MORE than 500
delegates from 25 countries will take part in the 14th Asian Forum on Corporate
Social Responsibility (AFCSR) - Asia's largest conference on the issue - in
Bangkok next month.
The focus of the annual event, which will take place on September 8 and 9 at Bangkok's Shangri-La Hotel, will be on social entrepreneurship and creating smart partnerships between business, government and the social sector to address major challenges facing Asian communities.
This year's theme will be "Unleashing Social Entrepreneurship: New Partnerships for a Better World".
Deputy Prime Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula, who oversees the economy, will be guest of honour and keynote speaker at the CSR Awards Dinner.
The AFCSR will have 17 sessions, divided into plenary discussions for big issues and challenges, and cutting-edge smaller breakout meetings focused on the more specific aspects of best CSR practices and social entrepreneurship.
"The idea is to create a ripple effect of new knowledge and best practice being applied across Asia to build better communities," said Dato Timothy Ong, chairman of the AFCSR.
The event will discuss several key questions: Is social entrepreneurship the future of CSR? How can the power of social innovation change lives? What are the new partnerships that shape our communities? How do you start, build and run a business that improves the world?
"The benefits of attending the AFCSR include unique opportunities to stay up-to-date on important learnings and best CSR practices; gain new insight on innovate ways to collaborate; participate in discussions to shape CSR and to build relationships with a strategic network of key figures whose leadership and vision matter to social and economic development of the region," said Andrew Dy, GM of Regional Programs at Asia Inc Forum, who urges corporate executives and entrepreneurs to take part.
The event will conclude with the annual Asian CSR Awards on September 9. These are eminent acknowledgements of CSR programmes that have an impact on environmental preservation, education, poverty alleviation, health enhancement as well as to companies who have fully embedded CSR into their core business strategy.
"The AFCSR will be a unique learning and networking platform, with many highly acclaimed figures sharing knowledge and experiences in an engaging, interactive format," Ong said.
Award-winning entrepreneur Anna Stork, co-founder of LuminAID Lab, will share the story behind the birth and advancement of an idea that is becoming one of the most important essentials in disaster relief.
Apart from Stork, who is a winner of the 2014 Chicago Innovation Awards, the forum will feature social entrepreneurs and business leaders who are making their mark around the world: Sanjit "Bunker" Roy, a globally-acclaimed social entrepreneur and founder of Barefoot College who is a Clinton Global Initiative 2013 awardee; Heinrich Jessen, chairman of Jebsen & Jessen (SEA), Singapore; Durreen Shahnaz, founder of Impact Investment Exchange Asia (IIX) and Shujog (Singapore) and a 2014 Joseph Wharton awardee for Social Impact; Tri Mumpuni, founder of IBEKA Indonesia and a 2005 WWF International Climate Hero; and Mark Ruiz, co-founder of Hapinoy/MicroVentures (Philippines) and a Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year Asia 2011.
The event will also benefit from the participation of some of the best minds in CSR: Dr Bradley Googins, executive director emeritus of Centre for Corporate Citizenship, Boston College; and David Grayson, director of Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility, Cranfield School of Management, UK.
The AFCSR is organised by the Asian Institute of Management - Ramon V del Rosario, Sr Center for Corporate Social Responsibility and Asia Inc Forum, in collaboration with The Nation as exclusive media partner for Thailand; Intel Corp as strategic partner; Bangkok Bank as host sponsor; Jebsen & Jessen and Procter & Gamble as gold sponsors; and Phinma Corp and Mitr Phol Group as gold sponsors.
-The Nation
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