2008-10-21 08:16:01 -
Tokyo, Oct 21, 2008 - (ACN Newswire) - Kenan Institute Asia (K.I.Asia) and The Population and Community Development Association (PDA) reconfirms their support for the seventh annual Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (AFCSR) being held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront in Singapore on November 20 & 21, 2008. This is the 6th successive year that K.I.Asia partnered with AFCSR
and the 5th year for PDA.
Population and Community Development Association
Founded in 1974, PDA is one of Thailand's most well-established and diverse non-government organizations. Based in Bangkok, the association has 18 regional development centers and branch offices in the rural areas. PDA has at times attracted world wide attention and Khun Mechai is recognized as Thailand's greatest world ambassador, serving on numerous international committees and more recently as International Ambassador for UNAIDS.
Khun Mechai's main messages to development partners who are interested in helping to alleviate poverty through sustainable development are: "To eradicate poverty, we must tackle the root cause of poverty, not the consequence of poverty. Traditional welfare approach has seldom succeeded, for it has only addressed the consequence of poverty. PDA believes it is the business approach that would address the root cause of poverty, PDA empowers the rural poor and provides them with the opportunity to help them get out poverty".
Kenan Institute Asia
The Kenan Institute Asia (K.I.Asia), Thailand's independent, nonprofit institute, works for sustainable development in Southeast Asia. Founded by former Thai Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun, the Institute promotes good governance, corporate social responsibility and competitiveness, preservation of the environment, and improvement of public health. The Institute sees CSR as a key way in which the private sector can drive development that is socially and environmentally sustainable over the long term. It therefore provides training and consulting to help companies manage their CSR programs more strategically and effectively.
"I think most quality companies in the region have now gone beyond the question of whether or not to adopt CSR and are beginning to focus on how to do it well," says Paul Wedel, the K.I.Asia president. "The AFCSR is a great forum to get the latest on the CSR management tools and techniques that really work in Asia."
Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility 2008
Recognized as being the largest and most significant conference on Corporate Social Responsibility (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 last year in Ho Chi Minh where a record breaking 550 delegates attended AFCSR 2007. 600 delegates are expected to attend AFCSR 2008.
The principal hosts of AFCSR 2008 are the Asian Institute of Management's RVR Center for Corporate Responsibility (AIM-RVR Center) and Singapore Compact for CSR. The organizing committee is composed of representatives from major sponsors, regional NGOs, International organizations and CSR organizations. The event manager is OIC EVENTS.
AFCSR's primary mission is to highlight innovative programs and best practices in CSR by corporations in Asia. AFCSR promotes CSR as a key strategy in addressing public needs and problems, showcases corporate innovation in CSR in Asia, leads the way toward new thinking and standards on CSR as strategy, and builds a network of CSR practitioners across Asia.
The theme of AFCSR 2008 is CSR - Business Response to Social Issues: Getting it Done.
The Asian CSR Awards is one of the highlights of AFCSR. The Awards recognize and honor companies in Asia for their projects and programs in corporate social responsibility. The Awards will be given in five categories: Environmental Excellence, Support and Improvement of Education, Poverty Alleviation, Best Workplace Practices and Concern for Health.
AFCSR 2008 indeed 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, Banyan Tree, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, Senoko Power, Starbucks Singapore Pte Ltd. and Tolaram Group as Cooperating Partners and 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 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's notable network of partner associations in the region includes:
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
For further information on the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility and Asian CSR Awards, please visit www.asianforumcsr.com.
About Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility
Recognized as being the largest and most significant conference on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Asia, the principal hosts of AFCSR 2008 are the Asian Institute of Management's Ramon V. del Rosario, Sr. Center for Corporate Social Responsibility (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 Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr. Chairman of the Board of Advisors, AIM-RVR Center for Corporate Social Responsibility and AIM Governor in Singapore, Mr. Boon Yoon Chiang, Chairman and Managing Director, Jardine Matheson (Singapore) Ltd and Ms. Claire Chiang, President of Singapore Compact for CSR.
Contact:Shawn Pamintuan Media Coordinator OIC EVENTS Tel: (632) 812 6289 Email:
shawnpamintuan@oiceventsasia.com
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