Updated: 12/19/2012 07:19 | By Channel NewsAsia

More companies turning to social enterprises for Christmas gifts

SINGAPORE: More companies are turning to social enterprises for their corporate gifts this Christmas season.

Aii, a social enterprise, has seen sales increase fivefold in the last two months partly due to large orders from corporate buyers.

The local social enterprise sells sweets and chocolates made by its hearing—impaired staff. It specialises in customised candies for corporate customers.

"For Christmas alone, we can (reach a) five—figure revenue Christmas, Chinese New Year, and Valentine’s Day are the busiest periods for us," said Leona Leong, founder of Aii.

Students from the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) are also busy baking cookies for sale over Christmas. They say orders have gone up by 35 per cent.

— CNA/jc