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Corporate Social Responsibility: Connecting the Private Sector with the Media

The international conference “Corporate Social Responsibility: Connecting the Private Sector with the Media” aims to interlink the expertise of numerous stakeholders involved in designing, implementing and communicating CSR in an Asian context.

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Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR; has been popularized into a buzzword bar to none, emanating sustainability and ethical conduct in the private sector. However, CSR should not merely be regarded as a philanthropic means to improve the image of businesses. Instead, the concept of CSR has, in recent years, entered a ‘maturing process’ and can be interpreted as a fundamental component for developing business strategies, especially in employer-branding as well as product-positioning. CSR has therefore become an indispensable tool for businesses on the capital market.

Managers are well aware of the potential power in implementing CSR-measures in order to increase the company’s market share or to attract new investors, and are keen on presenting CSR-projects as appealing to the public as possible. Yet, if the project at hand is presented in an overly ‘glossy’ manner, suspicions of deliberate ‘green-washing’ easily arise among external stakeholders, including consumers, non-governmental organisations and the media. Especially in Asia, the lack of trust in the private sector stems from omnipresent issues of corruption, as well as ineffective or absent regulations pertaining to safety and environmental standards. Hence, CSR is a very intricate issue and the success of projects stands or falls with the ‘right’ motivation and communication thereof.

This is where the media should take up its role as the ‘people’s advocate’ by utilizing a ‘carrot and stick’ approach. On the one hand, absolute impartiality and critical thinking has to be maintained by the news agencies, when communicating with private enterprises. On the other, the media should by no means be reluctant in acknowledging successes of companies in implementing sustainable CSR-projects. Thus, finding the right balance and approach in reporting on CSR is of utmost importance to the media.

With representatives from the private-sector, the media as well as experts on CSR issues, this conference aims to connect the expertise and experiences from numerous stakeholders involved in designing, implementing and finally communicating Corporate Social Responsibility to the public in Asia.

Venue: The Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore

Language: English

Programme:

Conference, Tuesday, 7th April 2015

09:30Registration of participants

Venue: Picasso 1-2 (level 3)

10:00Welcome Remarks

Paul Linnarz, Regional Representative for Economic Policy, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Tokyo office

10:10Opening Statement

Thomas Thomas, CEO, ASEAN CSR Network, Singapore

10:20Keynote Speech 1

Prof. Wendy Chapple, Deputy Director of the International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility at Nottingham University Business School, United Kingdom

"CSR - From Nice to Necessary"

10:45Keynote Speech 2

Gerard Forlin (QC), Cornerstone Barristers in London, Maxwell Chambers in Singapore, Denman Chambers in Sydney

"Good Governance as the Foundation of CSR"

11:10Coffee Break

11:30Podium Discussion 1: From Philanthropy to Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility

Panellists:

Zainun Nur Binti Abdul Rauf, Executive Director for Group Corporate Affairs, Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd.

Margit Kunz, Deputy General Manager, Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Lala Rimando, Journalist, Philippines

Itthiporn SaeTan, Journalist/Editor, The Nation, Thailand

Moderator:

Alastair Carthew, Journalist, Thailand

(followed by Q&A)

13:00Lunch Break

Venue: 10 at Claymore restaurant

14:00Podium Discussion 2: People Imperatives of CSR

Panellists:

Alex Mavro, Chief of Operations, Sasin Centre for Sustainability Management of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

Jolovan Wham, Executive Director, Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (H.O.M.E)

Ruhi M. Ahmed, Head of CSR, PR & Communication, BSRM Group of Companies

Noriyuki Suzuki, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation – Asia and Pacific

Moderator:

Sam Lee, CEO, Inno CSR, China

(followed by Q&A)

15:30 Coffee Break

16:00Podium Discussion 3: Environmental Imperatives of CSR

Panellists:

Kelvin Ng, Managing Director, Siloso Beach Resort, Singapore

Christopher Ang, Executive Director, Singapore Compact

Elaine Tan, CEO, World Wide Fund for Nature, Singapore

Shihar Aneez, Correspondent, Thomson Reuters, Sri Lanka

Moderator:

Chhay Sophal, Editor-in-Chief, Cambodia News, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

(followed by Q&A)

17:30 Closing Remarks

Torben Stephan, Director Media Programme Asia, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Singapore

17:40 End of Conference Day 1

18:00 Networking Reception

Venue: Van Gogh 1-2 (level 3)

Workshop, Wednesday, 8th April 2015

09:00 Registration of new participants

Venue: Picasso 1 (level 3)

09:30 Welcome Remarks

Paul Linnarz, Regional Representative for Economic Policy, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Tokyo office

09:40 Lecture 1: How to get started with CSR as a mid-size company?

Francisco L. Roman, Jr., Executive Director, RVR Center for CSR, Asian Institute of Management, Philippines

10:10 Lecture 2: How to write professional sustainability reports?

Rajesh Chhabara, Director, CSRWorks International, Singapore

10:40 Lecture 3: How to engage media?

Edi Utama, Senior Journalist, Antara News Agency, Indonesia

Moderator:

Kim Ying Pung, Magazine Editor and Publisher, Malaysia

(followed by Q&A)

11:50 Closing Remarks

Jerry Bernas,Programme Director, ASEAN CSR Network, Singapore

12:00Lunch Break

Venue: 10 at Claymore restaurant

14:00 End of Conference

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Venue

The Pan Pacific Orchard, 10 Claymore Rd, 229540 Singapore

Contact

Viktoria Orban

Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia KAS & ASEAN CSR Network