MESSAgE - ASEAN · PDF fileASEAN and defines its purposes and principles. ASEAN Foundation and CSR In recognition of the fundamental importance of improving the well- being of

ASEAN Foundation and Emerging CSR Issues and Challenges 1

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 Challenges2 ASEAN Foundation and Emerging CSR Issues and Challenges 3

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 Foundation and the Emerging CSR Issues and Challenges,” presented at the Seminar on Promoting Mutual Assistance among Corporate Foundations in ASEAN, Singapore, 19 November 2008; and “Building Alliances in ASEAN to Sustain CSR Programs,” presented at the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility, Singapore, 20 November 2008.

Dr. Filemon A. Uriarte, Jr.Executive Director

IntroductionThe Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN was established on 8

August 1967 in Bangkok by the five original Member Countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined on 8 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999.

The ASEAN region has a total area of 4.5 million square kilometers. In 2007, it had a population of about 576 million, a combined gross domestic product of around US$ 1,282 billion, and a total trade of about US$ 1,405 billion. The diversity of the region is apparent in the fact that the largest country in terms of land area is 2700 times larger than the smallest country; the country with the largest population has 570 times more people than the smallest country; and the richest country has a gDP per capita that is 160 times the poorest country. All the major religions are present in the region: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam; and ASEAN countries have various forms of government ranging from monarchy to presidential and parliamentary.

Area and Population

Country Land(1000 km2)

Population (million)2007

Brunei Darussalam 5.8 0.396

Cambodia 181 14.5

Indonesia 1,891 225

Lao PDR 237 5.61

Malaysia 330 27.2

Myanmar 677 58.6

Philippines 300 88.9

Singapore 0.7 4.59

Thailand 513 65.7

Vietnam 329 85.2

ASEAN 4,464 576


Economic Performance

CountryGDP per capita

(in USD)2007

GDP total(in billion USD)

2007

Brunei Darussalam 31,076 12.23

Cambodia 598 8.66

Indonesia 1,920 432

Lao PDR 736 4.13

Malaysia 6,880 187

Myanmar 216 12.63

Philippines 1,653 146.9

Singapore 35,200 161.5

Thailand 3,740 246

Vietnam 837 71.3

ASEAN 2,227 1,282

The ASEAN Declaration states that the aims and purposes of the Association are: (a) to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and (b) to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter. In 2003, the ASEAN Leaders resolved that an ASEAN Community shall be established by 2015. In this connection, the Leaders adopted the ASEAN Charter during their Summit in Singapore in 2007. The Charter establishes the legal and institutional framework of ASEAN and defines its purposes and principles.

ASEAN Foundation and CSR

In recognition of the fundamental importance of improving the well-being of the peoples of Southeast Asia and the need to promote ASEAN awareness and people-to-people contact, the ASEAN Leaders agreed to establish the ASEAN Foundation on 15 December 1997 during the 30th ASEAN Anniversary Commemorative Summit in Kuala Lumpur. Its aim was to help bring about shared prosperity and a sustainable future to the entire ASEAN region. The Leaders also adopted ASEAN Vision 2020 which stipulates, among others, to “use the ASEAN Foundation as one of the instruments to address issues of unequal economic development, poverty and socio-economic disparities.”

In line with ASEAN Vision 2020, the Hanoi Plan of Action (1998-2004) was adopted at the ASEAN Summit in December 1998 advocating to “use the ASEAN Foundation to support activities and social development programs aimed at addressing issues of unequal economic development, poverty and socio-economic disparities” and to “support the activities of the ASEAN Foundation to promote ASEAN awareness among its people.”

Subsequently, the Vientiane Action Programme (2004-2010), adopted at the ASEAN Summit in November 2004, called for strengthening the role of the ASEAN Foundation in increasing the participation of various ASEAN bodies in moving forward ASEAN political development initiatives through promotion of people-to-people contact. The Leaders also adopted the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Plan of Action, which mandated the ASEAN Foundation to play an active role in promoting access to information and communications technology resources and


enhancing ASEAN awareness through language training and mass media and youth exchange activities.

The twin objectives of the ASEAN Foundation as reflected in the Memorandum of Understanding establishing it are as follows:

It shall promote greater awareness of ASEAN, and greater interaction •among the peoples of ASEAN as well as their wider participation in ASEAN’s activities inter alia through human resources development that will enable them to realize their full potential and capacity to contribute to progress of ASEAN Member States as productive and responsible members of the society.

It shall also endeavor to contribute to the evolution of a development •cooperation strategy that promotes mutual assistance, equitable economic development, and the alleviation of poverty.

In the same Memorandum of Understanding, the ASEAN Foundation is mandated to support the following activities:

Organize and support activities to promote education, training, health and •cultural life.

Provide assistance to uplift the social condition of the peoples in the ASEAN •Member States.Provide fellowships to and support exchanges of ASEAN youths and •students.Promote collaborative work among academics, professionals and •scientists.Implement projects assigned by ASEAN Leaders or Ministers.•Collaborate with the relevant ASEAN bodies.•Organize its own projects and actively raise funds for the Foundation’s •activities.

Article 15 of the ASEAN Charter provides additional mandate to the ASEAN Foundations as follows:

The ASEAN Foundation shall support the Secretary general of ASEAN and •collaborate with the relevant ASEAN bodies to support ASEAN community-building by promoting greater awareness of the ASEAN identity, people to people interaction, and close collaboration among the business sector, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders of ASEAN.

The ASEAN Foundation shall be accountable to the Secretary general of •ASEAN, who shall submit its report to the ASEAN Summit through the ASEAN Coordinating Council.

The day-to-day operation of the ASEAN Foundation is supported from the earnings of the endowment fund and operational fund coming from voluntary contributions of ASEAN Member Countries. Project funds, on the other hand, come from contributions from various donors including the government of Japan, IDRC Canada, Republic of Korea, People’s Republic of China, government of France, Hewlett-Packard, and Microsoft. Academic, cultural, economic, social and other relevant government institutions and bona fide non-governmental organizations of ASEAN member countries are eligible for assistance from the Foundation in conformity with its stated objectives.


Since its establishment, the ASEAN Foundation has supported some 100 projects worth about $18 million. Over 18,000 ASEAN nationals have participated in capacity building activities funded by the ASEAN Foundation. Since the start of 2008, 9 new projects have been approved with a total funding requirement of $1.3 million and 12 projects worth about $0.6 million have been completed, while 20 projects are on-going with a total funding of $5.4 million. A great majority of the projects were funded from the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund.

In the Blueprint for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (2008-2015), which was adopted by the ASEAN Leaders at the 14th ASEAN Summit, importance is given to promoting corporate social responsibility. The Blueprint includes as part of its strategic objectives ensuring that corporate social responsibility is incorporated in the corporate agenda and contributes towards sustainable socio-economic development in ASEAN Member States. The actions called for in the proposed Blueprint include the following:

Develop a model public policy of corporate social responsibility or legal •instrument for reference of ASEAN Member States by 2010 in line with ISO 26000 titled “guidance on Social Responsibility.”

Engage the private sector to support activities of sectoral bodies and the •ASEAN Foundation in the field of corporate social responsibility.

Encourage adoption and •implementation of international standards on social responsibility.

Increase awareness of corporate •social responsibility in ASEAN towards sustainable relations between commercial activities and communities where they are located, in particular supporting community-based development.

ASEAN FOUNDATION LAUNCHES CSR ASEAN

The ASEAN Foundation and the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) signed on 13 October 2008 the contract for the project Promoting Mutual Assistance Among Corporate Foundations in ASEAN. This project , which is funded by the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund, will have three phases: first, the building of a database of corporate foundations in ASEAN; second, the organization and activation of a Network of ASEAN Corporate Foundations; and finally, the development, coordination, and implementation of a proposed program of action that would benefit the network members and the ASEAN community as a whole.

The overall objective is to establish an independent, self-sustaining network of ASEAN corporate foundations with the ASEAN Foundation as key convenor. The ASEAN Foundation Executive Director, Dr. Filemon A. Uriarte Jr., affirms: “The ASEAN Foundation recognizes the important role that corporate foundations play in human development and poverty alleviation, and their potential to help promote people-to-people interaction and greater ASEAN awareness. We envision establishing a network closely linking these groups to put synergy into their development efforts, particularly on CSR initiatives and poverty alleviation, and to make them partners in promoting awareness of the ASEAN identity.”

On 19 November 2008, about 20 CSR practitioners from ASEAN member countries signified their support to establish a regional network on corporate


Corporate Social Responsibility in ASEAN

The key elements that make up CSR may include: corporate governance, human resource management, regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship, community outreach and investment, and human rights. There is broad agreement that CSR encompasses more than the traditional philanthropic activities. In its most developed form, CSR is a core strategic function in the enterprise, consistent with the mission of the organization, and aligned with the concept of sustainable development, positive competitive outcomes, and an equitable sharing of resources across society.

In December 2005, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) published a report on Corporate Social Responsibility in the APEC Region: Current Status and Implications containing the results of the study conducted in 14 countries in the Asia-

Pacific region, including several ASEAN countries, namely, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

The APEC report noted similarities across all the 14 countries as follows:

The origins and conceptualization of CSR is rooted in• the historical and cultural traditions of each country, and is deeply influenced by ethical concepts and religious practice.

There is common understanding that CSR is gradually moving from its •historical focus on business philanthropy to a broader set of activities that engage business with the full range of its stakeholders and integrate the practice of CSR into the core strategy of the organization.

For this transformation to occur to its full potential there must be a clear •business case made articulating the benefits of CSR, and there must be buy-in to the concept by top management but this is difficult to achieve in practice in part because the practical tools to make CSR operational and to measure its benefits remain underdeveloped; nevertheless efforts at measurement and reporting are growing rapidly, in the belief that formal monitoring and evaluation of outcomes will enhance the credibility of CSR and make it easier to substantiate.

social responsibility in ASEAN during the seminar on “Promoting Mutual Assistance among Corporate Foundations in ASEAN” held back to back with the 7th Asian CSR Forum in Singapore.

Among the organizations that expressed their support to the network were the Asian Institute of Management (Philippines), ADM Capital Foundation (Cambodia), greenheart Foundation (Lao PDR), Ayala Foundation (Philippines), the League of Corporate Foundations, Lopez group Foundation (Philippines), Petron Foundation (Philippines), PHINMA Foundation (Philippines), Siam Cement group Foundation (Thailand), FPT Foundation (Viet Nam), and Serge Pun and Associates (Myanmar).

The League of Corporate Foundations (LCF), Philippines has also affirmed its commitment to support ASEAN Foundation’s initiative to establish a network of corporate foundations in the ASEAN region. ASEAN Foundation Executive Director Dr. Filemon Uriarte, Jr. received the Commitment of Support from LCF Chairperson Marilou Erni and President Chit Juan during the 2008 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Conference held in Manila, Philippines.


Despite its strong roots in the traditions of each country, CSR has also •evolved in response to profound external forces, including meeting legal and regulatory obligations and responding to the elite and broader public opinions that demand higher standards of accountability, for example, meeting environmental requirements and assuring appropriate labor standards throughout the supply chain.

To implement CSR activities, larger companies are increasingly turning to •partnerships with other stakeholders including both governments and non-government organizations.

The APEC report also observed that despite overall similarities among the 14 countries in the region, there were however notable differences between the experiences of the developed economies and those of the developing economies.

The CSR activities in the developed economies tend to have the following patterns:

There is great emphasis on the importance of environmental stewardship •and the strengthening of environmental management practices.

There is strong and active civil society involvement.•

The management of supply chain, including links to production in •developing economies, often in response to well-articulated consumer concerns or activism serves as an important driver.

There is tendency to have strong traditions of community outreach including •corporate community investment that in both concept and practice extends beyond pure charity or philanthropy.

Companies are increasingly engaged in strategic partnerships with •stakeholders within communities in which they operate for mutual benefit.

The major challenges tend to focus on the appropriate responses to •globalization, identification and addressing gaps in CSR practices, the

development of common standards of good practice throughout the supply chain, and in general assuring exemplary corporate behavior world wide.

On the other hand, the practice of CSR in the developing economies tends to have the following patterns:

There is tendency to emphasize the role that multinational enterprises play •in importing good CSR practices, which are then emulated by the local corporate community.

The key drivers for CSR are the requirements of the global marketplace •and their supply chains, for example, there are strong incentives for exporters to adopt appropriate practices (e.g. human rights, labor practices, environmental practices and food safety) to access markets or to attract overseas investment.

Where there are weaker regulatory frameworks or more limited capacity to •enforce legislation, there is tendency for global protocols to influence CSR practices to overcome local weakness and promote the capacity of local businesses to compete in global markets.

The major challenges generally relate to raising further awareness of CSR, •to build capacity within existing institutions that can drive the adoption of CSR, to make the case to the local business community to adopt CSR, and to transfer competencies to individual companies.

For the five ASEAN countries, the APEC report has made the following observations.

Indonesia

The state of CSR is still at its early stages but the development indicates •encouraging signs with Indonesian companies, especially those operating in the global market, becoming increasingly aware that they are required to balance the social, economic and environmental components of their business, while building shareholder value.


The stakeholder concept is not new for the Indonesians since the concept of •“gotong royong”, whereby social responsibility is relevant to all stakeholders of a community, is imbedded in the Indonesian culture.

The promotion of CSR has been marked with various initiatives in the •government sector, private sector, by some NgOs, and even a combination of various stakeholders.

Most companies are in the “compliance stage” of the CSR organizational •learning curve, where they adopt policy-based compliance as a cost of doing business; but some have reached the “managerial stage”, where they embed the societal issue in their core management process; and a few have even reached the “strategic stage”, where they integrate the societal issue in their core business strategies.

The key challenges are: (a) to develop conducive environment for •corporations to perform their roles as good corporate citizens, which would include good public governance and tax system which will give incentives to the socially responsible companies; (b) to increase further awareness among corporations on CSR as a critical element of a company strategy; and (c) to engage SMEs to practice CSR beyond their concern for survival.

Philippines

Market forces have been the major drivers of CSR behavior, with •corporations and private institutions organizing and involving themselves in social development and CSR activities being practiced not only as tactical responses to potential crises but also in acknowledgment of the fact that businesses could not possibly thrive in an environment where the majority of the population are poor.

The birth of the CSR concept and its initial practice can be traced back to •the 1950s and has increased in significance with latest recorded corporate giving (2002-2004) increasing three-fold to P2.6 billion in a period of ten years.

Sustaining the commitment to and resources available for CSR are the •main challenges as social problems persist amidst the worsening economic condition of the country.

Most CSR efforts are philanthropic in nature with education and health •being the main recipients but internal expressions of CSR, that is, linking it to the day to day operations of the organization, are also practiced, with large companies promoting employee involvement in CSR.

Leaders who play a significant role in strengthening CSR commitment •within an organization have been identified as the principal agents for the promotion strategy.

Singapore

The development of CSR has been influenced by its unique characteristics as •a city state that has achieved great success in an economy that was heavily managed by the government in the first decades after independence in 1965 and although there have been many reforms in recent years to liberalize key sectors of the economy, the public sector remains a key architect of the economy and has considerable influence over corporate behavior.

The government-centric approach influences CSR approaches, with much •emphasis on compliance with legislative requirements as a means of achieving and regulating socially responsible behavior, which may be viewed as the success of policy makers in enforcing the “social contract” between corporations and stakeholders but also raises the question of whether all aspects of social responsibility can be meaningfully legislated or promoted by the public sector.

Thailand

The practice of CSR is in an early stage of development and is substantially •influenced by religious beliefs, traditional norms of ethical practice, and by the concept of “sufficient economy” as promulgated by His Majesty the King of Thailand.


The full integration of CSR into business management at the strategic level •is not yet widely evident reflecting both an insufficient commitment to the concept on the part of top management and a general perception that CSR is primarily business philanthropy.

Engagement with the NgO sector deals with broader aspects of CSR, •including sound environmental practices, social development, as the promotion of the concept of a sustainable society, while engagement with government emphasizes compliance with environmental, health and safety standards and the need for legislation and enforcement related to the labor standards.

The CSR challenges include: (a) narrow perception of CSR by many leaders as •merely encompassing philanthropic activities in the public relations function; (b) the threat of an economic downturn; and (c) negative perceptions of standards related to CSR as another form of trade barrier.

The CSR concept is positive in the perspectives of government, key •business institutions, and the NgO sector as shown in the growing range of initiatives to educate stakeholders and encourage good CSR practice in the economy.

Vietnam

CSR activities are regulated and supervised by the government and the •enterprises’ social policies, in turn, generally observed state regulations, which are outlined in the enterprises’ annual plans along with concrete activities suitable to the real conditions prevailing in the enterprise.

The CSR thrust of the private sector is good corporate practice including •obeying the law, meeting the requirements of the import partners, operating in a favorable working environment, avoiding conflicts and disputes with local labor, and to some extent philanthropy.

Enterprises and government are the two main players in the promotion of •CSR where enterprises determine the success of CSR, given the fact that that the owner and management of enterprises are the biggest influencers in raising awareness, and government promulgates policies, supervises the enforcement of regulations and provides information on CSR issues.

The main challenge is to raise the level of awareness of CSR since generally •consumers have limited appreciation of CSR and fail to associate it in their choice of products to buy and do not relate CSR with social concerns.

In December 2001, the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development published a report on Corporate Social Responsibility in Indonesia. The report aims to answer two questions: Do CSR and accompanying voluntary initiatives have the capacity to change how TNCs really behave in their day-to-day operations? At this stage of its development, and in the context of the latest crisis, is CSR relevant to Indonesia?

In response to the first question, the report states: “While it is fair to say that CSR makes a positive contribution to the human rights of those working in TNCs, it is also fair to say that it only makes a difference to those few corporations targeted by consumers or who are already thinking ethically and responsibly. Other industries are not under such pressure. Such anomalies and the somewhat piecemeal approach of the CSR movement should alert global citizens to the need for a more systematic approach. Some would advocate industry-specific global standards. But it is highly unlikely that nation states like Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, for instance, would succumb to such regulations.”

In response to the second question, the report states: “Indonesia may be able to benefit from CSR, but it cannot rely on CSR to solve issues of exploitation, environmental devastation and poor labor standards, particularly when Western finance corporations are impervious to environmental or labor rights lobbying and community outrage. Furthermore, Indonesia cannot rely on codes of conduct and monitoring to maintain labor standards in all TNC-owned or co-opted plants.”


The conclusions made by the aforementioned United Nations report may be somewhat dated since political and economic changes have happened in Indonesia since 2001. A more recent article by Edward Manik that appeared in the June 2008 issue of Frontier titled Corporate Social Responsibility: The Indonesian Context describes briefly several good examples of CSR programs by Indonesian corporations. It also mentions about the continuing controversy over the inclusion of CSR under Law No. 40 of 2007 on Limited Liability Companies, Article 74 paragraph (1) that states: “Companies doing business in and/or in relation to natural resources must put into practice social and environmental responsibility.” This provision is opposed by many corporations.

The original language of the bill stated that CSR provisions applied to all companies without exception, but this was altered as a result of protest by the business community. The legislature finally decided that the CSR provisions would only be applied to companies that heavily utilize natural resources, such as mining, oil and gas companies, and plantations. However, the business community has continued to press for changes reasoning that companies are already required to fulfill their formal obligations such as taxes, obtaining permits and conducting and environmental impact study. They argue that CSR should be voluntary.

In August 2005, Dr. J. L. gonzaless III, a professor in golden gate University, published a paper on Corporate Social Responsibility in Asia, which provides an overview of CSR and its impact on social development with special emphasis on Asia. One underlying argument that the paper makes is that, although many of the CSR interventions being applied globally are relatively “new” to Asia, CSR, when operationally defined as “corporation-community collaboration (CCC) towards social development”, becomes a vintage concept familiar to generations of Asian entrepreneurs and the communities they serve. The case studies that formed the bases for the paper include ASEAN countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. The gonzales paper makes three major conclusions:

A profitable or competitive business climate and wealth accumulation are •necessary preconditions to initiate CSR.

CSR culture in Asian business derives from spiritual and philosophical •underpinnings.

CSR requires a legal framework that promotes openness, partnerships, and •democratization.

In the legal framework, the paper recommends that policy makers should:

Recognize that CCC is both a CSR process and a CSR product.•

Encourage trust and confidence-building activities since they seem to be •the most important components of formal CSR-CCC conceptualization and institutionalization.

Signal to private firms and civil society groups to factor CCC and other CSR •interventions into their business models early.


CSR ASEAN:A Network of CSR Practitioners in ASEAN Countries

Background

The Blueprint for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (2008-2015) includes as part of its strategic objectives ensuring that corporate social responsibility is incorporated in the corporate agenda and contributes towards sustainable socio-economic development in ASEAN Member States. The Blueprint, in particular, mandates the ASEAN Foundation to engage the private sector in building the ASEAN Community through, among others, the promotion of corporate social responsibility.

The ASEAN Foundation

The ASEAN Foundation was established by the ASEAN Leaders on 15 December 1997 to help bring about shared prosperity and a sustainable future to the entire ASEAN region. It is enshrined in Article 15 of the ASEAN Charter, the constitution of the ASEAN Community, and mandated to support ASEAN community building by promoting close collaboration among the business sector, civil society, academia and other stakeholders in the region. given this mandate, the ASEAN Foundation gives priority to promoting strategic alliances and partnerships among various ASEAN stakeholders, in particular, the business sector.

CSR ASEAN: A Network of CSR Practitioners in ASEAN Countries

The ASEAN Foundation recognizes the important role that the business sector (corporate foundations, corporations, business groups, etc.) plays in human development and poverty alleviation and their potential to help promote people-to-people interaction and greater ASEAN awareness. The ASEAN Foundation, therefore, envisions establishing a network closely linking these groups, with itself serving as an umbrella organization or lead convenor. This network of CSR practitioners in the ten ASEAN countries will be referred to as CSR ASEAN.

CSR ASEAN will provide a platform for corporate foundations and corporations to integrate corporate social responsibility in their corporate agenda and thereby contributing towards sustainable socio-economic development in ASEAN Member States.

Specifically, the objectives of CSR ASEAN are to:

Establish a comprehensive database of corporate foundations, • corporations and other organizations with CSR initiatives in the region;Identify gaps among CSR programs in different ASEAN countries;• Share and document best practices, new and emerging frameworks • and strategies in CSR in the region; Promote the integration of CSR into the core business and • operation; Promote exchange of learning and experiences and replication of • successful programs in the region; andDevelop cooperation and partnerships with similar networks in • other regions such as CSR Europe and the like.

Membership

Membership in CSR ASEAN is open to corporate foundations and corporations, NgOs, business groups and other organizations with active


CSR activities in the ASEAN region. As a member of CSR ASEAN, one can, among others:

Engage in a broad range of activities such as sharing CSR best • practices with peers from a range of sectors and industries;Collaborate in the implementation of joint projects among • members;Engage in CSR policy development at various levels;• Provide inputs to the on-going process of formulating ISO 26000 – • guidance on Social Responsibility;Receive regular information and updates on relevant news and • events; Attend meetings, conferences and other activities organized by • CSR ASEAN;Attend in meetings or conferences organized by the ASEAN • Foundation during which distinguished experts and personalities will be invited to lecture or present topics that are of particular interest to the members of CSR ASEAN and of relevance to the ASEAN region; andAvail of funding available from the ASEAN Foundation for relevant • projects and activities.

Organizations can apply for CSR ASEAN membership by providing the ASEAN Foundation with the following information: (a) organizational profile; and (b) the organization’s CSR activities.

The ASEAN Foundation will provide initial financial support to get the network properly organized. Once the network’s organizational structure is in place, the leadership and management of CSR ASEAN will decide on issues related to long term financial and operational viability such as the possibility of collecting membership fees, fund raising activities, and the like.

Initial Activities

The ASEAN Foundation, through the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund, has provided some funds to the Asian Institute of Management’s RVR Center For Corporate Social Responsibility under the project entitled, “Promoting Mutual Assistance Among Corporate Foundations in ASEAN” to help promote and establish the network. The ASEAN Foundation will also provide some financial support to the League of Corporate Foundations (Philippines) to organize a roundtable between CSR ASEAN and CSR Europe to help develop partnership between the two CSR regional networks.

Emerging CSR Issues and Challenges

For many years, corporate social responsibility has been characterized by two primary features: (a) it was based on relationships with corporate CEOs giving to organizations or causes they cared about; and (b) it was mainly focused on the communities where corporate operations were present or where employees resided. CSR was not part of the overall business strategy and corporate mission and vision. It was something the owners of the companies or their executives did in order to be good citizens, particularly during periods of good profitability.

There had been two extremes in CSR thinking. At one end of the spectrum was the view expressed by a group of economists led by Milton Friedman who stated that “there is one and only one social responsibility of business – to use its resources and engage in activities to increase its profits.” With this viewpoint, there was no room for corporate social responsibility or corporate philanthropy.

At the other end of the spectrum were a group of corporations that took the view that businesses had a fundamental responsibility to give something back to society and that they existed not only for accumulating profits but equally to look out for the social and environmental outcomes of their activities.

It was Craig Smith, a CSR expert, writing in the Harvard Business Review, who first effectively articulated a position aiming to reconcile both viewpoints by


proposing what he called “new corporate philanthropy.” He argued that corporations could develop CSR strategies that lead to a competitive edge by increasing name recognition among consumers, fostering partnership between business units, and improving employee morale and loyalty. Since then, there have been continuing efforts among many corporations to integrate philanthropic activities with their corporate strategy.

As a consequence, one of the major emerging CSR issues pertains to cause-related marketing. There is increasing trend for some corporations to promote their philanthropic activities through advertising and public relations campaigns and to link them to a wide variety of marketing initiatives. One example of a cause-related marketing is where a company advertises its product stating that it will donate a certain percentage of sales to a specific cause or charity, thus making the cause a reason to make the purchase. This is one of the most strategic forms of philanthropy since it is linked directly to the company’s aim of selling product. But cause-related marketing is sometimes criticized as “false philanthropy”. Critics say that the objective in cause-related marketing is the selling of the product in the guise of philanthropy. However, many consider cause-related marketing as a valid expression of corporate social responsibility whereby marketing is used as a means to let the public know about the company’s philanthropic activity. Some in the academic community see corporate giving as a continuum where there is pure philanthropy at one end and cause-oriented marketing at the other.

gabriel Kasper and Katherine Fulton, in a 2006 paper for the Monitor Institute, proposes a framework for CSR options in what they term as the “philanthropy strategy matrix” as shown in the figure below. The matrix classifies the strategic approach to philanthropy as either “responsive” or “proactive” and the relationship of corporate philanthropy to corporate strategy as either “more independent” or “more integrated”. Accordingly, four CSR types emerge, which they termed as: good citizen philanthropy, leveraged philanthropy, issue-driven philanthropy; and aligned philanthropy.

Figure 1. Corporate Philanthropy Strategy Matrix

Good citizen philanthropy. This is shown in the bottom left quadrant of the matrix. This type of CSR activity is responsive to particular needs of the community but relatively separate from the overall all corporate strategy. A typical case is a corporate foundation that receives and supports grant proposals and provides funding to various organizations for projects or activities that are not necessarily related to the goals of its mother corporation.

Leveraged philanthropy. This is shown in the upper left quadrant. This type of CSR activity includes those where the companies leverage the capabilities of their core business strategies in their philanthropy, but are not proactively using that giving to tactically advance long-term social and economic goals. For example, the firm’s expertise in distribution systems and logistical management could be used to help provide support and supplies to victims of natural disasters or the firms expertise in environmental health and safety could be used to provide medical and similar services.

PRO

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MORE INDEPENDENT

MORE INTEGRATED

RESP

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Strategic Approach to Philanthropy

LeveragedPhilanthropy

good CitizenPhilanthropy

Corporate SocialEnterprise

AlignedPhilanthropy

Issue-DrivenPhilanthropy

Rela

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to C

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Str

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y


Issue-driven philanthropy. This is shown in the lower right quadrant. In this approach, a corporation’s philanthropy is focused and systematic, aiming to make a clear impact on explicit and well-defined social or environmental objectives. They are attempting to be effective grant-makers, without a clear relationship to the company’s main line of business. For example, some corporations focus only on granting educational scholarships while others focus on preservation of ecological or archeological sites.

Aligned philanthropy. This is shown in the upper right quadrant. This approach to CSR is still an emerging one, not yet fully defined by any single strategy, but it may be the direction that may CSR efforts are headed in the future. The emerging literature on this CSR approach gives this proactive-integrated type of CSR many different names:

Context-focused philanthropy, where businesses use their charitable efforts (a) to improve their competitive context – the long-term business environment in locations where the company operates.1

Corporate social marketing, where a company launches a social initiative (b) that produces social outcomes that may change consumer behavior to build markets and benefit the company.2

Collaborative social initiatives, characterized by coordinated, long-term (c) initiatives staged strategically in collaboration with commercial and noncommercial partners.3

Base of the pyramid strategies, where companies develop business models (d) that allow them to serve the world’s 4 billion poorest people, opening new markets, but also helping to meet the basic needs of poor communities.4

1 Porter, Michael and Mark Kramer, “The Competitive Advantage of Corporate Philanthropy,” Harvard

Business Review, December 2002. 2 Kotler, Philip and Nancy Lee, “Best of Breed”, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Spring 2004.

3 Pearce, John and Jonathan Doh, “The High Impact of Collaborative Social Initiatives,” MIT Sloan

Management Review, Spring 2005.4 Prahalad, C. K., The Future at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits, Wharton

School Publishing, 2004.

Corporate social opportunity, where corporate efforts with social and (e) environmental benefit are seen as exciting opportunities for a business, rather than as “responsibilities” that must be managed.5

Corporate social enterprise, where corporate effort is no longer a matter of (f) philanthropy but in fact a fully integrated and proactive business strategy aimed at both social and economic goals. A good example of this is the Nobel Peace Prize-winning grameen Bank.

As more and more corporations devise innovative ways of fully integrating their corporate social responsibility programs and activities into the corporate mission and vision, there will soon emerge a more fully defined strategy to describe the fourth quadrant of the corporate philanthropy strategy matrix.

As a final note on the future of CSR, it may be worth citing the general observations made by Richard Marker, a corporate foundation guru, regarding the future of foundations:

There will be a greater number of partnerships and collaborations so that •foundations can leverage their resources and focus on major issues.

The upcoming recession will force most foundations to re-focus on fewer •grantees, but most will continue to fund those fewer grantees at the same level as before.

Many of those who were thinking of starting or maintaining private •foundations will choose to establish donor advised funds instead, in order to maintain more privacy. They will trade off control and flexibility for privacy and reduced reporting requirements.

The recent trend in aligning investments with grant policies will continue •to grow. Corporations will increasingly begin to anticipate these moves and will invite foundation leaders onto their boards.

5 grayson, David and Adrian Hodges, Corporate Social Opportunity, greenleaf Publications, 2004.


Wise foundations will realize the importance of advocacy funding to address •major societal issues. The greater pressure on foundations to replace government funding which has emerged over the last 7 years will lead to a stronger reaction.

Foundations will see that the tempting fad to fund hybrid for-profit and •non-profit ventures has only a limited applicability. Some cases have been very successful but in most cases, human and quality of life organizations will never be able to generate the capital or income to be self sustaining without soft money gifts.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that there is tremendous scope for cooperation among corporations and other relevant organizations in ASEAN countries as well as between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners in the field of corporate social responsibility. Such cooperation will be in line with the Blueprint for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. For example, with its Dialogue Partners, CSR projects and activities could be implemented to help narrow the development gaps, enhance competitiveness and promote knowledge-based economy, enhance mutual understanding and friendship, and promote cooperation in coping with emerging global challenges.

Among ASEAN countries, CSR cooperation has been initiated with the convening of a conference on corporate social responsibility and forming a network of corporate foundations and corporations actively engaged in CSR activities called CSR ASEAN. Such conferences can be held annually for the purpose of discussing effective ways of integrating CSR into the corporate vision and mission and sharing knowledge and experiences on CSR best practices and success stories. Eventually, joint CSR projects and activities may be developed and implemented, particularly among corporations that have active presence in several ASEAN countries. In line with its mandate to enhance interaction among various ASEAN stakeholders and promote close collaboration among the business sector, the ASEAN Foundation will continue to support projects in the field of corporate social responsibility.

ANNEX 1 Memorandum of Understanding on CSR ASEAN Network

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

among

ASEAN FOUNDATIONJakarta, Indonesia

ASIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENTManila, Philippines

and

CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS IN ASEAN MEMBER COUNTRIES

Article OnePREAMBLE

The ASEAN FOUNDATION (herein referred to as “AF”) is an organization established by the ASEAN Leaders on December 15, 1997, located in Jakarta, Indonesia. The AF aims to help bring about shared prosperity and a sustainable future for the peoples of ASEAN whose member countries are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It shall promote greater awareness of ASEAN and contribute to the evolution of a development cooperation strategy that promotes mutual assistance, equitable economic development, and the alleviation of poverty.

The ASIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT and (referred to as “AIM”) is an international graduate school of management, the first in Southeast Asia located in Manila, Philippines. AIM was established in 1968 to develop socially responsible managers, entrepreneurs, and leaders for Asia. Over the years, it has provided training programs and managers to corporations, public sector agencies, and not-for-profit institutions throughout the region.


The ADM Capital Foundation located in Hong Kong, China.

The Uli Peduli Foundation (PT Unilever Indonesia) located in Indonesia.

The Asia Foundation located in Thailand.

The GreenHeart Foundation located in Laos.

The Sabah Forest Industries located in Malaysia.

The Serge Pun & Associates located in Myanmar.

The Ayala Foundation located in the Philippines.

The League of Corporate Foundations located in the Philippines.

The Lopez Group Foundation located in the Philippines.

The Petron Foundation located in the Philippines.

The PHINMA Foundation located in the Philippines

The SalesForce.Com Foundation located in Singapore.

The Singapore Compact for CSR located in Singapore.

The SingHealth Foundation located in Singapore.

The Population and Community Development Association located in Thailand

The Siam Cement Group Foundation located in Thailand.

The FPT Foundation located in Vietnam.

The Saigon Times Foundation located in Vietnam.

This Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) sets forth the general principles that will guide the conduct of the relationship among the parties.

Article TwoOBJECTIVES

The AF, AIM and corporate foundations listed above wish to establish an enduring partnership that will:

1. Form a Network of ASEAN Corporate Foundations (NACF) with AF serving as the key convenor.

2. Support the activities and development of the NACF whose principal objective is to promote corporate social responsibility and collaboration among the business sector, in general, and the corporate foundations, in particular, civil society, academia and other stakeholders in ASEAN.

3. Allow, through the NACF, the identification of the issues confronted by corporate foundations in ASEAN, as well as their current initiatives; permit the identification of gaps among CSR programs in the different ASEAN countries; identify best practices and promote the exchange of learning/experience with a view of replicating proven successes across the region, especially in the CLMV.

4. Promote the establishment of an independent, self-sustaining NACF.

Article ThreeSCOPE OF PARTNERSHIP

The partnership will involve the following initiatives among all the parties relevant to the objectives of the MOU:

1. All parties agree to be members of the NACF.2. All parties have complementary objectives and a mutual desire to collaborate

in a number of areas to pursue common advocacies.3. All parties shall take active roles in the pursuit of the success of the objectives

and activities of the “Promoting Mutual Assistance Among Corporate Foundation in ASEAN” project.

4. All parties agree that the organization of a formal network of corporate foundations in ASEAN could serve as a staging area for learning, identifying best practices, sharing resources and implementing joint projects across the region and ultimately allow the development of more responsive and effective CSR programs.

5. All parties will collaborate in maintaining a database of corporate foundations active in the ASEAN region.

6. All parties will share knowledge amongst other corporate foundations and corporations on best practices, new and emerging frameworks and strategies that will help integrate corporate citizenship into the core of business to


inspire and motivate organizations to undertake meaningful actions that will help develop a more stable and integrated ASEAN community.

7. AIl parties will strive to collaborate and partner with other corporate foundations not only in their own countries but in other ASEAN countries in the conduct of their projects and dealings with other partner organizations.

8. All parties will help promote collaboration, resource complementation and capacity building amongst ASEAN-based corporate foundations.

9. All parties will assist each other in order to implement these complementary objectives and collaborate in undertaking research projects to contribute to the body of existing knowledge and creative documentation of innovative/best practices in the region.

10. All parties will be active members of the NACF, and encourage other corporate foundations to join the network.

Article FourCOMPETENT AUTHORITIES

The parties will be represented in this MOU by the Executive Director of AF, the Executive Managing Director of the AIM Institutional Planning and Development, representatives of the corporate foundations listed above.

This MOU may be modified upon mutual written agreement of the parties herein.

All notices and other communications from any of the parties to the other shall be in English and shall be deemed received upon actual delivery or completed facsimile addressed to the other parties as follows:

ASEAN Foundation

ASEAN FoundationJalan Sam Ratulangi No. 2,Menteng, Jakarta 1030, IndonesiaTel: +62 (21) 3192 4833 / 4828Fax: +62 (21) 3192 6078Email Address: [email protected]: Dr. Filemon A. Uriarte, Jr. (Executive Director)

Asian Institute of Management

Asian Institute of Management123 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City 1260, PhilippinesTel: +632 892 4011Fax: +632 752 1208 E-mail Address: [email protected]: http://www.aim.eduAttention: Francis g. Estrada (President)

ADM Capital Foundation

ADM Capital Foundation Suite 24069 Queens Road Central, Hong KongTel: +855 1232 8813E-mail Address: [email protected]: http://www.admcf.org/index.htmlAttention: Francesco Caruso (Children at RiskProgram Manager)

Uli Peduli Foundation(PT Unilever Indonesia)

Uli Peduli Foundation (PT Unilever Indonesia)Indonesiagraha UnileverJl. Jend. gatot Subroto Kav. 15, Jakarta 12930, IndonesiaTel: +62 (21) 529 6773Fax: +62 (21) 526 2046Website: http://www.unileverindonesia.comAttention: Sinta Kaniawati (general Manager)

greenHeart Foundation

greenHeart Foundation P.O. Box 747, Luang Prabang, Lao PDRTel: + 856 (071) 253 939Fax: + 856 (020) 200 4344E-mail Address: [email protected]: http://www.greenheartfoundation. orgAttention: Mark Bartholomew (Founder)

The Asia Foundation

The Asia Foundation - ThailandQ. House Convent Bldg., Floor 6D38 Convent Road, Silom Bangkok 10500, ThailandTel: +66 (2) 233 l644Fax: +66 (2) 237 7011E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.asiafoundation.orgAttention: gretchen Kunze (Deputy Country Representative for Laos)


Sabah Forest Industries Sabah Forest IndustriesMalaysia

Serge Pun and Associates

Serge Pun and Associates (Myanmar), Ltd.FMI Centre, Level 10 & 11 380, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Yangon, MyanmarAttention: Tun Tun (Executive Director)

Ayala Foundation

Ayala Foundation32/F Tower One, Ayala Triangle, Ayala Ave. Makati City, PhilippinesTel: +63 (02) 752 1101-02Fax:+63 (02) 813 4487 / 813 4488E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.ayalafoundation.orgAttention: Mario Deriquito (Director, Central for Social Development and gILAS)

League of Corporate Foundations

LCF Secretariat: Unit 704 Midland Mansions Condominium, 839 A.S Arnaiz Ave., Legaspi Village Makati City 1226, PhilippinesTel: +63 (2) 892 9189Fax:+63 (2) 892 9084E-mail [email protected]: http://www.lcf.org.ph/Attention: Jerry Bernas (Executive Director)

Lopez group Foundation

Lopez group Foundation4/F Benpres Building, Meralco Ave. cor. Exchange Road Ortigas Center Pasig City, PhilippinesTel: +63 (02) 449 6060 / 490 0779Fax: +63(02) 631 4089Website: http://www.lopezgroup.orgAttention: Rafael Alunan (Executiye Director)

Petron Foundation

Petron Foundation35/F Petron MegaPlaza 358 Sen. gil Puyat Ave. Makati City, PhilippinesTel: +63 (02) 886 3888 loc. 3500Fax:+63 (02) 886 3142Website: http://www.petron.comAttention: Marilou Erni (Executive Director)

PHINMA Foundation

PHINMA FoundationPenthouse, PHINMA Plaza 39 Plaza Drive Rockwell Center, Makati City, PhilippinesTel: +63 (02) 870 0100 loc. 349Website: http://www.phinma.com.phAttention: Laurentia Javier (Executive Director)

SalesForce.com Foundation

SalesForce.com Foundation9 Temasek Boulevard #40-01 Suntec Tower 2 Singapore 038989Tel +65 (6) 302 5781Fax.+65 (6) 722 4270Website: http://www.salesforcefoundation.org/Attention: Joyce Teo (Foundation Manager, APAC)

Singapore Compact for CSR

Singapore Compact10 Hoe Chiang Road #22-01 Keppel Towers. Singapore 089315Tel: +65 68276825Fax: +65 6720 2930E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.csrsingapore.orgAttention: Irene Chia (Manager, Membership & Partnership)

SingHealth Foundation

SingHealth Foundation167 Jalan Bukit Merah Tower 5#22-10A Singapore 150167Tel: +65 (6) 377 7605E-mail: [email protected]: http://wvw.singhealthfoundation.org.sg/Attention: Nancy Frohman (general Manager)

Population and Community Development Association

Population and Community Development Association6 Sukhumvit 12, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 ThailandTel: +66 (2) 229 4611 to 28Fax: +66 (2) 229 4632E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.pda.or.th/eng/ Attention: Apapan Kulapongse (Planning Officer)


SCg Foundation (The Siam Cement Foundation)

SCg Foundation (The Siam Cement Foundation)1 Building 10, Siam Cement Public Company Limited, Bangsue, Bangkok 10800, Thailand Tel: +66 (2) 586 5506Fax: +66 (2) 586 3910Website: http://www.scgfoundation.org/en/index.asp Attention: Suranuch Thongsila (Director and Manager)

FPT Foundation

FPT FoundationFPT Cau giay Tower, Pham Hung St, Cau giay Dist, Ha Noi, Viet NamTel: +84 (4) 730 1515Fax: +84 (4) 730 7410Website: http://www.fpt.com.vnAttention: Le Xuan Khoa (Vice Director)

Saigon Times Foundation

Saigon Times FoundationTruo35 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet NamTel: +84 (8) 829 5936 (ext 55)Fax: +84 (8) 821 2043E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.saigontimes.com.vn/stf.aspAttention: Truong Tuong Vy (Director)

ANNEX 2

Friends of ASEAN is an initiative of the ASEAN Foundation to develop partnerships and mobilize resources arising from its mandate and the policies enunciated by the Board of Trustees and the Council of Advisors of the ASEAN Foundation. Friends of ASEAN are individuals, corporations, and regional and international organizations that support the mission of the ASEAN Foundation to promote greater awareness of ASEAN and interaction among the peoples of ASEAN and to contribute to equitable economic development and the alleviation of poverty in the region. They are ASEAN stakeholders who have faith and confidence in the future of the ASEAN Community.

To become Friends of ASEAN, individuals will be invited to make a USD 10,000 contribution to the Foundation’s endowment fund while corporations and organizations, USD 20,000 contribution to the endowment fund. With their contributions, Friends of ASEAN will be entitled to certain privileges, services, and products from the ASEAN Foundation such as:

Participation in an annual meeting or conference organized by the ASEAN

Foundation during which distinguished experts and personalities will be invited to lecture or present topics that are of particular interest to the Friends of ASEAN and of relevance to the ASEAN region.

Copies of publications of the ASEAN Foundation such as brochures, project

information materials, annual reports, and project outputs such as the ASEAN Quest video game.

Each party will advise the other parties of parties of any change in the address, designated representative, or telephone or facsimile number.

Article FiveDURATION

This MOU shall take effect upon signing hereof and shall be valid for two (2) years and thereafter be renewed automatically for the same duration. However, any Party may terminate this MOU for just cause by giving thirty (30) days written notice.

This agreement is executed in (number of signatories) identical copies, all in English, by authorized representatives of each party, and all parties will retain one copy of the MOU.

ASEAN Foundation and Emerging CSR Issues and Challenges38

The Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund (JASF)

In May 1998, H.E. Mr. Keizo Obuchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, announced a contribution of US$20 million from the government of Japan to the ASEAN Foundation to support projects in the areas of education, human resources development, business exchanges and other activities to promote development of the ASEAN region and strengthen Japan-ASEAN cooperation.

To date, almost USD 17 million of the Fund has been utilized and allocated to support over 100 social development projects, majority of which were for human resources development and poverty alleviation. Unless otherwise stated, projects of the ASEAN Foundation are funded by the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund.

About the Author

Dr. Filemon A. Uriarte, Jr. is the Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation. He is a former Cabinet member of the Philippine government as Secretary (Minister) of the Department of Science and Technology; Principal Officer and Director, Information, Communication and Space Technology Division, United Nations ESCAP; Director for Functional Cooperation, ASEAN Secretariat; and Chairman, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the Philippines. In the private sector, Dr. Uriarte was President and CEO of several companies such as the LAUDS Technologies, Inc. and TEST Consultants, Inc. and Vice President of Philippine Vinyl Consortium, Inc.

Dr. Uriarte earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of the Philippines and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University in the United States. Over the years, Dr. Uriarte has received numerous awards and citations for his outstanding contributions as an engineer, scientist and manager, including Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) in 1974, Outstanding Chemical Engineering Alumnus of the University of the Philippines and Outstanding Chemical Engineer in the Philippines from the Professional Regulation Commission. He is listed among the Outstanding Leaders of the Philippines (Who’s Who in 1980) and a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. He is an Academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology.

Opportunity to receive copies of technical reports of projects funded by the

ASEAN Foundation and/or policy papers prepared by organizations supported by the Foundation.

Friends of ASEAN can also request for copies of selected publications of the ASEAN Secretariat, such as the ASEAN Statistical pocketbook, ASEAN Charter, and others, and the ASEAN Foundation will exert its best efforts to provide these in a timely manner.

Friends of ASEAN will have proper acknowledgment in the ASEAN Foundation annual report and selected stories of outstanding contributions will be featured from time to time.

Friends of ASEAN will be featured prominently on the ASEAN Foundation website, including brief profiles or descriptions and link to their respective websites.

Friends of ASEAN will be given a distinguished certificate recognizing their support and active practice of individual or corporate social responsibility

Documents

MESSAgE - ASEAN · PDF fileASEAN and defines its purposes and principles. ASEAN Foundation and CSR In recognition of the fundamental importance of improving the well- being of