In an effort to strengthen the call for responsible business practices, a conference was co-hosted by the Embassy of Sweden in Manila, the ASEAN CSR Network and the League of Corporate Foundations on 17 January 2018 at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel in Manila, Philippines. Entitled "Fostering CSR in the Philippines: Conference on Responsible Business", the event was a full-day conference to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a means for companies to mitigate, as well as address, social and environmental challenges. The conference aimed to drive momentum for a business community that not only profits, but also protects the people and the planet.

The conference sought to update participants of the latest trends in CSR and responsible business practice, and to present the current status of CSR n the Philippines. It also showcased the best CSR practices by Swedish and Filipino companies, ranging from social initiatives – such as farmer empowerment programmes, protection of migrant workers, and initiatives to ensure communities making way for large infrastructure projects are resettled in a responsible manner – to environmental initiatives, such as sustainable packaging and waste management.

Discussions amongst participants were conducted in between sessions, wherein participants talked about the role of the private sector in social development, including MSME's. Other topics discussed were approaches to tackling human rights issues, engaging trade unions, and the lowering waste in production.

Following the welcoming remarks of Swedish Ambassador to Manila H.E. Ambassador of Sweden Harald Fries, ACN's Chair Ms Yanti Triwadiantini also delivered a speech about inclusive growth paving the way to prosperity for all.

Other notabe speakers of the event are Ayala Corporation's Chairman and CEO, Mr. Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala; ASEAN Intergovernment Commission on Human Rights Philippine Representative, H.E. Mr. Leo Herrera-Lim; and Philippine Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Mr. Silvestre Bello III.

ACN's CEO Mr. Thomas Thomas wrapped-up the event by providing emphasis to the importance of sustainable and responsible business practices, and encouraged the participants in the private sector to begin exploring options in order to make significant strides in the field of CSR. 

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This post will be updated with the full report, which would include the complete list of speakers and their profiles, as well as a more comprehensive description of the discussions.