With the first year of its 10-year Transformation Roadmap underway, the Singapore Co-operative Movement (SCM) came together at Co-op Movement Night on 17 September 2026 to spotlight efforts to strengthen co-operatives and extend their impact in the community.
Among these efforts is the $1 million Empowering Communities Fund (ECF), which has supported approximately 20 projects since its launch last year. The Fund has enabled co-operatives to work with partners on ground-up initiatives supporting vulnerable communities, including seniors facing social isolation, single mothers and widows navigating life transitions, children with differing needs and youths at risk.
Speaking at the event, Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF) Chairperson Mr Tng Ah Yiam, who was re-elected as Chairperson at SNCF's Triennial General Assembly held earlier that day, said such initiatives showed how co-operatives could create impact beyond their own organisations. 
SNCF Chairperson Mr Tng Ah Yiam delivering his opening address
“The power of ‘We’ goes beyond our own organisations. These projects show what is possible when co-ops partner social service agencies, community groups, schools, volunteers, and caregivers to create real and lasting impact,” he said.
Held at the Glass Dome, this year’s Co-op Movement Night brought together more than 300 co-operators and friends of the Movement under the theme “Built on We”. The evening underscored how the Movement’s next phase of growth will be driven by the collective efforts of co-operatives, partners and the wider community.
In a departure from the sit-down format of previous years, the evening featured four interactive booths, each dedicated to one of the Transformation Roadmap’s four pillars.
Through the booths, participants explored the different ways co-operatives can strengthen their organisations and contribute to the wider Singapore Co-operative Movement.
Participants could journey through four interactive booths centred on the SCM 10-year Transformation Roadmap
The Talent & Leadership booth highlighted efforts to nurture current and emerging co-operative leaders, equipping them with the skills and perspectives needed to lead the Movement into the future.
The Governance & Stewardship booth reinforced the characteristics of “We First”, how a co-operative as a business does not just focus on profit maximisation but puts members’ needs first.
At the Operational Excellence & Scale-up booth, attendees explored how co-operatives can embrace technology and innovation through various ways including creating a song from the attendees’ collective contribution through the use of Artificial Intelligence.
Check out the AI-generated song here!
.
The Community Outreach & Impact booth showcased how co-operatives can extend their reach beyond their current communities, forge meaningful partnerships and create a wider, lasting impact within society. Attendees could also choose to donate their vouchers collected through participation in activities, to any of the three selected charities.
The evening also saw the launch of A Century of Co-operation: Stories of the Last Decade, a book capturing the contributions of co-operatives over the past decade (2015-2025) and the ways in which they have strengthened communities and created lasting impact.
Mr Heng Chee How at Co-op Movement Night
Special guest Mr Heng Chee How, Executive Director of Singapore Labour Foundation, shared insights on servant leadership, stewardship and values that unite the Singapore Co-operative Movement.
He spoke about leadership not simply as a matter of authority, influence or position, but as a responsibility to help others succeed, improve and benefit.
“In a world that often encourages people to focus only on themselves, co-operatives remind us that progress can be shared, that communities become stronger when people support one another, and that success means more when it uplifts others too,” he said.
Co-operators at CMN 2026
As the Movement begins the first year of its Transformation Roadmap, the priorities ahead span developing its people, strengthening governance, improving operations and deepening community impact.
Co-op Movement Night brought these priorities together under a simple idea: that the Movement’s transformation will depend not on any one organisation, but on the collective efforts of its co-operatives, partners and communities.
By Mary Njo, edited by Sng Ler Jun
