Singapore – Against a backdrop of the worst global financial crisis in decades, the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (AFCSR) was held in Singapore on November 20-21, 2008 with a call on companies to go beyond profits, compliance, and form. The Conference urged companies to address the public good, beyond that of corporate interests, and to respond positively to higher standards and principles beyond compliance with the law. It also called on companies to take stock of their core competencies and channel these strengths towards promoting the wider social agenda.
The annual AFCSR is the largest and most significant conference and awards program on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Asia. It celebrated its seventh year with more than 480 delegates from 30 countries in attendance. The Asian Institute of Management's Ramon V. del Rosario Sr. Center for Corporate Social Responsibility (AIM-RVR Center) and the Singapore Compact for CSR are the main hosts of AFCSR 2008.
Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan (second from left), Minister of Community Development, Youth and Sports in Singapore, delivered the opening keynote address. He is shown receiving a token from AIM chairman emeritus Washington SyCip.
The event co-chairmen are Mr. Ramon R. del Rosario Jr. (right), president and CEO of Philippine Investment Management (PHINMA), Inc.; Mr. Boon Yoon Chiang (left), chairman and managing director of Jardine Matheson (Singapore), and governor of AIM; and Ms. Claire Chiang, president of Singapore Compact for CSR and senior vice president of Banyan Tree Holdings Limited.
The theme of AFCSR 2008 is Business Response to Social Issues: Getting It Done. "Getting It Done" focuses on the implementation of CSR and the new thinking, best practices, and global standards that companies ought to adopt to achieve CSR excellence. Sixty-two speakers from 20 countries addressed a host of issues from addressing barriers to implementing CSR and "glocalising" CSR programs, to enhancing collaboration among business, civil society, and government.
Asian CSR Awards
On the evening of November 21, Dr. Noeleen Heyzer (third from right), Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, delivered the keynote speech and presented awards to companies that are blazing the trail for CSR in Asia. Accompanying Dr. Heyzer on stage are (from left) AIM president Francis Estrada; Mr. Boon Yoon Chiang; Dr. Anjan Gosh, director for corporate affairs for Asia Pacific of Intel; Ms. Claire Chiang; and Mr. Ramon del Rosario Jr.
The Asian CSR Awards, co-presented this year by Intel, is Asia's premier awards program on corporate social responsibility. The Awards this year attracted 170 entries representing 120 companies from 15 countries. The Awards recognize and honor Asian companies for outstanding, innovative and world-class products, services, projects, and programs in five categories: Best Workplace Practices; Concern for Health; Environmental Excellence; Poverty Alleviation; and Support and Improvement of Education. An exhaustive search and selection process for the Awards include the generation of entries, initial screening, and short listing by a panel of experts and final judging.
Five companies from India, Philippines, and Sri Lanka, along with 10 excellence awardees, were recognized for their outstanding CSR initiatives. These projects demonstrate the companies' leadership, sincerity and on-going commitment in incorporating ethical values, compliance with legal requirements, respect for individuals, involvement in communities, and protection of the environment into the way they do business.
2008 Winners and Excellence Awardees by Category (Company, Project and Country)
Best Workplace Practices
Winner: Microsoft Philippines, Employee Wellness Program, Philippines
Excellence Awardees:
City Developments Ltd, Work-Life Harmony, Singapore
CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd., CLP Quality Work Life (QWL) Programme, Hong Kong
Concern for Health
Winner: Johnson & Johnson Philippines, War on Worms in Western Visayas (WOW-V), Philippines
Excellence Awardees:
Bangkok Hospital Medical Center, BMC Sky ICU, Thailand
Dialog Telekom PLC, Providing Accessibility: Sri Lanka's first state-of-the-art hearing centre, Sri Lanka
Environmental Excellence
Winner: Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. BOOND India
Excellence Awardees:
City Developments Ltd., "1-degree C Up" Pilot Campaign, Singapore
City Developments Ltd., Water Recycling and Silt Water Treatment Programme at Construction Sites, Singapore
Poverty Alleviation
Winner: Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka, Business for Peace Initiative, Sri Lanka
Excellence Awardees:
Philam Foundation, The GoodWell Fund, Philippines
Hindustan Zinc Ltd., Zinc Integrated Poverty Alleviation Programme, India
Support and Improvement of Education
Winner: Bharti Foundation, Satya Bharti School Program, India
Excellence Awardees:
ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, Educational Television (ETV), Philippines
Johnson & Johnson Phils., War On Worms In Western Visayas (Wow-V), Philippines
A Special Achievement Award was given to the Singapore Compact for Corporate Social Responsibility for their outstanding CSR contribution.
The Banyan Tree Value Challenge is an opportunity for eligible NGOs to get additional funding by making a competitive presentation of a CSR project or program. This year's winner is Tulir Centre for Prevention (India), and the runner-up is Center for Health, Education, Training and Nutritional Awareness.
Another major component of the AFCSR was the Asian CSR Expo, which showcases the crème de la crème of CSR projects from across Asia. More than 50 booths representing 42 companies were on show at the Expo.
Sponsors and Partners
AFCSR 2008 has the support of distinguished sponsors including
· Intel as Strategic Partner: Asian CSR Awards and Official Technology Partner;
· Microsoft, Shell, The Coca-Cola Company and Unilever as Strategic Corporate Partners;
· Ballarpur Industries Ltd, Borneo Motors (Singapore) Pte Ltd, City Developments Limited, Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., Holcim, and Standard Chartered Bank as Official Industry Partners; and
· Banyan Tree, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, Senoko Power, Starbucks Singapore Pte Ltd. and Tolaram Group as Cooperating Partners
AFCSR 2008 was supported by the Singapore Tourism Board. The Official Public Relations Company Partner is Bang Public Relations Pte Ltd with AMEX Team, Creative Crest, Integrated Public Relations, Masso PR and PR Society of Indonesia as Cooperating PR Partners. Official media partners include the International Herald Tribune, ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), ACN Newswire, Ammado, Asian Quality Magazine, Asia Weekly, Business Monitor International / Asia Monitor, BusinessWorld, China CSR, CSR Asia, Roof and Facade Magazine, Sustainable Innovation, The Employer Magazine, The Training Magazine, and XL Media.
AFCSR has 26 leading NGO partners from all over Asia.
Asian Institute of Management Alumni of Singapore
ActionAid International Vietnam
ASEAN Foundation
Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium
Business Ethics Institute of Malaysia
Business in the Community-UK
Center for Development and Integration - Vietnam
Centre for Social Markets - India
Community Business - Hong Kong
Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Council for Better Corporate Citizenship - Japan
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ)
Habitat for Humanity International
Indonesia Business Links
Kenan Institute Asia
League of Corporate Foundations – Philippines
Makati Business Club
Management Association of the Philippines
Management Institute for Social Change - Malaysia
National Center for Sustainability Reporting - Indonesia
Philippine Business for Social Progress
Population and Community Development Association of Thailand
Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum
PPM Institute of Management - Indonesia
Responsible Business Initiative - Pakistan
Singapore Compact for CSR
For further information on the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Asian CSR Awards, please visit www.asianforumcsr.com.
About the Asian Institute of Management – Ramon V. del Rosario Sr. Center for Corporate Social Responsibility (AIM-RVR Center)
The AIM–RVR Center is a research and program arm of the Asian Institute of Management. It is one of the first research centers in the region concentrating on corporate responsibility issues. Its main task is the management of corporate citizenship relative to the competitiveness of firms and its impact on society. The Center is engaged in case writing and research, survey research, program development, executive education, training, and local and regional conferences.
About the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility
AFCSR is recognized as the largest and most significant conference on CSR in Asia. AFCSR was launched in Manila in 2002 with subsequent annual events held in Bangkok in 2003, Kuala Lumpur in 2004, Jakarta in 2005, back in Manila in 2006 and 2007 in Ho Chi Minh, where a record-breaking 550 delegates attended. The principal hosts for 2008 are the AIM-RVR Center and Singapore Compact for CSR. The organizing committee is composed of representatives of partner organizations from all over Asia and is co-chaired by Mr. Ramon R. del Rosario Jr., chairman of the Board of Advisors of the AIM-RVR Center; Mr. Boon Yoon Chiang, chairman and managing director of Jardine Matheson (Singapore) Ltd and AIM governor in Singapore; and Ms. Claire Chiang, president of Singapore Compact for CSR.