Bangkok--25 Jun--Enterprise Asia
The inaugural International CSR Summit 2015 took place inMacau SAR and called for governments, corporates and the society to formpartnerships to institutionalize sustainability.
The Summit, organised by Enterprise Asia, was attended by some 300 CEOs andsenior corporate social responsibility (CSR) practitioners in what was Asia's largestgathering for the CSR community. Participants shared their own experiences indeveloping sustainable CSR projects and jointly identified CSR projects andinitiatives that could help re-shape the socioeconomic equation in Asia.
Dr Fong Chan Onn, Chairman of Enterprise Asia, in his opening remarks shared that"Ultimately at the core of the sustainability of our CSR efforts is our ability toinstitutionalize sustainability itself. When sustainability is driven by a tripartite oflegislative compliance, creation of shared value and the protection of corporatelegacy, the outcome is the institutionalization of sustainability."
"Governments need to take the lead in shaping an enabling environment conduciveto advancing sustainability. The society needs to embrace the idea that wealthcreation and social empowerment can and should co-exists. And corporate leadersshould adopt the notion that building a sustainable business is the greatest legacy ofall," said Dr Fong, who was the former chairman of the Sustainable EnergyDevelopment Authority of Malaysia and a former minister of human resources.
The International CSR Summit 2015 was themed 'Shared Value for Profitable CSRPractices' in line with the global shift of CSR from a philanthropy - and corporatesustainability - focus to the creation of shared value between communities andbusinesses. With the increasing complexity of the marketplace and the inter-reliancebetween businesses, governments, communities and the environment, creation of
shared value has become a major priority globally.Among the speakers at the Summit were Congresswoman Gwendolyn Garcia of thePhilippines, Dr Eugene Chien, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Ministerof Environment of Taiwan, Seah Kian Peng, deputy speaker of Singapore and CEOof NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Limited, Singapore, Alexandra Boakes Tracy,President of Hoi Ping Ventures and Chairman of Association for Sustainable &Responsible Investment in Asia, Dr Naoki Adachi, Executive Director of JapanBusiness Initiative for Diversity, Dr Niven Huang of KPMG Sustainability Consulting,Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak, Secretary General of World Islamic Economic ForumFoundation, and Lt General Sudhir Sharma, former quartermaster general of the
Indian Army.
Joining them were Paul Norman Janelle, President Director of PT HM SampoernaTbk., Indonesia, Dr Milagros O. How, Executive Vice President of UniversalHarvester, Inc., Philippines, Rohan Hafas, Senior Vice President of PT Bank Mandiri(Persero) Tbk., Indonesia, Yodphot Wongrukmit, Senior Vice President of BangchakPetroleum Thailand and Michael Tio, Group Chief Executive and Managing Directorof PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd, Malaysia.