Singapore – Singaporean bank DBS has recently unveiled its metaverse concept for ‘DBS BetterWorld’, a gamified adventure that leverages the use of the metaverse as a force that promotes sustainability.
In line with the ‘Towards Zero Food Waste’ initiative of DBS in 2020, the virtual experience highlights the global food waste challenge and what Businesses for Impact supported by the DBS Foundation are doing to address the issue.
As part of the experience, players must complete a series of activities inspired by five Businesses for Impact supported by the DBS Foundation and their unique approach to mitigating food waste.
The five businesses involved are upcycling craft beer makers Brewerkz and Breer, sustainable food retail store GreenPrice, and urban farming practitioners Edible Garden City and Rooftop Republic.
Players based in Singapore will be treated to extra rewards which can be redeemed via special QR codes accessed using DBS PayLah!. DBS has also included easter eggs for players to discover, including cameo appearances by characters from the bank’s web series, ‘Sparks’. DBS BetterWorld will be accessible to the public once the sandbox’s alpha season 4 is launched.
Karen Ngui, head of group strategic marketing and communications at DBS, and board member of DBS Foundation, said, “DBS believes that it is possible to leverage the metaverse as a force for good. It can be harnessed as an interactive platform to increase awareness of important ESG issues and creatively spotlight those who are finding innovative ways to address them.”
“For starters, with DBS BetterWorld, we have chosen to delve into the challenges of food waste and food resilience, issues that DBS and the DBS Foundation have been championing, in a unique and engaging way. As metaverse technologies mature, we hope to create mechanisms for communities and businesses to translate the outcomes of their virtual initiatives to real world impact,” she added.
