Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 12 September - In August 2014, Cambodia's leading communications provider, EZECOM signed onto the United Nations Global compact (UNGC), the world's largest and most widely embraced corporate citizenship initiative.
Bangkok, Thailand, 5 August - “The important role the private sector plays in building a new framework for accountability” was one of the key messages of Ms. Shamshad Akhtar, the United Nations Under-Secretary General during the regional consultation on accountability for the post-2015 development agenda.
Bali, Indonesia, 5 August – Mr. Thomas Thomas, CEO of the ASEAN CSR Network (ACN), presented the ‘ASEAN CSR Vision 2020’ initiative at the ASEAN Trade Union Council (ASETUC) general assembly. ASEAN CSR Vision 2020 is an effort to mainstream responsible business conduct in the region. In support of ASEAN’s goal of sustainable, equitable and inclusive socio-economic development, the initiative seeks to raise awareness, build capacity and enable collective action on issues related to Corporate Social Responsibility.
Manila, Philippines, 25 Jul 2014 – Attending the League of Corporate Foundation’s (LCF) annual CSR Expo, Ms. Yanti Triwadiantini, the Chair of ASEAN CSR Network (ACN) Board of Trustees and its CEO, Mr. Thomas Thomas congratulated the Philippine-based non-profit association for another successful event . The CSR Expo, a month-long series of activities organized by LCF and its members, featured trade exhibits and projects organized across the Philippines, culminating with a CSR conference held on 24 July 2014 at the Dusit Thani Hotel Manila, Makati City.
Marking the annual celebration of the Philippines’ National CSR Week held earlier in the month, the CSR Expo 2014 undertook the theme of “commit, strengthen and rebuild”, recognizing the business community’s role in helping the country recover from the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan and man-made challenges such as corruption. Supporting events such as the LCF CSR Expo is in line with ACN’s aim to mainstream responsible business practices in the region.
Mr. Thomas reminded the guests of the shared history that the CSR Expo has with the ASEAN CSR Network. It was at the LCF CSR Expo in 2009 that the first meeting of what would later become the ASEAN CSR Network was held and its framework adopted by the regional body.
ACN is the body formed to promote CSR in the region, tasked to make real ASEAN’s vision of sustainable socio-economic development. LCF was tapped by the ASEAN Foundation in 2009 to lay the groundwork for the formation of the network and is a founding member. This led directly to ACN being incorporated as an independent organization in Singapore the following year.
Other founding members of the network include the Indonesian Business Links, the International Chamber of Commerce-Malaysia, and the Singapore Compact for CSR. Participants to the ACN launch in Manila also consisted of representatives from the chambers of commerce and business associations from Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The Thai Listed Companies Association and Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry have likewise formally joined the network in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
At the same occasion, Ms. Triwadiantini, presented Mr. Edgardo Amistad with a plaque for his leadership. Mr. Amistad, as the former Chair of both the ACN and LCF, was among the key individuals who helped establish ACN, “especially during the network’s infancy stages, when the network needed a lot of hand-holding and formation”, said Ms Triwadiantini.
Mr. Amistad joined the founding board of trustees of the ASEAN CSR Network in 2010 and was elected unanimously as its Chairperson. Amistad ended his term in June 2014.
“And so as we recognize LCF’s pioneering work in helping establish the ASEAN CSR Network, we would also like to give recognition to Ed’s personal contribution as a constant guiding voice for the Network”, continued Ms. Triwadiantini.
