ASEAN CSR Network July 2017 Newsletter

Promoting and enabling
responsible business conduct in ASEAN

Business Integrity Regional Pledge

Take the Integrity Pledge now and make a commitment to uphold ethical values at the enterprise/organisational, national and regional level!

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The 'Integrity Has No Borders' Pledge (INHB) also known as the Regional Integrity Pledge is a voluntary declaration by companies/organisations who chose to embrace integrity as a shared corporate value. Through it, the ASEAN business community can collectively say no to corruption and help build a more sustainable, equitable, competitive and inclusive ASEAN Community.

To see what the pledge entails and become a signatory, please click here. 
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ACN Activities

​​ASEAN CSR Fellowship in Myanmar, 3-7 July 2017

 

For Module 3 of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship, our Fellows travel to Myanmar, where responsible business is receiving greater attention particularly due to an influx of investment and business activity after economic and political transitions. Co-organised with the Union of Myanmar Federation Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), the 5-day programme featured deep-dives into best practices of responsible business in key industries such as energy, extractive, tourism and garment - including site visits to Coca Cola and Best Garment Factory. Fellows also heard from key advocates on responsible business, including Mr. Melvyn Pun (CEO, First Myanmar Investment Company), U Aung Naing Oo (Secretary, Myanmar Investment Commission), U Kyaw Kyaw Hlaing (Chairman, SMART Group of Companies), as well as a session with ‘returnees’ to Myanmar on why they have decided to return to contribute to the country’s development.

Read about their journey here.​
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APEC Workshop on Whistle Blowing
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The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held a workshop on “Enhancing Whistleblower Protection in Corruption Cases” on 19 and 20 July in Taipei.  ACN is a partner with APEC’s Anti Corruption and Transparency Working Group and this event was organised by them.
 
ACN was represented by CEO Thomas Thomas.  The workshop brought experts from APEC economies to share experiences and best practices on whistleblower protection.  It was intended to build capacity in legislating and enforcing whistle blower protection.
 
Thomas contributed in on private sector protection, the development of mechanisms for cooperation and in drafting guiding principles for whistle blower protection.
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​Blended Learning Course on Human Rights and Environment/Climate Change! (17-21 July, Bangkok,Thailand) 

 

A 3 month training programme kicks off in Bangkok for around 30 participants from the judiciary, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and business community, on the link between human rights and environmental protection. ACN is supporting the Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) for this course, which features 1 week of classroom sessions in Bangkok, followed by online modules. As problems such as climate change present threats to all types of human rights, it is crucial for practitioners to be well-versed in applying human rights law/approaches to environmental problems. Class discussions surround topics such as international human rights law, human rights principles in the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals, and group rights for women, indigenous groups and others. The course is part of a 3-year programme for human rights and the environment, funded by the Government of Sweden.​

Past Events

​LCF CSR Expo: Disrupting for Social Good (19-20 July 2017, Makati City, Philippines)  

Keynote speaker Dr. Wayne Visser. Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

The League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) CSR Expo was held between 19-20 July in Makati City, Philippines. The LCF gathered industry leaders to discuss how big businesses in one of the world's fastest-growing economies are giving back to communities.

To read more about the event, click here.

Upcoming Events

​​Global Compact Network Singapore Summit 2017, 29-30 August 2017, (Suntec Convention & Exhibition Center, Singapore)
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The annual Global Compact Network Singapore (GCNS) Summit is a platform of advocacy, capacity building and networking for sustainability and CSR practitioners to come together and gain insights into the latest global corporate sustainability trends.

This year, the theme is on “Better Businesses Together for the Future Economy”. Whether you are an experienced sustainability practitioner or just about to embark on your sustainability journey, you will find the discussions and networking opportunities meaningful and useful to your area of work.

Topics covered at the Summit will explore the latest in sustainability trends and insights. Speakers will also share best practices, the sustainability landscape in Singapore and how it affects businesses locally.

You can find the event page here.

News Around the World 

Human rights have a positive effect on economic growth

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By investing in human rights, the economic growth rate of a country is likely to increase.

This is one of the key findings from the analysis “Human Rights and Economic Growth”, in which researchers from the Institute investigate how freedom and participation rights interact with economic growth.

Using a dynamic panel data estimation method on 167 countries between the years 1981 to 2011, we can see that the rights to freedom of speech, freedom and assembly and association and electoral self-determination have a significant positive effect on economic growth”, says co-author Stinne Skriver Jørgensen.

To read more, click here.
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International partners join forces to tackle grand corruption

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A new multinational centre to coordinate law enforcement action against grand corruption was launched this month. The International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC), hosted by the U.K.’s National Crime Agency, brings together specialist law enforcement officers from multiple jurisdictions into a single location to tackle allegations of grand corruption.

The IACCC’s members include agencies from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with Interpol scheduled to join later this year. Although, significant cooperation already exists between the countries in tackling trans-national serious crime, no mechanism has prioritised or coordinated specific action against grand corruption, to date.

To read more, click here.

Leveraging ICTs critical to achieve Global Goals, UN highlights in new report

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Underscoring the importance of information and communication technologies (ICT) in today's world, the heads of over 20 United Nations agencies and offices have called for leveraging those technologies to “fast forward” implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To read more, click here

Issues around Brexit and the EU on Migrants and Refugees
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Formal Brexit negotiations which began on 19 Jun is in the news as the negotiators prepared for the 2nd round of negotiations. The EU will send a final version of its position on Brexit negotiations by this week. The UK, on the other hand, still appeared to be “all over the place” with regards to its Brexit position and priorities.

On the migrant/refugee crisis in Europe, the French government this week pledged to do more for refugees, while at the same time vow to take a tougher stance on economic migrants by deporting them "systematically. The influx of refugees and migrants has led to a modest increase in the EU population from 510.3 million in 2016 to
511.8 million in 2017. This was revealed in the latest figures released by Eurostat.

To read more on the matter, please visit the EU Centre in Singapore website here. 

Reports

United Nations Progress Towards the Sustainable Development Goals

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The report provides an overview of global progress towards the 17 Goals of the 2030 Agenda, on the basis of a selection of indicators for which data were available as of April 2017. Some targets are not reflected at this stage, owing to the lack of data, or because they are measured by indicators that are still undergoing methodological development. For most indicators presented in the report, values represent global, regional and subregional aggregates. They are calculated from data from national statistical systems, compiled by international agencies, on the basis of their respective mandates and specialized expertise. The national data are often adjusted for international comparability and, where lacking, estimations are made by international agencies.

Click here to get the full report.
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Reporting and Communications Summit Post Conference Report

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Sustainability reporting has evolved drastically over the past few years; with the increasing legislation, opportunities from the SDGs as well as plethora of options that a connected digital world presents.

This report gives insight into how leading professionals from the likes of: SAB Miller, GRI, Arcelor Mittal and BT are innovating their reporting strategies to leverage the new opportunities and meet the new regulations.

To access the report at Ethical Corporation's website, click here.
 

ASEAN continues to stride forward with its regional integration efforts with a view to narrowing the development gap and delivering more benefits to more people. A factsheet has been done up and it highlights the progress of the three ASEAN Community pillars and priorities as the grouping celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017.