Asean CSR

Sustainable consumption and production is highlighted as a component of the ‘Sustainable’ elementSustainable consumption and production is highlighted as a component of the ‘Sustainable’ elementand characteristics in the ‘ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint 2025’ (ASEAN Secretariat,2016). The ASCC blueprint forms one of the four pillars identified in ‘The ASEAN 2025: Forging AheadTogether’ work plan endorsed by ASEAN Leaders at their 27th Summit in 2015. This study identifiedcarbon footprint for consumer goods, energy efficiency and recycling as key contributors to managingthe environment and scarce resources for a sustainable future.

This report reveals that while some progress is made, much remains to be done. It is clear that thecomplexities and difficulties in implementing, executing and monitoring a coherent set of guidelines,policies and laws are not easy. The establishment of ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) provides a goodindication that it is possible to manage complex issues and problems and provides a reference forsimilar task force such as this to be established for the efforts in reducing carbon footprint andincreasing recycling efforts for a sustainable future.

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A joint study on Sustainability Reporting in Singapore by the ASEAN CSR Network (ACN) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School’s Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations (CGIO) was conducted to understand the sustainability reporting practices among the five ASEAN countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

During the period under review, unprecedented developments in some countries, suggesting a turning point in current sustainability reporting landscape, was witnessed.

The study finds an overall disclosure rate of 59.2% for all five ASEAN countries, with Malaysia taking the lead.

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A joint study on Sustainability Reporting in Singapore by the ASEAN CSR Network (ACN) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School’s Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations (CGIO) found that recent changes to Singapore Exchange (SGX) reporting requirements and increasing stakeholder awareness have brought about a new focus on sustainability disclosures.

This study seeks to understand how these changes have impacted the companies in Singapore. Five key insights around the uptake and maturity of sustainability disclosures have been identified.

In addition, the study found a 3% increase in percentage points in the level of disclosure since 2016, with 61.5% of companies adopting recognised frameworks.

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Background

The unanimous endorsement of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2011 represented a watershed moment in efforts to tackle adverse impacts on people resulting from globalization and business activity in all sectors. They provided, for the first time, a globally recognized and authoritative framework for the respective duties and responsibilities of Governments and business enterprises to prevent and address such impacts.

The Guiding Principles clarify that all business enterprises have an independent responsibility to respect human rights, and that in order to do so they are required to exercise human rights due diligence to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how they address impacts on human rights.

Working Group report on human rights due diligence

In its report to the 2018 UN General Assembly, the Working Group on Business and Human Rights  highlights key features of human rights due diligence and why it matters; gaps and challenges in current business and Government practice; emerging good practices; and how key stakeholders — States and the investment community, in particular — can contribute to the scaling-up of effective human rights due diligence.

Human rights due diligence in practice is a major focus of the 2018 UN Forum on Business and Human Rights.

Download the Working Group report on human rights due diligence to the 2018 General Assembly here.
Download the key documents to the report here.

Reproduced from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Top ASEAN listed companies show improvement in the 2018 Business Integrity Disclosure in ASEAN study

A joint study on Corporate Disclosure on Business Integrity in ASEAN by the ASEAN CSR Network (ACN) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School’s Centre for Governance, Institutions and Organisations (CGIO) found that corporate disclosure of anti-corruption practices by top ASEAN listed companies has improved over the last two years.

However, there are still concerns over a lack of safeguards and practices regarding external relationships with agents and suppliers dealing with the organisations.

The study looked at the 50 largest companies by market capitalisation in each of the five countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – and assessed their level of public disclosure related to their anti-corruption efforts. The results were compared to a baseline study that was conducted 2016.

Access the full report below.

The ASEAN Responsible Business Forum was held from 27 to 28 August 2018 in Singapore. This flagship event of the ASEAN CSR Network aims to enhance understanding of the role of responsible and inclusive business in creating an inclusive, resilient and sustainable ASEAN community.

Download the summary report of the event here.

The Regional Strategy on CSR and Human Rights in ASEAN was drafted by ASEAN CSR Network, with inputs from two regional meetings in Singapore (Nov 2016) and Bangkok (June 2017). The document is based on internationally-accepted standards, particularly the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), recognising the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach to achieving business and human rights in the region. The role of states, businesses, trade unions, civil society organisations and national human rights institutions are stated, in accordance with the 3 pillars of the UNGPs. ACN is working with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and other partners to see the Strategy adopted and implemented across ASEAN.

Together with our partners, ACN has published a comprehensive directory of Financing and Technical Support Options for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in ASEAN. It provides a comprehensive overview of available financing tools – from traditional finance, such as bank loans, to alternative finance such as crowdfunding and social investing – as well as available technical support such as accelerators and incubators. Significant effort has gone into detailing the options available in all 10 ASEAN Member States. For ASEAN to achieve prosperity for all, efforts must be focused on uplifting the (M)SME sector, accounting for between 88.8% and 99.9% of the total establishments in ASEAN and between 51.7% and 97.2% of total employment.

This directory was a result of a collaboration with our partners - ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), Oxfam and AVPN.

The directory can be found here.

It is also part of a larger research report, entitled 'Towards Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in the ASEAN Economic Community'. The year-long research sheds light on the challenges MSMEs in ASEAN face and presents holistic policy recommendations to further MSME development and realise an inclusive and sustainable ASEAN. The full report can be found here.