Enabling Breakthroughs for Inclusive & Sustainable Growth in ASEAN Post-2015

Date: Thursday, 5 February 2015
Headline CSR = Art of the Possible
Keynote Speaker:
 John Elkington
Highlights:
  
  • 2015 is an exciting year on many fronts related to CSR
  • Need to move the CSR focus from MNCs to SMEs and family owned businesses
  • Growing need to stretch ambitions and track new types of values
  • Need for C-Suites to step up and engage more and gave the examples of Paul Polman from Unilever
  • One of the biggest challenges facing society-NGOs and other parts of civil society need to engage with business.  There has to be realisation that it takes active investment/ involvement on part of businesses and NGOs/ civil society and also a fair amount of time for such engagements to bear fruits.  Businesses have to break down silos and make connections and create an enabling environment for more successful partnerships can form
  • The role of youth in Next-Gen CSR - There is an intergenerational tension that is beginning to show.  Millenials think differently, travel extensively and they have fresh perspectives and incubate new ideas.  They are willing to go out and do things on their own.  However, they will require guidance from previous generations.  A lot of the problems that face society today have been created by them and the millennnials will require support in dealing with them.
  • The role of the national government - companies alone cannot do everything.  Governments can set long term frameworks, minimise corruption, educate people with skills they need and enable them to do what they need to do.