With 1 in 6 people projected to be over 60 by 2030, ageing societies are becoming a global concern. In DBS’ six core Asian markets, four – Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China – are already or soon to be super-aged. Yet while lifespans have increased, health spans have not kept pace; in Singapore, there remains a ten-year gap between life expectancy and healthy living.
DBS Foundation believes ageing should not be seen solely as a burden, but as an opportunity to innovate and reimagine systems. It champions the idea of extending not just lifespans, but ‘living spans’ – empowering people to thrive physically, mentally, socially, and financially in their later years.
To drive this vision, DBS Foundation launched its flagship Impact Beyond Summit and Dialogue series in 2024 to spark advocacy and catalyse cross-sector collaboration.
These platforms mark a critical step in shaping a future where everyone can age with dignity, purpose, and joy. They have already sparked promising outcomes: stronger cross-sector engagement, new collaboration leads, and growing interest in social enterprises offering innovative solutions for ageing societies.
The Impact Beyond Summit and Dialogue series were launched by DBS Foundation (DBSF) to spark deeper advocacy, collaboration, and action on key societal issues, such as ageing societies. While positive efforts are already underway across sectors, DBSF believes that lasting, meaningful change requires a whole-of-society approach that brings together like-minded partners.
These events – from planning, stakeholder engagement, audience curation, to publicity – were organised entirely by the DBSF team. DBSF also worked closely with other parts of DBS (e.g. private, SME, and institutional banking) to engage clients and involve them as we build ecosystems for impact.
The first Impact Beyond Dialogue was held in Singapore in September 2024, featuring government, community and business leaders. It convened 200 invited business participants, including DBS clients, to explore the evolving role of businesses in society, fostering targeted, cross-sector conversations, and was very well-received.
Building on its success, DBSF went on to implement this model in its other markets – and the Dialogue has since expanded regionally. From January to July 2025, six Dialogues were held across Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Indonesia, gathering over 890 leaders from government, business, academia and more. These sessions helped surface new ideas and spark co-creation of practical solutions with potential for systemic impact.
The Dialogues serve as a launchpad for innovative, purpose-driven businesses. Over 50 DBSF-supported social enterprises with scalable solutions for ageing societies were showcased – connecting them to potential opportunities and partnerships.
This July, DBSF organised its first bilateral (China-Singapore) edition –thought-leaders and businesses from China were hosted in Singapore, facilitating cross-border exchange of insights and sparking new connections/ potential collaborations.
The inaugural Impact Beyond Summit took place in Singapore in November 2024, focused on Asia’s ageing societies and the need for collaborative action to ensure people can age with dignity, purpose, and joy. Over 300 cross-sector leaders participated, including President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, former DBS CEO Piyush Gupta, Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner, and NUS’ Professor John Eu-Li Wong.
The Summit emphasised the importance of shifting societal mindsets – from seeing ageing as a burden to recognising it as a period of opportunity. Through keynotes, panel discussions, fireside chats, and breakout sessions, participants explored how to build supportive environments that enhance physical, mental, social, and financial well-being at every stage of life. To drive this key message beyond local shores, media outlets across the region were hosted at the Summit, sparking attention and ensuring this narrative was well-conveyed in their home markets.
Social enterprises and community partners supported by DBSF played a central role. Ten of the most impactful were honoured on stage, while others shared insights by participating in panels, and/or showcased their products and services (e.g. over 700 cups of coffee were served by Bettr Barista, a social enterprise and certified B Corp).
Through these initiatives, DBSF is building momentum for systemic societal change – supporting social enterprises, engaging diverse stakeholders and nurturing impact ecosystems – and paving the way towards a future where everyone, regardless of age or circumstance, can live with dignity and purpose.
The Impact Beyond Summit and Dialogues have played a pivotal role in reshaping narratives around ageing and catalysing ecosystem-wide action across Asia.
Challenging mindsets and shifting perceptions: The events sparked meaningful conversations that extended far beyond the room, generating strong media and social engagement. From January to July 2025, the Dialogue series earned over 270 media mentions across local and international outlets, and achieved a total reach of ~7 million and over 460,000 engagements. The inaugural Summit in November 2024 garnered 190+ media stories regionally, with post-event content reaching 1.6 million people – amplifying the message that ageing can be an opportunity, not just a challenge.
Catalysing cross-sector engagement and collective action: The platforms successfully brought together business leaders, policymakers, academics, and community partners to exchange insights and co-create long-term solutions. These engagements laid the groundwork for a collective response to the complex challenges of ageing – an essential step toward systemic change.
Fostering innovation and partnerships: By spotlighting over 50 purpose-driven enterprises with scalable, ageing-focused solutions, DBS Foundation helped elevate the visibility and impact of social innovation. These showcases opened new pathways for collaboration – not only with DBS and DBS Foundation, but also across the broader impact ecosystem.
Together, these outcomes represent a meaningful shift: from siloed efforts to a growing collective movement focused on redefining ageing and enabling all individuals to age with dignity, purpose, and well-being.
