In Jun 2015, the grant was awarded to 9 ASEAN organisations, for an amount totalling S$88,182.50. The following table gives a brief summary of the projects. 

In Jun 2015, the grant was awarded to 9 ASEAN organisations, for an amount totalling S$85,992.00. The following table gives a brief summary of the projects. 

In Jun 2015, the grant was awarded to 9 ASEAN organisations, for an amount totalling S$107,870.00. The following table gives a brief summary of the projects. 

1. How to Apply

To apply for this Fund, applicants need to submit two documents to sgf@asean-csr-network.org by 30 September 2017 (Singapore Date)

• Project Proposal Form (Annex A)
• Detailed Activity Based Budget (Annex B)

Understanding objectives and priorities of the ASEAN CSR Vision 2020 will be helpful in drafting Project Proposal

Incomplete application will be disqualified

For more information, please see EDM

 
2. Screening and Selection of Applications

The ACN Secretariat will be responsible for screening the proposals to ensure that they meet the necessary eligibility criteria as well as other guidelines. After which, they will be shortlisted and submitted to the "Grand Awards Committee".

The "Grant Awards Committee" will be make the final decisions and this could be based on available funding as well as the number of proposals received. 

Successful applicants will be informed of the result by Mid November 2017.

3. Contribution Agreement and Fund Disbursement

Successful applicants will be offered a Contribution Agreement (see Annex C for a sample of this Contribution Agreement). By signing this, the applicant agrees to acccept the terms and conditions stated in the agreement. 

80% will be disbursed within 2 weeks upon signing of the agreement and the remaining 20% will be disbursed upon submission of the Final Project Report.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

A Final Project Report shall be submitted within 1 month upon completion of the Project (see Annex D for Final Project Report sample). It will need to be accompanied by a Financial Report (see Annex B for a sample on a Detailed Activity Based Budget and Timeline).

As and when it is required, ACN will require a mid term update from the Applicants on the project.

5. Useful Information

In addition to the above mentioned Annexes which you can download for samples of forms, here are some useful information which you can download as well. This will provide more information on this grant.

• Small Grants Fund Guidelines
• Project Proposal Form (Annex A)
• Detailed Activity Based Budget (Annex B)
• Contribution Agreement (Annex C)
• Final Project Report (Annex D)
• Financial Report (Annex E)
• ASEAN CSR Vision 2020 overview 

For any additional inquiries, please contact sgf@asean-csr-network.org.

	Aji Paramartha, KPMG (Indonesia) Aji is currently a senior manager with the People Performance and Culture of KPMG Indonesia where he looks after Human Resources and CSR. Among the initiatives he has championed includes leading a team of 600 KPMG Indonesia employees in implementing community projects such as school renovation in 20 different locations in Jakarta in 2008; initiating a fast-response disaster relief program to raise funds and distribution of food & drinks, clothes and medicines. Aji holds a bachelor degree in Accounting from University of Indonesia with more than 12 years of professional experience across accounting, project management, strategy consulting and organisational development roles. Aji also holds a Masters of Tri-Sector Collaboration from Singapore Management University. He was the recipient of the Service for Asia (SFA) Fellowship and a full scholarship program. During his studies, he underwent a 13 month deployment to Yangon Bakehouse (a social enterprise working on women empowerment), where he contributed his expertise in Finance and Human Resource. Since 2003, Aji has maintained an active presence in community service which reflects a strong passion for and commitment to service.
	Dini Triyuni, WWF-Indonesia (Indonesia) Dini is an accountant-turned-conservationist, believing in her responsibility to engage in social and environmental causes. After receiving a scholarship to undertake a Masters in University of New South Wales in Sydney, she gained particular interest in a module she took on Reporting for Climate Change. After graduating, she decided to work for WWF-Indonesia as a Grant Officer. One of her current responsibilities is to analyse project financial performance and act as an intermediary between donors and project staff involved in project reporting. In addition to working as a grant officer, she continues to increase her depth of knowledge in CSR issues, with ambitions to work on sustainability projects at WWF-Indonesia, particularly related to sustainable finance.
	Lydia Ang, Capitaland (Singapore) Lydia is the Senior Manager of Group Communications at Capitaland.
	Michelle Ong, MetroBank Foundation (Philippines) Michelle is passionate about empowering micro and small enterprises, believing that businesses, immaterial of size and scale, can be globally competitive and must be socially responsible. She is currently a Program Officer at Metrobank Foundation, focusing on financial inclusion and enterprise development efforts for smallholder cacao and coffee farmers, small-scale fisherfolk, and indigenous textile weavers in select areas in the Philippines. Given her experience in leadership and social formation, she also handles learning sessions and workshops on CSR and community leadership for select employees of Metrobank. She possesses a strong love for country and believes in the potential of her country to become First World.
	Nguyen Dung Tien, ILO-IFC Joint Programme on Better Work Vietnam (Vietnam) Tien is an Enterprise Advisor of the ILO-IFC Joint Programme on Better Work in Vietnam. He provides assessment and advisory services for garment and footwear factories in Vietnam to ensure that they comply with national and international labour standards, as well as meet CSR requirements for international buyers. Prior to joining Better Work Vietnam, he worked for the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam (MOLISA). During his service for MOLISA, Tien engaged in international cooperation activities on labour law development, international labour standards and trade. He also took part in the negotiation for a number of free trade agreements, including TPP and Vietnam-EU FTA. Mr. Tien holds a MSc. Degree in Globalisation and Development from the University of Manchester, UK, where he studied labour law compliance in Vietnam’s garment sector. He also has an Executive Master Degree in Labour Economics jointly issued by Science-Po Paris and University of Turin, where he conducted research about labour policies and returns to education in Vietnam’s labour market. Before joining MOLISA, Mr. Tien was a lecturer of English Language and Translation studies at the University of Foreign Languages and International Studies of the Vietnam National University, where he graduated with a B.A. degree in Translation and Interpretation.
	Nguyen Thi Bich Hien, IUCN (Vietnam) Hien works for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a Project Manager of the Ha Long–Cat Ba Alliance Project. She is responsible for engaging with businesses to encourage environmentally-friendly business practices and catalyse public-private partnerships to improve environmental management, especially to protect the natural integrity of the Ha Long Bay World Heritage Site. Before taking over this project, she was in charge of managing a Small Grant Facility under the Mangroves for the Future Programme, which issued grants to local organisations, including social enterprises to undertake on-the-ground projects towards sustainable development of coastal areas. Prior to joining IUCN, Hien worked in the environmental protection and sustainable management of natural resources for the Viet Nam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI), Vietnam-Netherlands Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project and TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, a joint programme between IUCN and WWF. She earned her MSc Degree in Environmental Management from National University of Singapore in 2005 and her Bachelor Degree in English language in 2000 from Hanoi National University, Vietnam.
	Philaiphone Vongpraseuth, CEO of Phousy Construction and Development Public Company (Laos) Philly is an MBA Graduate from Australia with diverse experiences in both development and private sectors for more than ten years. She is currently a CEO of Phousy Construction and Development Public Company. She is very passionate about CSR and wanted to incorporate CSR into her organisation to create equal opportunity and better living conditions for her staff.
	Pidor Chhay, Transparency International (Cambodia) Pidor is a Business Integrity Senior Programme Officer for Transparency International Cambodia.  Before joining TI Cambodia, she spent three years with the United Nations Development Programme Cambodia (UNDP) in the Poverty Portfolio. Prior to that, Pidor worked as a Research Assistant for an independent research institute, Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI). In terms of private sector experience, she was previously the deputy-owner of an import-export company. Overall, she has more than 7 years of professional experience in the areas of good governance, poverty monitoring and analysis, rural livelihood development, social development, and private sector development. She graduated with a Bachelor degree from the National University of Management in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where she was awarded a scholarship to complete her studies.
	Sambath Bun, G Gear Company (Cambodia) Sambath is currently the Assistant to the CEO of G Gear Company, a private company in Cambodia. He assists the CEO on various aspects, particularly on strategic, planning and policy of the company as well the Young Entrepreneurship Association, whom the CEO is the president of. Sambath is mainly responsible for the CSR activities of G Gear, and moved to the private sector after close to 10 years working for NGOs, embassies and the government. Sambath has an M.A. in Public Policy in Development Policy and Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from Australian National University, and a B.A. in Education in English Teaching and Information Technology. He has been working on development issues, especially youth empowerment and education including monitoring, evaluation and budget management at local NGOs and international institutions. He has extensive knowledge on community and social development, and has spent his time organising many national and regional youth forums and meetings.
	Sanva Saephan, KP Laos (Laos) Sanva is currently the General Manager for Business Development at KP Company Limited.
	Shiyun Quek, National Volunteer Philanthropy Centre (Singapore Shiyun is the Assistant Director for Corporate Giving & Lead at the National Volunteer Philanthropy Centre (NVPC).
	Vanida Khouangvichit, Village Focus International (Laos) Vanida works for Village Focus International (VFI), an NGO working to promote land rights for local communities to address increasing resettlement and loss of access to land and natural resource due to large-scale land concessions. Her responsibility includes engaging with the private sector, especially agribusinesses, with an aim to improve companies’ land acquisition processes, community consultation processes, and grievance redress mechanisms, to ensure local participation and improve land tenure security faced by communities. Vanida holds an MA in Anthropology from North Carolina State University, and was awarded the Fullbright Foreign Student Programme Scholarship.
	Vo Ly Hoai Vinh, Coca-Cola Vietnam (Vietnam) Vinh has strong experience in Sustainability, Stakeholder Engagement, and Public Affairs. He is currently working as the Sustainability Officer at Coca-Cola Vietnam, leading a national CSR flagship program EKOCENTER, as well as the other 3W objectives of Coca-Cola: Water - Women - Well-being. Vinh also contributes to corporate reputation by supporting businesses to win Sustainability Awards in Vietnam. He has worked with key partners ranging from government bodies, civil societies to academia, in creating a stronger synergy for shared social goals. Before joining Coca-Cola, he worked for the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam as a Program Executive in CSR and Industry Committees. Vinh holds a Bachelor Degree in International Economics and another Degree in Law. His personal motto says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”.
	Zin Mar Lwin, Norwegian People's Aid (from Myanmar, but based in Laos) Zin works for Norwegian People's Aid, an international NGO which develops long-term sustainable development programs with a focus on environment, resources management, human rights, democratisation, capacity building and empowerment for local organisations. As the International Finance Manager, she is responsible for the sound financial management of the organisation, as well as leads the national team to support more than 30 civil society organizations in the areas of governance and accountable financial management. She holds an Executive Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Development Studies from Yangon Institute of Economics, Myanmar.

About the ASEAN CSR Fellowship 2017

For Module 2 of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship, ACN partnered with Indonesia Business Links (IBL) to deliver the 5-day programme. In Indonesia, Fellows re-visited key themes within CSR which they explored in Singapore – including business and human rights (BHR), business integrity and environmental sustainability – but in the different context of Indonesia. Compared to Singapore, a cosmopolitan island-state driven mainly by trade and commerce, Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest and most populous country, home to the largest Muslim population in the world, an archipelago with more than 18,000 islands abundant with natural resources. As such, the learning objective for the Fellows was to build an understanding of CSR as it applies across ASEAN, comparing the different experiences in the 4 countries visited.

Highlights in Indonesia:

1. Tour of the ASEAN Secretariat
2. Site Visit to a Waste Bank in Mampang, Jakarta, as an example of a multi-stakeholder initiative helmed by Unilever Foundation
3. Sharing by Danone, APRIL-RAPP on their strategies to ensure business practices are in line with environmental protection
4. Discussion with the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce (KADIN) and Telkomtelstra (one of Indonesia's largest telcos) on corporate governance
5. A supply chain mapping exercise covering the garment, F&B, FMCG and other industries
6. Workshop on how to forge and manage strategic partnerships for better outcomes

Day 1 (3 Apr 2017) - Visit to ASEAN Secretariat

The ASEAN CSR Fellowship kicked off in Jakarta with an overview of the status of responsible business practices in Indonesia presented by Indonesia Business Links (IBL), ACN's local partner for the 5-day programme. Over the 5 days, the key topics and learning points included: business and human rights, environmental protection, youth empowerment and unemployment, and multi-stakeholder approaches for development.

The first stop on Day 1 was the ASEAN Secretariat - where Fellows were introduced to the history of ASEAN, its objectives and role in the global order. Mr. Lee Yoong Yoong, Director of the Community Affairs Directorate shared compelling statistics presenting ASEAN as a formidable bloc, with a projected population of 700 million by 2030. He also presented one of ASEAN’s most important guiding documents – the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Blueprint – which marks ASEAN’s goals to be more cohesive, resilient and self-sufficient.

At the ASEAN Secretariat, Ms. Yanti Triwadiantini, Chair of ACN and Sustainability Advisor of IBL, also gave an overview of ASEAN's take on the responsible business agenda. She explained that CSR features in all three pillars of the ASEAN 2025 Blueprint, as ASEAN recognises the importance of involving the private sector to achieve sustainable development in the region. She also shared ASEAN’s key milestones in CSR, starting with the establishment of AICHR in 2009, the first Baseline Study on Business & Human Rights (prepared with the support of ACN) in 2014, and more recently, the ASEAN Guidelines for CSR on Labour and the draft ASEAN Regional Strategy on CSR and Human Rights – both developed in 2016. Ms. Yanti also shared the key highlights of the Baseline Study, and had an in-depth discussion with the Fellows on the commonalities and differences in the practice of CSR between ASEAN countries.

Next, Mr. Heru Prasetyo, Chairman of IBL, introduced the role of Indonesia Business Links (IBL) in progressing the CSR agenda in Indonesia. He marked the history of IBL’s birth after the economic collapse of 1998, when there was high unemployment and exit of many companies from Indonesia. The highlight of Mr. Heru’s discussion was an observation on the evolution of CSR in ASEAN. First, when capitalism was first introduced, the only social obligation of companies was to pay taxes and create jobs. Later, this expanded to include philanthropy, then later strategic giving (e.g. cause-related marketing), corporate community investment and finally, the emergence of ‘sustainable businesses’. Governments and businesses in each AMS may have a varying understanding of CSR along this evolution of CSR.

After the ASEAN Secretariat, Fellows paid a visit to the ASEAN Foundation, established in 1997 to promote awareness, identity, interaction and development of the people of ASEAN. The visit was hosted by Ms. Elaine Tan, Executive Director of ASEF and one of ACN’s Trustees. Ms. Elaine introduced the variety of programmes by the Foundation, from education (e.g. the ASEAN Internship Programme) to arts (e.g. APEX-ASEAN Puppetry Exchange) and – more in line with CSR – support for farmers (e.g. ASEAN Farmers’ Organisations Support Programme) and building a network for social entrepreneurs (e.g. ASEAN Conference on Social Entrepreneurship). During the Q+A, it was evident that the Fellows were impressed with the collaborative nature of the Foundation’s programmes, which typically involved private companies as strategic partners.

Day 2 (4 Apr 2017) - Business & Human Rights, Business Integrity in Indonesia

Day 2 focused on business and human rights, and collective action for business integrity in Indonesia. The day featured speakers from from Vale Indonesia, Oxfam Indonesia, Telkomtelstra and Indonesia Chamber of Commerece and Industry (KADIN).

The first panel discussion included Mr. Basrie Kamba from Vale Indonesia. Vale Indonesia is a subsidiary of Vale, a global mining company headquartered in Brazil, operating open-pit nickel mines in Sulawesi since 1968 and currently produces 5% of the world’s supply of nickel. Mr. Basrie shared that the mining industry has always been contentious, with many challenges in the area of BHR including land acquisition. He shared that the profile of business and human rights issues has continued to rise, with the Indonesian NHRI – Komnasham – receiving an increasing number of complaints. Fellows had many questions during the Q+A, particularly about how Vale conducts EIAs, community engagement and how they manage their communications.

Oxfam Indonesia was also invited to share their views and Mr. Budo Kuncoro, Country Director, presented a more academic approach to the topic of business and human rights, putting forward statistics on human rights complaints in Indonesia. He highlighted that the police receives the highest number of complaints, followed by companies – and half of these complaints were in the plantation sector. He reminded Fellows about the vastness of these operations, with one plantation occupying a land mass equivalent to 7 Singapores. Such large-scale operations can have massive impacts on communities – for the better or worse. Other issues faced by Indonesia include a widening inequality gap, freedom of association, discrimination against women, labour trafficking and contract violation, particularly in high-risk industries such as fisheries, garment, palm oil and extractive industries.

The second panel discussion focused on Business Integrity. Mr. Ernest Alto, VP of Risk and Compliance at Telkomtelstra, one of Indonesia’s largest telecommunications operators, shared about the importance of the tone from the top. He also shared an interesting case study involving collective action with other companies. Dr. Suryani Sidik F. Motik, Head of CSR from the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), also highlighted many new regulations and institutions set up after the Suharto era to combat corruption. Both panelists agreed that it often takes two to tango, and that the prerogative lies with companies to resist external pressures on corrupt practices and continue to act with integrity. 

Day 3 (5 Apr 2017) - Business & Environment in Indonesia

The focus of Day 3 was on business and the environment, a fresh topic not yet fully addressed during the Fellowship. Fellows heard from a former Indonesian Minister about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This was followed by a sharing of the best practices of two MNCs – Danone and Unilever – as well as a regional company – APRIL-RAPP – on how they manage the transboundary haze issue in the contentious pulp and paper industry. The day ended with a visit to Unilever Foundation’s waste bank project in Mampang, Jakarta.

Ms. Erna Witoelar is a former Minister of Human Settlements and currently a National Advisor to SDGs, spending a large part of her career working on sustainable development in Indonesia. She shared that there have been major progressive steps taken by the environment ministry to set regulations and take bold action. However, as there were still problems with regards to enforcement, she sounded the call for the private sector to take the lead, likening government bodies to a tank which is slow to take off, compared to non-state actors as bicycles which are nimble and efficient.

Ms. Ratih Anggraeni from Danone Indonesia gave a comprehensive summary of Danone’s key and efforts in sustainability. This included detailed strategies on managing water cycles, waste management, promoting sustainable agriculture and forging a circular economy in their business operations. Danone is a well-recognised leader in the field of CSR and Ms. Ratih’s presentation proved that their brand equity through CSR was well-founded.

The last item on the agenda for Day 3 was a visit to a waste bank in Mampang, Jakarta, supported by the Unilever Indonesia Foundation. In the recent years, various waste banks have been set up to increase the rate of recycling and are now scattered across Jakarta. Members of the community collect and deposit waste at the waste bank, earning credit which they can withdraw as vouchers or cash. In this way, the community also benefits from better financial literacy. To incentivise the use of the waste bank, members are allowed to borrow money from the bank and receive discounts for perks such as a trip together at the end of the year.

While such community projects are not uncommon and not unique to Indonesia, the objective of the site visit was to help Fellows understand how the private sector can work closely with the government, community and civil society to implement a successful community project. A key learning outcome to understand first-hand how multi-stakeholders can leverage on each other’s strengths while navigating through their differences when working together on multi-stakeholder projects such as this.

The Vice Mayor of South Jakarta, Drs. Irmansyah, graced the site visit in Mampang. Ms. Djuraidah Mahmud spoke, representing the views of the community as the Head of Community of Waste Bank Mekar Sari, sharing that the community did not initially see the benefits of this initiative, starting only with 12 members with one waste bank in 2014. However, by 2017, they had expanded to 200 members and developed 7 waste banks. Lastly, Mr. Muchtazar Muchtazar from the Unilever Indonesia Foundation shared about Unilever’s involvement in waste banks in Indonesia, as well as their general strategy on sustainability. Part of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan includes creating impact through community engagement – and supporting this waste bank was one such initiative. For all projects implemented, Unilever maintains a 360-degree engagement model, involving NGOs, the government, media and the private sector to allocate resources. This ensures that all stakeholders are engaged in the implementation of their programmes. For this particular programme, they formed partnerships with the local government, local community and an NGO called Rumah Palawi Foundation.

The local media was also present and the visit was featured in the news.

Day 4 (6 Apr 2017) - CSR & Youth Empowerment in Indonesia

Day 4 started with a 2-hour supply chain mapping exercise, where Fellows split into 4 groups to explore the supply chain of 4 different industries. These industries were selected to reflect the work experience of some of the Fellows, as well as industries which faced large risks in terms of CSR.

1) Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Industry
2) Garment Industry
3) F&B
4) Construction / Property Development

The focus then turned to CSR and youth empowerment – or more importantly, the private sector playing a role to find opportunities for the youth to gain employment. 48% of the Indonesia population is economically active, and of that rate, 22.6% are unemployed. Especially in regions outside Jakarta, few jobs are available for high school graduates and they are lower-skilled. Youth empowerment is also one of IBL’s key focuses, in recognition of this problem. The afternoon’s sharing consisted of 2 speakers from Accenture and IBL.

Mr. Fuad Lalean, Managing Director of Accenture shared that youth empowerment is one of Accenture’s most important focuses for CSR, recognising that the top challenges for youth people include a poor ability to present themselves in the job market – for example, writing good CVs and conducting themselves well in an interview – as well as lacking in entrepreneurial skills. He argued that corporates should view these youths as their potential talent pool, and advocated for the corporate role of corporates in youth empowerment. He also shared Accenture’s strategy to impact 3 million youth globally by building up their competencies, engaging them in the business operations and advocating for them to have more opportunities.
Ms. Harmini Simanungkalit, Youth Manager from IBL also shared about IBL’s approach to increase the capacity of youth through the strengthening of entrepreneurship skills and employability. Since 2009, IBL has been engaged in projects for youth empowerment with Accenture as one of the donors. Over the last decade or so, they have worked with 1,500 youths through 4 programmes, and are continually improving the methodology and strategy. The major impacts are an improvement in the attitude and mentality of beneficiaries, the creation of 42 new life skill trainers, as well as income generation for the families.

In the afternoon, Fellows took a break and went on a half-day tour of Jakarta’s best sites to better understand Indonesia's history and development. Starting with a visit to the Bank Museum, they continued on to a walking tour of Kota Tua (or “Old Town”), a visit to the beach at Ancol before heading to Bandar Djakarta for a seafood dinner.

The closing dinner was hosted by Mr. Rafendi Djamin, former representative of Indonesia to AICHR and one of the Advisers to ACN. Mr. Rafendi has had a long career in activism, civil society and academia, advocating for human rights in Indonesia and ASEAN. Over dinner, Fellows had the opportunity to tap on his rich experiences and stories collected during his long journey.

For Module 3 of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship, ACN worked with the Union of Myanmar Federation Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) as its local partner. Myanmar presents a unique context as a country at the turning point of its history - with ongoing political and economic reform, a new investment law which empowers the government to keep out irresponsible investments, as money continues to pour into the energy, mining, garment and other 'high-risk' industries, and as Burmese 'repats' return to start businesses after lifted sanctions.

In this context, Fellows focused on the following questions for Module 3: Will they be able to undo years of corruption by the military government? Will the development of its tourism industry also come with the common ills such as sex tourism? Will proceeds from its oil fields trickle down to the poorest? Will post-conflict states be able to recover and benefit from business activity?

Highlights in Myanmar:

1. Learning from high profile advocates of CSR in Myanmar: Daw Khine Khine Nwe – Joint Secretary-General, UMFCCI, Prof. Dr. Aung Tun Thet - Chairman, Global Compact Network Myanmar; Mr. Martin Pun - CSR Head of YOMA Strategic Holdings Group

2. Discussion on responsible investment with First Myanmar Investment Company, Myanmar Investment Commission and others

3. Site visit to Coca Cola bottling plant

4. Site visit to Best Garment Factory

5. Learning about business and human rights at the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB)

6. Workshops on CSR buzzwords, sustainability reporting, responsible public procurement

Day 1 (3 July 2017) - Understanding CSR in Myanmar

The morning session started with a session by Prof Dr. Aung Tun Thet (Chairman, Global Compact Network Myanmar) who provided an overview about the role of the business community in Myanmar, especially during this transitional period of democratisation. He spoke on the particular aspects of Myanmar's culture which made it unique, including the culture of corporate philanthropy being deeply embedded among the business community. Importantly, he commented on the baggage of the past which continues to affect CSR in Myanmar - there remains a strong reliance on top-down approaches due to years of authoritarian rule, as well as historically-complex issues such as crony capitalism and land rights. Yet, good news remains as the new government seems to have the political will to combat corruption, and a strong drive from the business community to participate in the UN Global Compact Network.

Next was an introduction to UMFCCI by U Zaw Min Win (Chairman, UMFCCI) and Daw Khine Khine Nwe (Joint Secretary-General, UMFCCI; Trustee, ACN), who provided an overview of how UMFCCI promotes responsible business. They added that other key developments in Myanmar include: A large number of companies signing up to Global Compact Network Myanmar, interest from UMFCCI to promote responsible business, a new coalition called Business 4 Peace (B4P) focusing on responsible business in post-conflict areas, a keen interest from companies in ISO 26000 and an interest from academia to introduce 'Principles of Management' Education to train future business leaders in business ethics.

The afternoon session featured a panel discussion on responsible investment in Myanmar by the following speakers:

• Mr. Aung Naing Oo (Director General, Directorate of Investment and Company Administration, Secretary, Myanmar Investment Commission)
• Mr. Melvyn Pun (CEO, First Myanmar Investment Company)
• Mr. Xavier Preel (Country Director, TOTAL)

Responsible investment has been an important topic for Myanmar since 2012, communicating to potential investors that the government was seeking quality investments – for example, which promoted export, featured technological transfers. The discussion featured questions such as how Myanmar could attract responsible investors which could benefit the country in an inclusive manner, what the key challenges in responsible invesment in Myanmar were, and what were the key interventions that have been successful to the country. Speakers shared that on 18 Oct 2016, a new investment law came in place where investors were required to provide quarterly reports on their performance in responsible business, as well as conduct Environmental Impact Social Assessments which must include community consultations. Another positive development is that the private sector is gaining interest and awareness in CSR. For example, the Myanmar Property Investment Award now includes an award for CSR.

The day ended with a workshop on CSR concepts such as: "Creating Shared Value (CSV)", "social license to operate" and "FTSE4Good". Which of these 'buzzwords' are here to stay and which are simply fads? What are the latest trends in CSR? 

Day 2 (4 July 2017) - Business & Human Rights, Deep Dives in the Energy & Extractive Industry

In the morning of Day 2 of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship in Myanmar, the Fellows had a conversation with Myanmar ‘Returnees” to learn how the new wave of returning Myanmar businessmen are becoming Myanmar’s pioneers of responsible business. There is a strong desire by the people of Myanmar living overseas to return home, as long as quality employment is available. According to the speakers, there is a genuine desire to return home to contribute to the country’s rise from its slumber after political/economic reform. For the Pun family, one of the most prominent business families in Myanmar, they had clear reasons for returning after sanctions were lifted – to build up the nation. They hoped to do this by providing employment opportunities and ensuring that the company was not corrupt. By 2012, they had 46 companies from banks to hotels, hiring up to 4,000 people. However, challenges remain for ‘repats’ to reintegrate into Myanmar society, as they may no longer speak the local language and usually command a much higher salary. Further challenges also face entrepreneurs hoping to return home to start businesses, as the infrastructure supporting business activities is relatively weak. For example, there are barriers in place for exporting goods. SMEs also face the problem of a lack of support to move up the value chain.

Mr Martin Pun, CSR Head of YOMA Strategic Holdings Group (photo middle), his son, Mr. Calvin Pun, a social entrepreneur (photo: left), and Mr Zaw Htoo Aung, Market Development and Government Affairs & Policy Leader, GE Myanmar (photo: right) were on panel to provide their experiences and lessons they hoped the country would adopt in order for it to harness the potential of private sector activity.

The second session featured Daw Pansy Htun Thein, National Advisor to the Gender Equality Network (GEN), who shared with the Fellows on the status and challenges of gender equality. While the country has indeed taken many steps to address the issue, more had to be done to ensure enforcement. She shared that women are still under-represented in the workforce and that the majority were unskilled and given unequal pay for equal work. The civil society movement – including advocacy for women empowerment – received a large boost of support after Cyclone Nargis. After the disaster, many cases of abuse against women occurred and this ironically raised alarm bells about the need to tackle these previously-hidden issues. At the start, ‘women protection’ served as an entry point for discussions rather than the more sensitive term of ‘gender equality’. Since then, civil society dialogue opened up after further economic and political reforms made it easier for women advocates to speak up.

In the afternoon, the Fellows visited the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business (MCRB) to learn about the key business and human rights issues in Myanmar, with a deep dive in the energy and extractive industries. MCRB has conducted in-depth impact assessments in selected industries, including oil & gas, tourism, ICT and mining. They shared that the key business and human rights issues in Myanmar include land issues, such as forceful land acquisition for agribusiness and extractive industries, and labour rights issues, such as strikes about long working hours, low wages and health and safety in certain industries.

For the final session of the day, the Fellows visited Turquoise Mountain’s workshop, a social enterprise working hard to be Myanmar’s first retailor of responsible-gold, while hiring Myanmar craftsmen to ensure the continuity of Myanmar’s traditional jewellery-making.

Day 3 (5 July 2017) - Responsible Tourism

The 3rd day started with a visit to the Myanmar Responsible Tourism Institute (MRTI). Discussions surrounded Myanmar's large potential for tourism, which - if harnessed in a responsible manner - can maximize the benefits for communities and the economy. As the number of businesses involved in the tourism industry continued to grow, it will be increasingly important for the government and other stakeholders in Myanmar to ensure tourism can help empower local communities, create livelihoods, while having a strong focus on environmental protection. A situational analysis conducted by MRTI revealed that many problems currently exist, including the sexual exploitation of domestic workers who are mainly from ethnic minority groups, and young brides being sold in the ‘virgin market’ to wealthy Chinese in the Myanmar-Chinese border. If Myanmar does not have a consolidated effort to stem the flow of these practices, it could open the floodgates to further problems such as child sex tourism.

The rest of the day saw the Fellows spending the afternoon joining a walking tour in Yangon. They visited and learned about the history of the Bogyoke Aung San Market and Shwedagon Pagoda (Golden Pagoda).

Day 4 (6 July 2017) - Deep Dives in the F&B and Garment Industry

Fellows visited Best Garment Factory in Hmawbi to learn about the garment industry. The garment industry often faces criticisms for the lack of protection for factory workers, driven by low returns due to stiff competition for low prices of garments. In many factories, the staff turnover rate is high and protests are not uncommon. In general, it was discussed that European brands usually demand a higher standard of protection for workers, due to pressure from NGO groups.

Fellows then visited a Coca-Cola botting facility to learn about the MNC's best practices in responsible business. They were met by Mr. Alexander Chapman, Head of Public Affairs and Communications of Coca-Cola Pinya Beverage Myanmar. He highlighted the importance of earning the 'social license to operate’, in order to ensure the long term sustainability of the business. In order to attain this, he shared that Coca-Cola embarked on a high-level framework which includes the following key steps/actions: mapping out business value chains and impacts; developing policies, procedures and internal controls; investing in infrastructure, machinery and technology; having transparency in operations (e.g. reporting); engaging stakeholders in discussions; and participating in community and social business programmes.

On the final day of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship in Myanmar, the Fellows spent the morning reflecting on the key things they have learnt from the Fellowship, and discussing the next steps for the Fellowship. This includes their Capstone project presentation and setting up the Fellowship Alumni.

Another workshop was held on Sustainability Reporting, tackling 3 key questions: Why do businesses report? What should they report on? And what distinguishes an outstanding report from the rest? Fellows also compared sustainability reports based on GRI standards, and shared their analysis on the strengths and weaknesses of each report.

For the final session, Fellows took part in a 'crony mapping' exercise which highlighted the harsh reality in ASEAN that business and political circles too often overlap. Fellows split into their respective countries, mapping out power relations within well-known families in their own country, and analysing where the risks of corruption lie. They also discussed potential solutions to cronyism, including the adoption of international standards on transparency and public procurement.

The ASEAN CSR Fellowship in Myanmar concluded successfully with a closing dinner hosted by the Joint Secretary General of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), Daw Khine Khine Nwe at Karaweik Palace, where Fellows were treated to traditional Burmese cultural dances and local cuisine.

The Fellowship will resume in September 2017, with the last training module in Manila held to coincide with the ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit.