Asean CSR

Background

The ASEAN has adopted the Roadmap for ASEAN Community 2009 - 2015 which contains blueprints for an ASEAN Socio - Cultural Community, with its strategic objectives to “ensure that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is incorporated in the corporate agenda and to contribute towards sustainable socio - economic development in ASEAN Member States.”

The ASEAN CSR Network, launched on 11 January 2011, aims to provide opportunities for networking and exchange, to be a venue for discussing and addressing regional issues and concerns, and to be advocate and capacity builder for acceptance of international norms of CSR behaviour. It also seeks to serve as a centralised repository of all the information gathered and provide easy access to participating organisations and partners in the region.

Objectives

This statement outlines how businesses in the participating countries of the ASEAN CSR Network should take account of their economic, social and environmental impact in the way they operate. With commitment to CSR, businesses are expected to align their vision and business strategy with the needs and expectations of stakeholders while embedding such principles into their daily operations.

Companies should also seek to contribute to achieving the following United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

There are useful benchmarks for responsible business such as ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning MNEs and Social Policy, the OECD Guidelines for MNEs and the United Nations Global Compact, ISO2600 and Global Reporting Initiative to achieve the MDGs.

This Statement supports the UN Global Compact principles and ISO26000, and defines business approach as engaging with stakeholders to achieve the greater goal of sustainable development.

1. Environment

In this policy statement businesses should be committed to:

• Support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
• Undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility;
• Encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

The Management will ensure that the business reduces the environmental impact of the Company by:

• Developing and implementing awareness-raising activities and emergency response procedures to reduce and mitigate environmental, health and safety impacts caused by accidents
• Reducing materials, water and energy use
• Implementing sustainable procurement in its purchasing decisions
• Assessing the environmental impact prior to the execution of a new project
• Using environmentally sound technologies and practices
• Continuously monitor and improve the environmental management
• Raising the awareness of the climate change within the organisation

2. Labour

In this policy statement businesses should be committed to:

• Uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
• Eliminate all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
• Eliminate child labour;
• Eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

The Management will ensure that the business

• Recognises the importance of secure employment to both the individual worker and to society.
• Ensures equal opportunities for all workers and not discriminate either directly or indirectly in any labour practice.
• Pays wages at least adequate for the needs of workers and their families.
• Respects the right of workers to adhere to normal or agreed working hours established in laws, regulations or collective agreements.
• Develops, implements and maintains an occupational health and safety policy based on the principle that strong safety and health standards and organizational performance are mutually supportive and reinforcing.

3. Anti-corruption

In this policy statement businesses should be committed to work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

4. Human Rights

In this policy statement businesses should be committed to:

• Support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights;
• Make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

The Management will ensure that the business

• Respects all individual civil and political rights including life of individuals, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to own property and freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
• Facilitates access to, and where possible providing support and facilities for, education and lifelong learning for community members.
• Regularly assesses the impact of its policies and activities on promotion of equal opportunities and non-discrimination.

Every employee in the business is expected to give their full commitment to the above principles in their activities at work. Partners, vendors and suppliers are also expected to respect such principles. The effectiveness of the Policy Statement will be reviewed at least annually by the Management to monitor the business’ continuous compliance with any relevant legislation and to identify areas in need of further improvement and revision.

The ISO26000, international guidance on social responsibility, can be supplementary to this policy statement in implementing CSR principles. In communicating businesses’ CSR effort with stakeholders, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) provides universal reporting framework and guidelines.

The business will also ensure that all areas are communicated among individual staff as necessary

To download the Asean CSR Network's policy statement click here.

I. CSR in ASEAN: Practices & Reports
	Asia & African National Action Plans Update to the Un Working Group on Business & Human Rights, third submission. To download the full document, click here.
	ASEAN Next Gen CSR Forum This is a post-event summary report on the organisation of the forum, focussing on discussion highlights and acknowledging contributions from external parties. To download the full document, click here.
	Journey of Promoting Good Corporate Citizenship in Indonesia  This is a summary of Indonesia Business Links' activities over the years.Included in this reprt  are their strategy and framework, the programmes they run, collective actions that have been organised by them and details on how to join in partnership with them as well as the benefits. To download the full document, click here.
	Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility  This book's primary objective is to provide a better understanding of corporate social responsibiltiy, providing extensive reviews of concepts and principles such as the Caux Principles, Equator Principles, Sullivan Principles, Ceres Principles and the Carroll Pyramid. The book also presents the background and rationale for the formation of the ASEAN CSR Network. To download the full document, click here.
	Collective Action Against Corruption Business and Anti-Corruption Initiatives in ASEAN This is a reference on initiatives in ASEAN on collective action agains corruption.  The case studies can serve as models for an ASEAN-wide collective action.  The initiative is part of ther "Enabling Business Networks in ASEAN to Combat Corruption" Project implemented by the ASEAN CSR Network (ACN), supported by the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UK FCO). To download the full document click here.
	Baseline Study on the Nexus Between Corporate Social Responsibilty & Human Rights - An Overview of Policies & Practices in ASEAN This thematic study of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and human right is part of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights Five Years Work Plan. It provides an assessment on CSR as it relates to the promotion and protection of human rights in the ASEAN region Authors: Thomas Thomas & Alexander Chandra, Study Team on Business & Human Rights of the ASEAN Intergovernmntal Commission on Human Rights To download the full document click here.
	Workshop on Corporate Social Responsibility & Human Rights in ASEAN - Outcomes of the AICHR Thematic Study This is a summary of the discussions on the key findings of the Baseline Study for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Human Rights in ASEAN together with the presentations by the National Focal Points of ASEAN Member States on the state of play of CSR in the region. To download the full document click here.
Report on CSR & Human Rights The following country reports are based on the 'Baseline Study on the Nexus Between Corporate Social Responsibilty & Human Rights - An Overview of Policies & Practices in ASEAN' above and gives an overview of the CSR & Human Rights situation in each country. Topics include the main CSR actors in the country, CSR policies and legislation, key drivers and priorities for CSR, public awareness of CSR and the main challenges to CSR.
Brunei	Indonesia
Philippines	Singapore
Thailand	Vietnam
II. Social Responsibility Tools & Guidelines
1.  ISO 26000  Launched in 2010, ISO 26000 provides guidance on the ways in which businesses and organisations can operate in a socially responsible way. Unlike other ISO standards which requires certification, ISO 26000 only works as a guidance to assist firms to act in an ethical and transparent way that contributes to sustainable development, including the health and welfare of society. Aside from clarifying the definition of social responsibility, ISO 26000 also assists businesses and organisations translate principles into effective actions and allows the sharing of best practices relating to social responsibility at the global level.
	Social responsibility - Discovering ISO 26000 This brochure gives a resume of the contents of ISO 26000, a basic understanding of the standard and what it can help organizations to achieve. To download the full document, click here.
	Social responsibility : 7 core subjects An A2 poster showing all 7 core subjects of social responsibility.  To download the full document, click here.
	ISO 26000 and the International Integrated Reporting (IR) Framework This summary gives a brief overview of ISO 26000 and the IR Framework as well as how the two are complementary to each other. To download the full document, click here.
	GRI G4 Guidelines and ISO 26000:2010 A guide on how to use the GRI G4 Guidelines and ISO 26000 in conjunction To download the full document, click here.
2.  UNGC The UNGC is a strategic policy initiative by the UN to encourage businesses to align their operations and strategies with the ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. It was expected that, by doing so, businesses, as primary driver of globalisation, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology, and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere. It is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with around 10,000 signatories based in more than 140 countries.
	The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact The UN Global Compact signatories embrace, support and enact a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. This is represented by the Ten Principles. To find out more details, please visit the page here.
	Blueprint for Corporate Sustainability Leadership within the Global Compact The Blueprint is a model for leadership within the Global Compact, designed to inspire advanced performers to reach the next level of sustainability performance. It identifies criteria for leadership practice in three distinct but overlapping dimensions: (i) integrating the ten principles into strategies and operations; (ii) taking action in support of broader UN goals and issues; and (iii) engaging with the UN Global Compact; as well as cross-cutting components. To download the full document, click here.
	A Guide for Anti-Corruption Risk Assessment Seeks to provide a practical, step-by-step guidance on how to conduct an anti-corruption risk assessment. Includes a six-step process to complete the assessment: establish the process, identify the risks, rate the risks, identify mitigating controls, calculate remaining residual risk and develop an action plan. To download the full document, please click here.
	Guide to Corporate Sustainability: Lays out five defining features of corporate sustainability, which the Global Compact asks businesses to strive towards – looking at why each element is essential, how business can move forward and what the Global Compact is doing to help.  To download the full document, click here.
3.  Global Reporting Initiative The GRI is a leading organisation is a non-profit organisation that promotes economic sustainability. More specifically, it promotes the use of sustainability reporting as a way for organisations to become more sustainable and contribute to sustainable development. Its sustainability reporting is also known as the Ecological Footprint Reporting, the Environmental Social Governance Reporting, the Triple Bottom Line Reporting, and the Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting.
	Reporting Principles and Standard Disclosures Part 1 of G4 has the Standard Disclosures that all organizations use to report their sustainability impacts and performance. It also details the Reporting Principles that enable effective reporting, and the criteria to meet for reporting ‘in accordance’ with the Guidelines. To download the full document, pleace click here.
	Implementational Manual The Implementation Manual – part 2 of G4 – is  essential for preparing a sustainability report. It explains how to apply the Reporting Principles, how to prepare information, and how to interpret the Guidelines’ concepts.  To download the full report, please click here.
III. Social Responsibility Tools and Guidelines
1. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative EITI is a global collaboration of governments, firms, and civil society to improve the openness and accountable management of revenues from natural resources. Countries that implement the EITI standard are expected to ensure full disclosure of taxes and other payments made by oil, gas, and mining companies to governments. These payments, subsequently, are to be published in the annual EITI report, which is available publicly.
	EITI standard The EITI Standard is the authoritative source on how countries can implement the EITI. It is the global transparency standard for improving governance of natural resources. The Standard was formally launched at the EITI Global Conference in Sydney 23-34 May 2013, following an extensive consultation process.  To find out more details, please visit the page here.
	Civil Society Protocol The active participation of civil society in the EITI process is key to ensure that the EITI leads to greateraccountability. The Civil Society Protocol is part of the EITI Standard. This revised version is effective as of 1 January 2015 To download the full document, please click here.
	EITI Business Guide The revised Business Guide provides more hands-on guidance covering key elements of in-country EITI engagement and implementation, including EITI reporting. It explains ways companies can engage with the EITI process that are beneficial for their operations and what more companies can do. To download the full document, please click here.
2.  OECD
	OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises  The Guidelines are far-reaching recommendations addressed by governments to multinational enterprises operating in or from adhering countries. They provide voluntary principles and standards for responsible business conduct in areas such as employment and industrial relations, human rights, environment, information disclosure, combating bribery, consumer interests, science and technology, competition, and taxation. To download the full guidelines, please click here.
3.  ILO
	ILO Decleration on Fundamental Principles and  Rights at Work Adopted in 1998, the Declaration commits Member States to respect and promote principles and rights in four categories, whether or not they have ratified the relevant Conventions. To find out more about the declaration, please click here.
	ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy The principles laid down in this universal instrument offer guidelines to MNEs, governments, and employers’ and workers’ organizations in such areas as employment, training, conditions of work and life, and industrial relations. Its provisions are reinforced by certain international labour Conventions and Recommendations which the social partners are urged to bear in mind and apply, to the greatest extent possible. The adoption of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up in 1998 highlighted the importance of the fundamental Conventions in realizing the objectives of the ILO, and consequently, the MNE Declaration takes into account the objectives of the 1998 Declaration To download a full copy, please click here.
IV. Business & Human Rights Tools and Guidelines
	UNGP on business and human rights: This publication contains the "Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations ‘Protect, Respect and Remedy’ Framework", which were developed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises. To download the full document, please click here.
	UNGP Reporting Framework The Reporting Framework provides a concise set of questions to which any company should strive to have answers in order to know and show that it is meeting its responsibility to respect human rights in practice. It offers companies clear and straightforward guidance on how to answer these questions with relevant and meaningful information about their human rights policies, processes and performance. To download the full document, please click here.
	Business and Human Rights Reporting and Assurance Frameworks Initiative (RAFI) This is a project of Shift, together with Mazars, to facilitate a multi-stakeholder process to develop public reporting and assurance frameworks based on the UN Guiding Principles. To find out more, please click here.
V. Business and anti-corruption tools and guideline
	Integrity website: http://integrityhasnoborders.com/resource