The Institute of Developing Economies - Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO) organized a seminar today, September 26, 2017.

The topic was on "Responsible Business Practices in ASEAN: Responsible Supply Chain to Contribute (to) SDGs, Focusing (on) Labor Rights". This reflects the increasing interest of Japanese companies on responsible supply chains. 

The seminar was attended by almost 30 Japanese companies based in Singapore, many of which have their regional headquarters here. This is part of JETRO's efforts to reach out to the Japanese business community and is the 4th seminar after similar sessions held in Malaysia and Myanmar. The objective is to raise their level of awareness about CSR, in particular business and human rights issues such as migrant labour and forced labour.

Other topics discussed include: What are the consumer movements today which businesses should be aware of? What is the impact of Chinese businesses dominating investments in Southeast Asia? What is the role of the private sector in implementing SDGs? Is industrial relations an effective way to manage business and human rights risks?

The presentation of the ASEAN CSR Network (ACN) focused on trends in ASEAN and the Regional Strategy on Business and Human Rights. ACN's Programme Manager, Melissa Chong, presented the business case and useful frameworks to implement responsible business practices, with a focus on labour rights.

JETRO with ACN's CEO, Mr. Thomas Thomas, and Programme Manager, Melissa Chong