspiring event, watch the recap here.