Register for ACN's webinar on financial inclusion for MSMEs in ASEAN (21 June)
ASEAN CSR Network February 2016 Newsletter
E-Newsletter February 2016
What's Been Happening
Civil society groups urged to push for National Action Plans on human rights
ASEAN CSR Network's Programme Director, Mr. Jerry Bernas, spoke at the "ASEAN Consultation Workshop on Civil Society role towards the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights". It was co-hosted by Oxfam and the Institute of Human Rights of the University of the Philippines. Held in Quezon City, Philippines, on 12 February 2016, the event was attended by over 40 civil society leaders from around the region and invited representatives from the government and private sectors. For more details, pleaseclick here.
Here's your chance to have your winning video featured in a global anti-corruption campaign
If you're great at putting together a video clip, why not use your skills to support a good cause? Calling those aged 35 years and below from Southeast Asia, make a stand against corruption by producing a video clip of up to 3 minutes. The best videos selected will be officially used during the 2016 UN Anti-Corruption Day Campaign with a potential audience reach of 200 million people around the world. In addition, selected videos will be featured on various UNDP and ASEAN CSR Network media platforms, including websites, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Flickr, LinkedIn and at selected events. For more details of the contest, pleaseclick here.
ASEAN CSR Network's participation at the ASEAN Biodiversity Conference, 15-19 February 2016
ASEAN CSR Network's CEO Mr. Thomas Thomas spoke on business and biodiversity at a panel discussion at the ASEAN Biodiversity Conference, held from 15-19 February 2016, in Bangkok. Close to 500 representatives from ASEAN governments, international organisations, scientific and research community, NGOs and academia. The conference aims to provide a forum for exchanging perspectives on initiatives that address biodiversity issues in the region. For more details of the event, please click here.
Presentation on Sustainability Reporting project, findings to be unveiled in July 2016
On 25 February 2016, five teams of students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) presented their findings on the state of Sustainability Reporting in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. This is part of a joint project by the Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations, NUS Business School and ASEAN CSR Network. Findings of the report will be unveiled during the Conference on Corporate Governance and Responsibility.For more details of the presentation, please click here.
CSR is about how you make money: ASEAN CSR CEO
ASEAN CSR Network's CEO Mr. Thomas Thomas was recently featured in an interview with Reporting ASEAN's Johanna Son. For more details of the interview, pleaseclick here
Special book discount for ASEAN CSR Network email subscribers
“The World Guide to Sustainable Enterprise," edited by Dr. Wayne Visser, describes national approaches to sustainable enterprise; every country profile includes key information and best-practice case studies. Volume 2 explores the priority issues, trends, government policies and a number of case studies in sustainable enterprise in the Asia Pacific region. ASEAN CSR Network's CEO Mr. Thomas Thomas contributed the chapter on Singapore in the volume.
ASEAN CSR Network members can get 20% off individual volumes of the World Guide, using discount code “WG20” on the Greenleaf website. Members wishing to buy all four volumes can enjoy a 25% discount by followingthis link.
Upcoming Events
Conference on Corporate Governance & Responsibility: Theory Meets Practice, 20-22 July 2016, Singapore
ASEAN CSR Network (ACN) and the Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations, NUS Business School (CGIO), will be co-organising the Conference on Corporate Governance & Responsibility: Theory Meets Practice from 20 – 22 July 2016 at the NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House, National University of Singapore. Some of the confirmed speakers and moderators include:
Prof. Jeremy Moon, Velux Professor for Corporate Sustainability, Department of Intercultural Communication and Management, Copenhagen Business School;
Dato Dr. Aishah Bidin, Commissioner, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), and Professor of Corporate and Insolvency Law at the Faculty of Law, National University of Malaysia;
Ms. Linda Gurning, Department Head of Strategic CSR, Golden Agri Resources;
Prof. Lawrence Loh, Director for Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations, NUS Business School;
Mr. Roel Nieuwenkamp, Chair of the OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct
More details of the conference can be found on the event microsite.
Making the Change in Myanmar: A practical workshop on how businesses can combat corruption, 16 March 2016, Myanmar
Over 300 Myanmar-based organisations have now committed to the UN Global Compact and its 10 Principles, the most for any country in ASEAN. This movement represents a good opportunity to change the business environment in Myanmar. The challenge lies in translating these commitments into concrete actions. The UN Global Compact suggests companies should implement the 10th Principle (“Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms including extortion and bribery”) through organisational change at the company level and through collective action at the country level.
To facilitate discussions on this, ASEAN CSR Network and the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business are organising a workshop on 16 March in Myanmar to address the opportunities for companies to support change individually and collectively, with funding support by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office through its Prosperity Fund. This workshop is also organised in partnership with the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) and Global Compact Network Myanmar. For more details, pleaseclick here
Asia Forum on Business and Human Rights, 19-20 April 2016, Doha
The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights is convening its first in Asia Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights from 19 to 20 April 2016 in Doha. For more details of the event, pleaseclick here.
AVPN Conference 2016: 23-25 May, Hong Kong
The Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) Annual Conference is a gathering of social investors, incubators and supporters interested in Asia. The AVPN Conference 2016 will be held in Hong Kong this year. For more details of the event, pleaseclick here.
In The News
Follow us on our Facebook, LinkedInandTwitterfeeds. Every Monday to Friday, we share news not only about the activities and events that ASEAN CSR Network organises but also interesting news snippets on responsible business practices.
Listed below are some of the popular articles highlighted on our Facebook page.
More firms sign on to anti-corruption pact Source: 3 Feb, The Phnom Penh Post Summary: Cambodia's national corruption watchdog has added two more firms to its list of private sector companies committed to stamping out corruption, a government news source said yesterday.
Vietnamese bankers arrested over fraud worth 'millions' Source: 3 Feb, AFP / Channel News Asia Summary: Police in Vietnam have arrested three senior former bankers and six securities officials over a fraud worth millions of dollars at a partly state-run bank, government media reported. The arrests are the latest to hit the ailing banking sector.
Norway's US$810 billion wealth fund to question companies on human rights Source: 4 Feb, Reuters / Channel News Asia Summary: Norway's US$810-billion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, said it would raise its focus on global human rights to ensure that companies it invests in follow ethical standards.
RSPO launches new, stricter palm oil label Source: 11 Feb, eco-Business Summary: The industry association for sustainable palm oil has launched a new, enhanced label called RSPO Next, but this voluntary scheme has drawn mixed reviews from environmental groups.
Eco-fashion: Know your labels Source: 11 Feb, eco-Business Summary: Know your fashion labels. What does eco-fashion, ethical fashion, upcycling mean in the fashion industry?
If your organisation or network is interested in participating in the ASEAN CSR Network, please contact the Participating Organisation who is formalised as the convener for the network in your country. Visit the Participating Organisations page on our website for more information.
If your country does not have a Participating Organisation formalised as a convenor yet, you may contact theSecretariatof the ASEAN CSR Network directly.
