“Social responsibility” has been a buzz phrase in recent times within corporate boardrooms and in the HDB heartlands, as Town Council staff attempt to counsel errant neighbours against inconsiderate and disruptive behaviour. But just how many of us truly understand its meaning is another matter. Briefly, this is an ethical ideology which says: a business organisation or a person has an obligation to carry out an act for the benefit of society. It sees this act as a duty of every individual or organization/person to perform which is beyond what is required by law. It believes that it is better to be proactive to address a problem than to be reactive to a problem.
If we look around our HDB estates, there are certainly many things that come to mind where you and I can apply this concept of Social Responsibility. How can I perform my social responsibility as a HDB resident?
Making our environment fresh and clean
Take a deep breath when you step out of your door, walk around the void deck, and ask yourself if you feel nice and fresh. Most times you should. After all, even while you were asleep, the Town Council cleaners and others have been busy at work. They clear the bins, sweep the surroundings and remove all the other refuse left overnight.
They leave the public areas clean and pleasant! You will want to maintain this freshness which is reinforced from the waft of freshly blooming flowers at the nearby greenery and shrubs. So help to keep your surrounding fresh and clean by not littering, not leaving unwanted items at the void deck or public areas, and up after your pets (dogs, cats etc) have eased themselves. There are many bins around for litter. So let’s do our part and use them.
Our corridor, our home
The corridor outside our flat is a public area. Though the space is just outside our home, it is also to be used by everybody. There are guidelines on placing of flower pots, bicycles or other receptacles outside the corridor. Let’s not make the space outside our home unsightly. It is worse if we clutter the area. Remember, in the event of an emergency, we need the space to move swiftly out of our homes, along the corridor and down the stairway. Hence, we should share the responsibility to ensure that the area is kept clean and clear of clutter.
Be neighbourly, be considerate
We are neighbours and so we should be considerate to one another, and be sensitive to each other’s needs. This is even more so when we are living in a high-rise environment. While criticising others seems to come easy for us, we often forget to reflect on our own behaviours, which could precipitate the opposite reaction. Being neighbourly can be as simple as not hanging dripping linen outside and soiling your neighbours’ laundry on the floor below yours; not blasting your TV or CD player loudly, and any other untoward behaviour that can annoy others.
The void deck, everyone’s meeting place
It’s great that we have an open void deck where young and old alike can socialise and get to know one another. Young children are also able to run around freely under the watchful eyes of the elders. Hence, adults should not cycle within the void deck, lest it causes an accident. Teenagers should not play football at the void deck, and worse, leave stains on the wall by bouncing the ball off the wall. The noise will not only annoy others but the stray ball can hit a toddler, and the stains will deface public property.
These are just some broad areas where residents can exercise your social responsibility. Your effort can help the Town Council to save on maintenance and replacement costs and repair bills. Ultimately, these costs are borne by you through your Service and Conservancy charges. The late Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change that you want to see in the world.” This begins with each of us.
There is so much more you can do, just by not doing unto others what you do not want others do unto you. Social responsibility is that easy.
– Originally written for a lifestyle magazine
