Af Booklet

MESSAgE

The Blueprint for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (2008-2015) adopted by the ASEAN Leaders at the 14th ASEAN Summit gives importance to promoting corporate social responsibility by including it as part of its strategic objectives. The Blueprint calls for actions that will ensure that corporate social responsibility is incorporated in the corporate agenda and contributes towards sustainable development in the ASEAN region. It encourages the private sector to support activities of various ASEAN bodies and the ASEAN Foundation in the field of corporate social responsibility. There is now broad agreement that corporate social responsibility encompasses more than the traditional philanthropic activities and covers several key elements such as corporate governance, human resource management, regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship and community outreach and investment. Studies on corporate social responsibility in ASEAN countries indicate that CSR culture among business enterprises tends to have strong spiritual and philosophical underpinnings and that a profitable or competitive business climate and significant wealth accumulation are essential preconditions for companies to initiate CSR activities. For the aforementioned reason and in response to the mandate from the Blueprint for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, the ASEAN Foundation has taken the initiative to implement activities that will help increase awareness of corporate social responsibility in its broadest form in the region. The publication of this booklet on ASEAN Foundation and Emerging CSR Issues and Challenges is one of such activities.

ASEAN Foundation and Emerging CSR Issues and Challenges

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This booklet is based mainly on several papers prepared by the Executive Director and presented in various conferences: “Corporate Social Responsibility in the ASEAN Region,” presented at the League of Corporate Foundations CSR Conference, Philippines, 16 July 2008; “The ASEAN...