ASEAN CSR Network: February 2018 Newsletter

Promoting and enabling
responsible business conduct in ASEAN

​
​SASPO grows triple
​as ten new companies join

​​​​​​
​​
 

​​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.

The new members are: 
 

They join SASPO's the five (5) companies that formed the alliance: Unilever, Danone, Ayam Brand, IKEA and Wildlife Reserves Singapore. The ASEAN CSR Network is a founding member.

Founded in 2016, SASPO is a response to public clamor on the problem of prolonged haze. The alliance is the first ASEAN business initiative on sustainable palm oil. 
​

Learn more about SASPO here.
​
​

​ACN partners with Shift for
​"The Valuing Respect Project"

Shift's President Caroline Rees speaking on the value of doing business with respect for human rights, at the opening of the Nasdaq stock exchange (New York, 29 January 2018)

The ASEAN CSR Network is a proud partner of Shift on its recently launched initiative called "The Valuing Respect Project: Developing Better Ways to Measure Business Respect for Human Rights," a collaborative project that aims to develop better ways of using information, metrics and indicators to evaluate business respect for human rights.
​​

Read more here.
​

​ACN makes pledges to
​Climate Action SG

​
The ASEAN CSR Network Secretariat shows clear commitment toenvironmental sustainability, and pledges ways to apply these commitment to the workplace. This is in support of the Climate Action 2018 of Singapore's Ministry of Energy and Water Resources. 
​​

Read the pledges here.

• ​ACN conducts dialogue session with corporate partners
• Announcement of Internship Opportunity: Communications Intern​

​​

​
ACN's CEO Mr. Thomas Thomas participated at the APEC Best Fit Practices and Experience Sharing Workshop on Corruption Prevention Mechanisms in APEC Economies as a speaker on 24 February in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. He spoke about why corruption prevention is important for businesses during a session on Private Sector Involvement and Social Engagement.

ACN holds an Observer status with APEC’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Working Group.
​​

Learn more about the Working Group here.
​

• ​​Regional Workshop on Business and Human Rights in Jakarta, where ACN's Chair Ms Yanti Triwadiantini, and CEO Mr. Thomas Thomas were also speakers; and
• The UN Asia Consultation on the Gender Lens to the UNGPs on BHR, attended by ACN's Programme Manager Ms Marya Malek.

​

​ASEAN prepares to create a master plan to mainstream rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs). The discussion was centered on addressing the challenges faced by PWDs, as well as empowering them and ensuring an enabling environment to achieve a more inclusive society. These efforts will include employment policy that can better accommodate PWDs.
 

Read more from ASEAN here.

​

​​

In an effort to boost tourism, ASEAN will focus on food and sustainability. As agreed upon at the 37th Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) in Chiang Mai, Thailang, the tourism standards across ASEAN will focus on developing efficient processes, responsible business, capacity building, destination management and effects on local communities and the environment.
​

Read more from Asian Correspondent here.

​
A number of Singapore food outlets pledge to phase out shark fin, in support of a campaign from WWF. These include Chinese restaurant chain Crystal Jade, Pan Pacific Hotels, and online delivery service Foodpanda, whose policy applies across its 3,800 partner restaurants. They have committed to removing the popular dish from their menus (in varying ways) as an effort to help save the species facing extinction.
 

Read more from Eco-Business here.

​​

The Singapore government will charge major emitters S$5 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions starting 2019. This is lower than the former announcement of S$10-20 in order to allow the industry to adjust and comply. However, this comes with the intention of increasing the figure to S$10-15 in 2030, pending review in 2023.
 

Read more from Channel News Asia here.
 

A recent study shows that many Thai fishing operators who trap workers on board ships and withhold wages do not consider their practices as modern slavery. While many of them understand that human trafficking and forced labor is wrong, they still perceive withholding documents or forcing them to pay off debts are acceptable.
 

Read more from Eco-Business here.
 

​​​

​

​The Australian Human Rights Commission is planning efforts to incorporate human rights into new technological innovation. As a move to address technology-related challenges such as invasion of privacy, the AHRC hopes to implement projects that seek to protect and prioritize human rights in the face of new and emerging technology advancement.
 

Read more from iTnews here.

​​​​
 

​UEFA, Europe's football authority, and the European Commission have agreed to commit to sustainability in football. This signifies their cooperation on issues around sustainable practices, fair competition, good governance and integrity. Stipulated in the agreement is the mutual commitment to follow "best practices in areas of recycling, eco-innovation and waste-management," as a move to bridge the sport and sustainability. 

​Read more from Climate Action here.

​
Taiwan is going to ban on all single-use plastic items including straws, cups and shopping bags by year 2030, with restaurants already facing new restrictions as early as next year. This comes as a move to reduce waste and pollution, and to protect public health. This policy is among the island's eco-friendly campaigns, which also includes a recycling program, and a limit to the use of incense at temples and festivals.
 

Read more from Straits Times here.

​