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ACN at the 15th ASEAN Leadership Forum

On 28 April, ACN's CEO, Mr Thomas Thomas was a panelist at the 15th ASEAN Leadership Forum for a discussion on the ASEAN Community and the Sustainable Development Goals - Aligning Sustainability at the Core of Integration.

The ASEAN Leadership Forum is a High Level Annual Forum. The theme for this year's forum is "Future Proof ASEAN: Strengthening Resilience, Pormoting Innovation & Moving Forward the Digital Space" and is jointly organised by Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (ASLI), S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Social Innovation Park, Singapore, and ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

Profiles - Class of 2018 (ASEAN CSR Fellows)

Annah Davis, Municipal Officer, Prik Municipality Office, Thailand

Annah works for Prik Municipality, a local government in Thailand in the province of Songkhla. She is responsible for providing public services, such as Social Welfare, Public Health, and Environmental Protection, to local communities on citizen participation.

She has previously worked in other municipalities, namely in the Sadao Municipality and Patong Municipality. Her experience includes research and development, public relations, policy analysis and planning, annual budgeting, monitoring and evaluation.

Anna envisions the ASEAN CSR Fellowship programme will enable her to exchange learning on how to help communities to bring about social change and improve the quality of life in their local area, by adopting to the various ASEAN models of CSR.

She graduated from the Prince of Songkla University, Thailand with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Her passion is to promote active citizenry in her local community. She speaks Thai and English.

 

Cathy Chia, Assistant Director, Marketing & Communications, The Fullerton Hotels

Cathy is interested to learn from organisations that steward their resources, talents and time to do business better, to serve the community and to be profitable at the same time. She loves creating different forms of content to help organisations tell better stories about themselves. She is passionate about supporting social enterprises.

Cathy dreams to start a social enterprise to help the elderly in Singapore age better while enjoying a higher quality of life.

 

Chansouk Insouvanh, Social Safeguards Consultant, Freelance (Currently with Asian Development Bank)

Chansouk is a Freelance Senior Social Safeguards Consultant, currently working part-time as a Social Development/Resettlement Specialist for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), providing support to ensure compliance with social safeguard policies in the processing and administration for projects in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. She also works part-time for the project “Citizen Engagement for Good Governance, Accountability and Rule of Law” (CEGGA), which is jointly funded by the European Union, Switzerland and Germany, and implemented by GIZ.

She holds a Master of Sciences in Environmental Policy and Planning and a Master of Arts in Development Studies from Ohio University, USA through the Fulbright Scholarship Programme, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies and a Certificate in Women Studies from Flinders University, Australia through the Australian Development Aid Programme.

She has a development vision that involves the building of a long-term harmonious partnership so that both (all) sides gain mutual benefits. Her core value is to perform competently so as to yield quality results. Her work mostly deals with complex political and social issues, especially in relation to good governance, civil society, social integrity, as well as the moralities and safeguards of people of ethnic groups.

  Dorothy Ng, Manager, Corporate Communications, Swire Pacific Offshore

Dorothy is the Corporate Communication Manager of Swire Pacific Offshore (SPO), a marine services conglomerate headquartered in Singapore. She is in-charge of international and external communication and formulates community partnerships as part the Company’s corporate giving and sustainability efforts.

Prior to joining SPO, Dorothy worked in the Singapore Maritime Foundation as the Senior Corporate Communications Manager for five and a half years, spearheading strategies to raise the profile of the maritime industry and to attract young talents. Before that, she worked for the National Museum of Singapore as the Corporate Communications Manager for seven years.

Beyond work, Dorothy believes in sharing her work expertise for meaningful causes and has volunteered for Club Rainbow and Humanitarian Services for Children in Vietnam (HSCV), among others. She is an associate member of the Raleigh Society and the Chairperson of the Arts and Culture Committee of Central Singapore District. An avid traveller, she enjoys exploring places off the beaten track and her travel stories are regularly published in the local newspapers.

Dorothy holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies (Hons) in Public Relations and Public Communications from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and is a member of the Company of Good Fellowship programme in Singapore.

  Fernando Gerard O. Espero III, Manager, Social Enterprise and Community Relations, Platinum Group Metals Corporation

Fernando  is a licensed urban planner, 37 years of age, and currently enrolled in the doctorate program of the University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning (UP SURP).

He has a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies. He also has a certificate in Urban Transport Planning and Management from UP SURP.

His core competencies include program development and management, formulation of shelter plans and other local and regional development plans, partnership building, resource mobilization, knowledge management, and policy formulation.

  Hazel Quek, Executive, Corporate Responsibility APAC, Hilton

Hazel is part of the Corporate Responsibility team in Hilton. Working alongside stakeholders across the business and external partners, she drives the development and activation of the company's global corporate responsibility strategy - Travel with Purpose™ across more than 200 hotels in Asia Pacific.

Hazel graduated from the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies (Hons).

 

Helen Maureen Vallador  Graido,    Senior Associate, Abad Alcantara and Associates

Helen is a trade and investment lawyer, whose practice is guided by the values of inclusive progress and societal development. As a Senior Associate of Abad Alcantara and Associates, she is committed to promoting and enforcing competition, innovation, and integration.

She served as a participant in the bicameral conference on the Philippine Competition Law and a technical consultant for the Philippine Innovation Bill. Throughout her career, she continues to be actively involved in her advocacies, including electoral reform and capacity-building through entrepreneurship.

For Helen, ASEAN entrepreneurs and business policy officers must work to remove trade barriers to entry, promote expansion of risk sharing and mitigation mechanisms for investments, all dedicated to fulfill developmental goals and address regional key issues – human rights, environment and citizen-centric governance.

She holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law.

 

 

Hong Lina, Sustainability Officer, Grandis Timber Commercial Reforestation Company

Hong Lina is a Sustainability Officer at Grandis Timber, a leading private commercial reforestation company, Cambodia. She is responsible for executing social responsibility (CSR), maintaining Forest Stewardship Council certification (FSCTM) and managing conservation area.

Additionally, she is also involved in the company’s Corporate Integrity System to ensure that the company complies with Business Integrity standards and corruption is not committed.

She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Master's Degree in Biodiversity Conservation from the University Royal of Phnom Penh.

Through the Fellowship, she hopes to gain knowledge and greater understanding of responsible business concepts and relevant tools which can be utilized for the implementation of corporate social responsibility.

  Ireneo G. Demecais Jr., Co-Founder and President, YGoal Inc.

Ireneo is the President and Co-Founder of YGOAL Inc - a social enterprise providing consultancy service to various organizations including non-government organizations and corporate social responsibility of companies.

He is a program consultant to CSRs of BPI Foundation, Makati Medical Center Foundation and North Luzon Renewables among others. He has managed international projects funded by USAID, Spanish Embassy, US Embassy, Oxfam-Hivos, Embassy of Netherlands, other international NGOs and multinational companies. He is also a lecturer for Inquirer Academy on Corporate Social Responsibility and Resource Mobilization.

He is passionate about education, youth development and social enterprise. He is a social entrepreneur who uses creativity and entrepreneurial mindset to revolutionize change in organizations, companies and even at a personal level.

  Khoa  Nguyen Dinh Dang, Management Trainee, Frieslandcampina Vietnam

Khoa is an active enthusiast with strong passion and experience in the field of CSR and sustainable development. He is currently working as a Management Trainee – under a fast track programme to develop potential individuals to become leaders within 2 years - for FrieslandCampina, a leading dairy company in Vietnam with the mission of nourishing by nature.

Prior to this, he used to be employed by foreign missions, namely the U.S General-Consulate and Royal Danish Embassy in Vietnam as a commercial assistant where he gained hands-on knowledge in terms of good CSR practice of many well-known MNCs, such as Maersk, Novo Nordisk, and Intel.

Khoa is also a former participant of SSEAYP organized by Japanese cabinet office and UGRAD – a global scholarship sponsored by Department of States. As a graduate from Foreign Trade University in Ho Chi Minh City with a major in International Finance, Khoa aspires to combine community service or social work with what international corporates can bring to the table, to create a win-win relationship and provide better lives to people in need.

Lucius Dinto Pramudyo, Division Head of Enhancing Livelihood Program, Unilever Indonesia Foundation 

Lucius is currently the Division Head of Enhancing Livelihood Programme for Unilever Indonesia Foundation. Since joining the organisation in 2015, he is involved in managing purpose and sustainability programmes for Unilever Indonesia.

He works closely with the Marketing and Supply Chain teams to embed the sustainability to the business. Dinto leads sustainable business initiatives related to smallholder farmers' development and women's empowerment.

Previously, Dinto worked in public relations for Unilever Indonesia, General Motors Indonesia, Alcatel-Lucent Indonesia. Before that, he joined IndoPacific Edelman as a communications consultant.

He earned Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the Swiss German University.

  Mach Ton, Country Compliance Manager, DKSH Cambodia Ltd

Mach Ton has been a Manager, Country Compliance at DKSH (Cambodia) Ltd since October 2015. He is in-charge of compliance matters for all business units such as Healthcare, FMCG, Technology, Fashion and Performance Material and is also an active member of CSR Platform Cambodia.

His role includes developing compliance and ethics policies, conduct bribery risk and corruption assessment, perform compliance reviews, assess third party risk, conduct compliance training, and investigate in the case of compliance breach. He performs compliance networking with top 10 clients for each business unit and local compliance associations and communities, such as EuroCham, Pharma Association, Transparency International, CAMFEBA, and CSR (Oxford), to build and share the knowledge of compliance policy frameworks and learn from each other on the opportunities to promote business integrity and corporate social responsibility for Cambodia.

Prior joining the compliance function, Mach served as a Business Line Manager for Novartis-Pharma in DKSH (Cambodia) Ltd since January 2011. Before that, he used to work in the commercial functions in the healthcare business, such as Ethical, OTC, Vaccines and Cosmetics.

Mach has an MBA (Management) from Norton University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from the National University of Management.

  Maliya Phommasone, Deputy Project Manager, LG Consulting & Construction Company

Maliya is currently working as a Deputy Project Manager of Lao-German Consulting & Construction Company. She is responsible for budget and project management, worker safety and environment.

She graduated with the Master's Degree in Natural Resources Management and Development in Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Germany. After graduation, she developed a strong interest in environmental protection and conservation.

Apart from her work in the corporate sector, she is also an external environmental consultant for Foundation of Community Development and Environmental Conservation (FCEC), where she has provided advice and assistance on doing environmental and social research as well as project management and fund raising.

With working experience in both private sector and NGO, she has learnt that the sectors are connected and have an either direct or indirect impact to each other. Maliya is very passionate on studying the integration between CSR practices and environment, and she would like to adapt the learning knowledge of CSR to develop the organizations she is involved in.

  Mar V. Veran, International Consultant, Global Green Growth Institute 

Mar Veran is a certified ISSP Sustainability Associate (the third Filipino and one of the first 300 sustainability professionals worldwide to get this certification from International Society of Sustainability Professionals) and a Licensed Civil Engineer who has over ten years of experience managing projects in various areas of practice including capacity building, training and workshops, events management, stakeholders engagement, coordination (national government agencies, local government units, businesses, non-profit organizations, civil societies, universities, etc.), knowledge management, sustainable eco-tourism, sustainability reporting, corporate and public sector greenhouse gas inventories, cities and national greenhouse gas accounting and reporting, and sustainable design and analysis of different structures such as industrial, commercial and residential buildings and infrastructures.

Currently, Mar is handling multiple job roles from different organizations, namely International Consultant at Global Green Growth Institute, Director and Sustainability Consultant at SEED Institute, Sustainable Structural Engineering Consultant at DCCD Engineering Corporation, Deputy Project Leader at TagBalay Foundation, and Sustainable Design and Innovation Manager at Habitat for Humanity Philippines. Concurrently, he is the Corporate Secretary and Chief Financial Officer at Natural Wonders Tourism Foundation – Philippines, Corporate Secretary and Chief Financial Officer at SEED Institute and Assistant Chief Financial Officer at TagBalay Foundation.

  Mardian Marsono, Senior Consultant Kiroyan Partners (Jakarta) 

Mardian serves as a senior consultant at Kiroyan Partners, a corporate communications and public affairs consulting firm based in Jakarta, Indonesia. He has developed his interest and expertise in community development, stakeholder engagement,  public  relations and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through a combination of professional career, academic study and consulting. These experiences have enabled him to grasp in-depth familiarity with the intersection of business, social and environmental dynamics. He has worked with many clients from diverse sectors, such as chemical industry, financial services, power generation, mining, oil and gas as well as international development aid.

Mardian started his career in PT Indominco Mandiri, a coal-mining subsidiary of PT Indo Tambangraya Megah Tbk. He then undertook part-time internship at CSR International and pursued postgraduate studies in New Zealand. While in New Zealand, Mardian held the position of Research Assistant at the School of Environment and Geography in the University of Auckland.

After returning from New Zealand, Mardian dived into the CSR consulting industry undertaking a Project Manager position at PT Interdev Prakarsa.

 

Maria Anastasia De Souza, Stakeholder Relations Executive PETRONAS

Maria Anastasia is a Stakeholder Relations Executive in the Upstream Strategic Communications & Administration Department of Upstream Business in PETRONAS. Her portfolio includes managing social and reputation risks via various platforms such as CSR activations, stakeholder engagements and other social performance mechanisms. In addition, Maria closely engages in some of the Department’s critical issues pertaining to human rights, indigenous people, security and environment.Prior to joining the Department of Upstream Business, Maria served as a Business Development Executive in PETRONAS Trading Corporation. She holds a Bachelor of Technology (Hons) in Software Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Malaysia.
  Maria Roxanne Lu, Director, Programs & Projects Unit, Makati Business Club 

Maria Roxanne Lu is the Director, Programs and Projects Unit of the Makati Business Club (MBC), a non-profit business organization based in Manila, Philippines. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Economics at the Ateneo de Davao University.

Part of her work is to manage the research and policy advocacy arm of MBC, which requires working with business leaders, government officials and civil society groups. She has been involved in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as a Programs Officer of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Philippines from 2011 until the end of the Philippine hosting year of APEC in 2015. Her work area is on policy and economic research as well as designing and implementing programs focused on national development.

In the early years of her career, Roxane served as a research officer at the Mindanao Business Council, where she contributed in good governance projects as well in the trade and investment work of the BIMP-EAGA Business Advisory Council Philippines.

In her spare time, she competes in international Ultimate Disc tournaments and conduct disc clinics to children and young professionals in an active effort to promote fun and fitness.

  Nguyen Bui Khoi Nguyen, Manager, Corporate Banking Department, Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank)

Khoi obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Banking and a Master’s Degree in Economics from the Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City. He has been working for Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank) since 2009, and was appointed as a Manager of Corporate

Banking Department of Vietinbank - Branch No.6 Ho Chi Minh City.

His main responsibilities include managing and supervising 16 subordinates, building business strategies for the annual growth targets, maintaining a close relationship with current corporate clients and attracting new clients, and conducting on-the-job training for subordinates. He acquired fundamental knowledge about CSR issues through considerable discussions with various corporate clients.

When appraising clients for approving loans, he also pays attention to how they are involved in various aspects of CSR, such as environmental protection, labour policy, sustainable development, human rights in order to make right decisions of offering loans. As CSR is currently a main concern of Vietnam-based banks, especially Vietinbank, his current concerns include maintaining better work-life balance for staff, and simplifying loan procedures and improving access to financial support to SMEs.

His personal motto is, “Work smart in silence and let success be your noise.”

  Ni Ni Win, Deputy Team Leader, IPE Global Limited

Ni Ni Win is Deputy Team Leader at IPE Global Limited. In her current role, she is responsible for the Evidence and Learning component of the Supporting Partnership for Accountability and Civic Engagement (SPACE) program funded by DFID.

Her professional experience includes coordinating and collaborating with various government sectors, public institutions, local, sub-national and national community on HIV/AIDS prevention, care and counseling, child protection and matters pertaining to child rights governance. Her area of expertise includes program development and emergency project management.

She brings in a wealth of experience, expertise and dedication to strengthen the capacity of civil societies organisations (CSOs) in Myanmar. Ni Ni served in roles both across civil society sectors and the private sectors. She also worked at a nationwide CSO network to improve transparency and accountability of Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), Myanmar in coordinating, facilitating and close collaboration with government and private sector representatives.

Prior to this, she has worked for Population Services International, Save The children and Plan International.

Ni Ni contributed her expertise in strengthening and building skills and capacities for CSOs to improve policy advocacy, evidence researches, and increase citizen participation for better social impact at Volunteer Service Overseas.

 

Rhea Sianipar, Vice President Corporate & External Affairs, PT NS BlueScope Indonesia

Rhea Sianipar is the Vice President of Corporate and External Affairs at PT NS BlueScope Indonesia, which is one of the leading coated steel manufacturing companies in the world.

Rhea has over fifteen years of experience working in marketing communication, media, industry and government affairs, and sustainability. Prior to joining BlueScope, she held various positions in the telecommunications, biotechnology agriculture, and fast-moving consumer goods industries. She has been involved in several industry associations, not just to promote industry issues but also collaborate on business ethic to ensure sustainable business.

Rhea took her Diploma at the University of Indonesia and Bachelor of Economics at the University of PERBANAS. In addition to her professional work, Rhea serves in her community by mentoring the youth and also serves as a volunteer in HOPE Worldwide's programs to support the poor and the needy. Through the Fellowship, she looks forward to exchanging insights and business practices, as well as building an ASEAN network.

She currently resides in Jakarta with her husband, Johannes Hutapea, and their two kids Jordan, six years old, and Rae, three years old. She enjoys traveling, singing, cooking, and trying new food recipes.

  Sonedalinh Phoumvongxay, Governance, Poverty Reduction and Livelihood Unit, UNDP, Laos 

Sonedalinh Phoumvongxay is a Programme Analyst for Governance and Poverty Reduction at UNDP Country Office, and a Deputy Director of DS Design and Consulting Sole Co. Ltd.

Prior to joining UNDP, she was a Programme Officer at Oxfam Lao PDR, mainly responsible for citizen inclusive development projects, an Administrative Assistant at World Health Organisation (WHO), a Secretary for International Rice Research Institute at Mekong sub-region office, and Community Development Officer for a Solid Waste Management project for Vientiane.

Her area of expertise includes community development, programme design and management. Sonedalinh holds a Master’s Degree in Development Practice from the University of Queensland, Australia.

  Vilavanh Maniphousay, Ministry of Education and Sports, Laos

Vilavanh Maniphousay started her career at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Laos. Her daily work then was to coordinate with both private and government sectors concerned, and to assist the Project Manager in the Luang Prabang National University Establishment Project.

Her second job was with Indochina Bank. She was a teller at the Department of Customer Representative Service. She worked there for a year before taking the chance to work with her current company, Banque Fraco-Lao Co Ltd (BFL).

Her work at BFL started at the Back Office Department. She held that position for three years, before getting promoted to take on a heavier responsibility. Currently, she is working on the Banking on Women Project, which aims to promote assess to financial services and non-financial services for Lao women.

Vilavanh has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the National University of Laos.

Vu Thi Kim Chi, Lecturer, International Business Banking Academy of Vietnam

Kim Chi is a lecturer teaching undergraduate courses on international finance, business environment and business strategy in International Business Faculty – Banking Academy of Vietnam.

Prior to that, she earned a Bachelor's Degree in International Business and Economics in Foreign Trade University and took a job as a Marketing-Administration Intern for the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam afterwards, where she had the chance to work with key partners ranging from government bodies, civil societies to academia.

After receiving a scholarship to undertake a Master's Degree in International Business Management in the University of Huddersfield in England, she gained particular interest in a module known as Corporate Governance and Business Ethics. The increased interest in Business Ethics in specific and International Business in general spurred her to pursue the career of teaching.

  Yu Wai Maung, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Department, KBZ Bank

Described as a fighter, an educator and a feminist, Yu Wai Maung is a dedicated and passionate professional with almost a decade of experience in non-profit management and gender equality, coupled with a personal commitment to stand up and speak out against body shaming and domestic violence.

She is a self-love activist and an advocate for women’s rights, mental wellness and healthy lifestyle. Currently, Yu Wai is the Head of CSR Department at KBZ Bank, the largest bank in Myanmar. She is responsible for employee and stakeholder engagement, developing company-wide approach for disaster risk reduction and management system.

Aside from her full-time job, she is a motivational speaker. Yu Wai’s authentic style of motivational speech comes from her willingness to share and make fun of her own flaws. Through her own efforts to break free from fear of failure and disappointments, she inspires others to do the same and unlock their hidden emotional intelligence.

Yu Wai holds a Post-Graduate Degree in Non-Profit Management from the New School University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Women and Gender Studies from City University of New York.

 

   

Philippines - Module 4 of ASEAN CSR Fellowship (2017)

For Module 4 of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship, ACN worked with the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) as its local partner. Today, the CSR and civil society sector in the Philippines is one of the most active in ASEAN. Large family corporations, multinational corporations and civil society have been actively implementing various philanthropic activities to alleviate poverty and protect the environment. Though CSR is still described as primarily philanthropic, there has also been a slow shift towards a focus on how businesses make their profits. 

In this context, Fellows focused on the following questions for Module 4: How does the private sector further national development goals in the Philippines, and why do they bother? What role does civil society, traditionally strong in the Philippines, play in this? What shifts can we expect with the new Duterte administration?  

Highlights in the Philippines:

  1. ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit

  2. Site visit to understand Jollibee Group’s Farmers Entrepreneurship Programme

  3. Site visit to San Roque Dam to understand San Roque Corporation’s resettlement and livelihood programme for indigenous communities

  4. Hearing from Dr. Lilia de Lima, Director-General of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority and Awardee of Ramon Magsaysay Awards on how her hardline stance towards anti-corruption helped to attract FDI from top foreign companies and create almost a million jobs in the Philippines

  5. Hearing about the experience of large corporate/family foundations in the Philippines, including SM Foundation, Aboitiz Foundation, Zuellig Foundation

  6. Presentation of Capstone Projects of Fellow

  7. Movie screening: Crude – on the corporate scandal involving Chevron and environmental pollution in the Amazon

  8. Workshops on ‘Crafting Your Public Narrative’ and ‘Communicating Your CSR’

  9. Closing dinner and graduation hosted by the Chair of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), H.E. Leo Herrara-Lim

Day 1 (4 Sept 2017) - Understanding CSR in the Philippines, Capstone Projects

The morning session started with an overview of CSR in the Philippines by CSR champions from the private sector: Ms Linda L. Atayde (Trustee and Treasurer, LCF; Executive Director for Education, SM Foundation), Ms. Helen Orlande (Executive Director, LCF) and Maribeth Marasigan (FVP and COO, Aboitiz Foundation), Mr Sealdi Gonzales (Manager, Zuellig Family Foundation). The main questions posed included: What is the status of CSR in the Philippines? What is the role of LCF? What are the best CSR practices of LCF members?

In the afternoon, Fellows presented their Capstone Projects:

  1. Aji Paramartha: Solving Poverty Through Food
  2. Dini Triyuni: WEWO for Better Life of Ex Female Convicts in Indonesia
  3. Lydia Ang: SDG17 Partnerships for Sustainable Development and Reporting
  4. Michelle Ong: Enterprise Development for Micro-enterprises: A financial inclusion program for micro-enterprises and farmers in the coffee industry
  5. Philaiphone Vongpraseuth, Sanva Saephan and Vanida Khouangvichit: Responsible Agriculture Investment (RAI)
  6. Pidor Chhay and Sambath Bun: Business Integrity and CSR in Cambodia Businesses
  7. Quek Shiyun: Company of Good Label
  8. Vo Ly Vinh, Nguyen Dung Tien and Nguyen Bich Hien: Labour Law E-guide for Workers, namely “Huong dan luat cho nguoi lao dong”
  9. Zin Mar Lwin: Promoting Business integrity and anti-corruption practices for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development of communities in Sittway, Rakhine State, Myanmar

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Fellows voted for their favourite Capstone Projects, with the 'Best Capstone Project' Award going to the team from Laos on responsible agricultural investments.

As the last agenda of the day, Fellows watched ‘Crude’, a documentary produced about the case of corporate irresponsibility and environmental pollution by Chevron in the Amazon rainforest. The objective was to understand remedies available to victims of irresponsible business activities.

Day 2 (5 Sept 2017) - Crafting Your Public Narrative

In the morning, Fellows took part in a workshop titled “Crafting Your Public Narrative” led by Professor Nieves Confessor of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). She guided the Fellows to craft a 7-min public narrative on their Capstone Projects. The key learning point was that in the past, companies had logos and brands, but they did not require a narrative. Today, companies need a social license to operate – hence the need for narratives for them to earn that social license.

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In the afternoon, the Fellows went on a tour of Manila, covering the following sites:

  • Malacanang Palace
  • Casa Manila
  • Intramuros
  • San Agustin Church
  • Manila Cathedral

Day 3 (6 Sept 2017) - ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit

The 3rd day was spent attending the inaugural ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit, the inaugural conference on responsible business convened by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and the Philippines as Chair of ASEAN for 2017. This marks a major milestone and signals the commitment from the ASEAN leadership on recognising the importance of responsible business. Topics shared included:

  • Contextualising Inclusive Business in ASEAN
  • Private sector panel discussion: Partnering for competitive and inclusive business models
  • Government panel discussion: Enabling inclusive business through policy
  • Investor panel discussion: Inclusive business financing
  • Way forward for inclusive business in ASEAN

At the Summit, ASEAN CSR Network also launched a new report on access to finance for MSMEs in ASEAN, focusing on the "missing middle" phenomenon - where early to growth stage MSMEs typically exceed upper thresholds to qualify for smaller loans such as microfinance, but are perceived by larger financial institutions to be risky and costly consumers. The report then proposes ways in which this funding gap can be met. This report was a joint partnership with the ABAC, Oxfam and AVPN. More info here.

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Day 4 (7 Sept 2017) - Agriculture & Energy

Day 4 featured 2 site visits, roughly a 6 hour ride away from Manila. Fellows first visited San Jose City to gain an understanding of the contract farming model as implemented by Jollibee Group through their Farmer Entrepreneurship Programme (FEP). The trip started with a visit to a chili farm owned by a farmer cooperative in the Kalasag Consolidation Area. Staff of Jollibee and farmers involved in the programme shared how the FEP helps them to ride out volatility in the sale of agricultural produce, secure a higher price and shift the power balance between buyer and seller towards their favour.

Key discussion points included:

  • How does the FEP benefit farmers?
  • Does the FEP contribute to the bottom line of Jollibee? What is the business case for it?

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Next, they travelled to Pangasinan to visit San Roque Dam, run by San Roque Corporation. The objective was to learn from their resettlement and livelihood programmes for resettled indigenous communities. The trip started with a sharing session by Mr. Tom Valdez (VP of San Roque Power Corporation) and a video presentation about the company. Next, Fellows were hosted on an appreciation visit to Camanggan Resettlement and Livelihood Area to speak to the community in the area. This was followed by a visit to San Roque Dam itself.

Key discussion points included:

  • How does San Roque Corporation ensure the wellbeing of indigenous communities affected by the dam project?
  • Do these strategies contribute to the long-term sustainability for San Roque Corporation?

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Day 5 (8 Sept 2017) - Closing and Graduation

On the final day, Fellows spent the morning hearing from Mr Richard Emerson D Ballester (Division Chief, Macroeconomics Division, National Policy and Planning staff, National Economic and Development Authority) on the Philippine’s economic development plan - Ambisyon Natin 2040 - a long-term 25-year vision for the Philippines.

Next, Fellows heard from Dr Lilia B. de Lima, awardee of the Ramon Magsaysay Award – an award given in honour of former the President who was known for good governance and being the People’s President. The award honours men/women who exceed greatest of spirit, achieving success in improving the lives of people in society. As the former Director-General of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Dr Lilia built a honest, competent service of public servants at PEZA. The IFC-World Bank cited only PEZA for Best Practice among Economic Zones worldwide: “Under PEZA, the Philippines has shown dramatic improvements in investment climate. End result – PEZA is a shining example of successful regulatory reform improving overall investment climate in the country”.

In the afternoon, Fellows took part in a workshop entitled ‘Communicating Your CSR’, conducted by Mr. Chito Maniago (Director, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, CEMEX Philippines for Asia). The workshop guided Fellows to create messaging about their company which fulfilled the triple criteria of: creativity, clarity of thought and cohesion. Fellows were also given time to craft their communication strategy, with the best Fellow and presentation recognised.

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Module 4 and the ASEAN CSR Fellowship concluded successfully with a closing dinner hosted by the Chair of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), H.E. Leo Herrara-Lim, at Discovery Primea, where Fellows were treated to local cuisine. The conversation with Mr. Herrara-Lim revolved around the aspirations of ASEAN and trends / progress to anticipate in the future.

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Ten new companies join SASPO

​​​​​​The Southeast Asia Alliance on Sustainable Palm Oil (SASPO)​ welcomed ten (10) new companies to its roster, bringing the total number of members to 15.

Read more

Majority of Singaporeans in favor of responsible business

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) seems to be an important aspect for businesses--that is if they consider the public opinions of the Singaporean majority. A new survey by YouGov Omnibus states that 88% of Singaporeans believe that businesses must do social good.  

YouGov is a UK-based international online market research agency

ACN promotes anti-corruption at ACE programme

The ASEAN CSR Network had a special participation at the Anti-Corruption Executive (ACE) programme. ACN's CEO Thomas Thomas delivered a talk on the last day of the two-week biennial programme of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). His presentation was entitled "Promoting Culture of Business Integrity in ASEAN through Collective Action." 

The programme was attended by local and foreign participants that were interested in discussing the challenges face of anti-corruption agencies. Mr. Thomas contributed to that discussion by sharing the ASEAN experiece 

More information on CPIB and the programme are available here.

Myanmar - Module 3 of ASEAN CSR Fellowship (2017)

For Module 3 of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship, ACN worked with the Union of Myanmar Federation Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) as its local partner. Myanmar presents a unique context as a country at the turning point of its history - with ongoing political and economic reform, a new investment law which empowers the government to keep out irresponsible investments, as money continues to pour into the energy, mining, garment and other 'high-risk' industries, and as Burmese 'repats' return to start businesses after lifted sanctions.

In this context, Fellows focused on the following questions for Module 3: Will they be able to undo years of corruption by the military government? Will the development of its tourism industry also come with the common ills such as sex tourism? Will proceeds from its oil fields trickle down to the poorest? Will post-conflict states be able to recover and benefit from business activity?

Highlights in Myanmar:

  1. Learning from high profile advocates of CSR in Myanmar: Daw Khine Khine Nwe – Joint Secretary-General, UMFCCI, Prof. Dr. Aung Tun Thet - Chairman, Global Compact Network Myanmar; Mr. Martin Pun - CSR Head of YOMA Strategic Holdings Group

  2. Discussion on responsible investment with First Myanmar Investment Company, Myanmar Investment Commission and others

  3. Site visit to Coca Cola bottling plant

  4. Site visit to Best Garment Factory

  5. Learning about business and human rights at the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB)

  6. Workshops on CSR buzzwords, sustainability reporting, responsible public procurement

Day 1 (3 July 2017) - Understanding CSR in Myanmar

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The morning session started with a session by Prof Dr. Aung Tun Thet (Chairman, Global Compact Network Myanmar) who provided an overview about the role of the business community in Myanmar, especially during this transitional period of democratisation. He spoke on the particular aspects of Myanmar's culture which made it unique, including the culture of corporate philanthropy being deeply embedded among the business community. Importantly, he commented on the baggage of the past which continues to affect CSR in Myanmar - there remains a strong reliance on top-down approaches due to years of authoritarian rule, as well as historically-complex issues such as crony capitalism and land rights. Yet, good news remains as the new government seems to have the political will to combat corruption, and a strong drive from the business community to participate in the UN Global Compact Network.

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Next was an introduction to UMFCCI by U Zaw Min Win (Chairman, UMFCCI) and Daw Khine Khine Nwe (Joint Secretary-General, UMFCCI; Trustee, ACN), who provided an overview of how UMFCCI promotes responsible business. They added that other key developments in Myanmar include: A large number of companies signing up to Global Compact Network Myanmar, interest from UMFCCI to promote responsible business, a new coalition called Business 4 Peace (B4P) focusing on responsible business in post-conflict areas, a keen interest from companies in ISO 26000 and an interest from academia to introduce 'Principles of Management' Education to train future business leaders in business ethics.

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The afternoon session featured a panel discussion on responsible investment in Myanmar by the following speakers:

  • Mr. Aung Naing Oo (Director General, Directorate of Investment and Company Administration, Secretary, Myanmar Investment Commission)
  • Mr. Melvyn Pun (CEO, First Myanmar Investment Company)
  • Mr. Xavier Preel (Country Director, TOTAL)

Responsible investment has been an important topic for Myanmar since 2012, communicating to potential investors that the government was seeking quality investments – for example, which promoted export, featured technological transfers. The discussion featured questions such as how Myanmar could attract responsible investors which could benefit the country in an inclusive manner, what the key challenges in responsible invesment in Myanmar were, and what were the key interventions that have been successful to the country. Speakers shared that on 18 Oct 2016, a new investment law came in place where investors were required to provide quarterly reports on their performance in responsible business, as well as conduct Environmental Impact Social Assessments which must include community consultations. Another positive development is that the private sector is gaining interest and awareness in CSR. For example, the Myanmar Property Investment Award now includes an award for CSR.

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The day ended with a workshop on CSR concepts such as: "Creating Shared Value (CSV)", "social license to operate" and "FTSE4Good". Which of these 'buzzwords' are here to stay and which are simply fads? What are the latest trends in CSR? 

Day 2 (4 July 2017) - Business & Human Rights, Deep Dives in the Energy & Extractive Industry

In the morning of Day 2 of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship in Myanmar, the Fellows had a conversation with Myanmar ‘Returnees” to learn how the new wave of returning Myanmar businessmen are becoming Myanmar’s pioneers of responsible business. There is a strong desire by the people of Myanmar living overseas to return home, as long as quality employment is available. According to the speakers, there is a genuine desire to return home to contribute to the country’s rise from its slumber after political/economic reform. For the Pun family, one of the most prominent business families in Myanmar, they had clear reasons for returning after sanctions were lifted – to build up the nation. They hoped to do this by providing employment opportunities and ensuring that the company was not corrupt. By 2012, they had 46 companies from banks to hotels, hiring up to 4,000 people. However, challenges remain for ‘repats’ to reintegrate into Myanmar society, as they may no longer speak the local language and usually command a much higher salary. Further challenges also face entrepreneurs hoping to return home to start businesses, as the infrastructure supporting business activities is relatively weak. For example, there are barriers in place for exporting goods. SMEs also face the problem of a lack of support to move up the value chain.

 first sess

Mr Martin Pun, CSR Head of YOMA Strategic Holdings Group (photo middle), his son, Mr. Calvin Pun, a social entrepreneur (photo: left), and Mr Zaw Htoo Aung, Market Development and Government Affairs & Policy Leader, GE Myanmar (photo: right) were on panel to provide their experiences and lessons they hoped the country would adopt in order for it to harness the potential of private sector activity.

Daw Pansy

The second session featured Daw Pansy Htun Thein, National Advisor to the Gender Equality Network (GEN), who shared with the Fellows on the status and challenges of gender equality. While the country has indeed taken many steps to address the issue, more had to be done to ensure enforcement. She shared that women are still under-represented in the workforce and that the majority were unskilled and given unequal pay for equal work. The civil society movement – including advocacy for women empowerment – received a large boost of support after Cyclone Nargis. After the disaster, many cases of abuse against women occurred and this ironically raised alarm bells about the need to tackle these previously-hidden issues. At the start, ‘women protection’ served as an entry point for discussions rather than the more sensitive term of ‘gender equality’. Since then, civil society dialogue opened up after further economic and political reforms made it easier for women advocates to speak up.

MCRB

In the afternoon, the Fellows visited the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business (MCRB) to learn about the key business and human rights issues in Myanmar, with a deep dive in the energy and extractive industries. MCRB has conducted in-depth impact assessments in selected industries, including oil & gas, tourism, ICT and mining. They shared that the key business and human rights issues in Myanmar include land issues, such as forceful land acquisition for agribusiness and extractive industries, and labour rights issues, such as strikes about long working hours, low wages and health and safety in certain industries.

Jewellry

For the final session of the day, the Fellows visited Turquoise Mountain’s workshop, a social enterprise working hard to be Myanmar’s first retailor of responsible-gold, while hiring Myanmar craftsmen to ensure the continuity of Myanmar’s traditional jewellery-making.

Day 3 (5 July 2017) - Responsible Tourism

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The 3rd day started with a visit to the Myanmar Responsible Tourism Institute (MRTI). Discussions surrounded Myanmar's large potential for tourism, which - if harnessed in a responsible manner - can maximize the benefits for communities and the economy. As the number of businesses involved in the tourism industry continued to grow, it will be increasingly important for the government and other stakeholders in Myanmar to ensure tourism can help empower local communities, create livelihoods, while having a strong focus on environmental protection. A situational analysis conducted by MRTI revealed that many problems currently exist, including the sexual exploitation of domestic workers who are mainly from ethnic minority groups, and young brides being sold in the ‘virgin market’ to wealthy Chinese in the Myanmar-Chinese border. If Myanmar does not have a consolidated effort to stem the flow of these practices, it could open the floodgates to further problems such as child sex tourism.

temple

The rest of the day saw the Fellows spending the afternoon joining a walking tour in Yangon. They visited and learned about the history of the Bogyoke Aung San Market and Shwedagon Pagoda (Golden Pagoda).

Day 4 (6 July 2017) - Deep Dives in the F&B and Garment Industry

best garment brief

Fellows visited Best Garment Factory in Hmawbi to learn about the garment industry. The garment industry often faces criticisms for the lack of protection for factory workers, driven by low returns due to stiff competition for low prices of garments. In many factories, the staff turnover rate is high and protests are not uncommon. In general, it was discussed that European brands usually demand a higher standard of protection for workers, due to pressure from NGO groups.


Garment Factory

fellows and coke team

Fellows then visited a Coca-Cola botting facility to learn about the MNC's best practices in responsible business. They were met by Mr. Alexander Chapman, Head of Public Affairs and Communications of Coca-Cola Pinya Beverage Myanmar. He highlighted the importance of earning the 'social license to operate’, in order to ensure the long term sustainability of the business. In order to attain this, he shared that Coca-Cola embarked on a high-level framework which includes the following key steps/actions: mapping out business value chains and impacts; developing policies, procedures and internal controls; investing in infrastructure, machinery and technology; having transparency in operations (e.g. reporting); engaging stakeholders in discussions; and participating in community and social business programmes.

Day 5 (7 July 2017) - Looking Ahead

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On the final day of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship in Myanmar, the Fellows spent the morning reflecting on the key things they have learnt from the Fellowship, and discussing the next steps for the Fellowship. This includes their Capstone project presentation and setting up the Fellowship Alumni.

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Another workshop was held on Sustainability Reporting, tackling 3 key questions: Why do businesses report? What should they report on? And what distinguishes an outstanding report from the rest? Fellows also compared sustainability reports based on GRI standards, and shared their analysis on the strengths and weaknesses of each report.

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For the final session, Fellows took part in a 'crony mapping' exercise which highlighted the harsh reality in ASEAN that business and political circles too often overlap. Fellows split into their respective countries, mapping out power relations within well-known families in their own country, and analysing where the risks of corruption lie. They also discussed potential solutions to cronyism, including the adoption of international standards on transparency and public procurement.

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The ASEAN CSR Fellowship in Myanmar concluded successfully with a closing dinner hosted by the Joint Secretary General of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), Daw Khine Khine Nwe at Karaweik Palace, where Fellows were treated to traditional Burmese cultural dances and local cuisine.

The Fellowship will resume in September 2017, with the last training module in Manila held to coincide with the ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit.

Small Grants Fund Recipients / Reports

The Small Grants Fund is to provide supplementary funding to local and regional organisations who are engaged in work to promote Corporate Social responsibility and with an interest to link their work to the ASEAN CSR Vision 2020 initiative.

Awardees need to complete their projects within 6 months of receiving the grant. For more information on the selection criteria and work areas, please click here. 

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Subcategories

IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PICKS UP AS A NORM

 
Please click here for source of article
 
SINGAPORE, Reporting ASEAN (31 August 2016)– Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate governance are far from new, but they are now becoming norms that merit companies’ investment in and disclosure about them, deeper study by research institutions and their teaching in business schools in Southeast Asia and beyond.
 

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