"CSR IN ASIA" CONFERENCE: 9th & 10th December 05.

'CSR in Asia - Where we are and what ahead' was a two day conference organised by BCF & OWSA funded by the Intellectual Exchange Programme of Japan Foundation.

Corporate Responsibility (CR) now is a high priority on the business agenda. Leading companies are now expected not just to deal ethically in the marketplace, but also develop their workforce, invest in the community and sustain the natural environment.

Too often the CSR debate has been dominated by generic global initiatives not being tailored to Asia's specific circumstances. Equally, Asian/ Soth Asian countries have a rich tradition in social responsibility that should be made available to both domestic and international audience. The aim of this Asian conference on CSR is therefore to initiate a highly practical discussion among leaders from the worlds of business, government, and civil society on the Asian model of CSR.

BCF and Oneworld South Asia hosted the CSR Conference to highlight innovative programs and best practices in CSR by corporations in Asia and to promote CSR as a key strategy in addressing public needs and problems, as well as showcase corporate innovation in CSR in Asia while promoting new thinking and standards on CSR as a strategy.

The participants included Abhinav Outsourcing, British Telecom, BYST, Cadbury, Care Bangladesh, Centre for Social markets, Cisco, Datamation Foundation, Development Alternatives, FICCI SEDF, Gokaldas Images, GSKCH, Helpage India, Hole in the Wall Education Ltd, Indian NGOs .com, ITC India Ltd, I Volunteer, Jamia Hamdard, Jankidevi Bajaj Gram Vikas Sansthan, Kanoria Chemicals & Industries Ltd, Kenan Institute Asia, Thailand, Lady Irwin College, Lead India, Lotus opportunities, Nepal, NABARD, NASSCOM, NIS Sparta, N-Logue, NTPC, Partners in Change, Responsible Business Initiative, Pakistan, Sampradaan, SEARCH, Standards & Incentives Centre for CSR, Singapore, Tata Steel Ltd, Tehelka foundation, Times foundation, Xaar India, Xansa, Youthreach.

The conference highlighted and disseminated best practices from across Asia, and tackled a number of critical issues within the Asian CSR framework. The project (conference) was instrumental in:

• Hearing from leading companies why corporate responsibility is essential to business in Asia
• Understanding the benefits of community engagement for business and how can business best engage with key stakeholder groups and thereby finding out the business case of
• CSR and the opportunities it offers for stakeholders.
• Insights on internal CSR of companies especially for the garment sector.
• Knowing how to engage with key Non-government and Government groups to help progress with corporate responsibility and community programmes.
• Roles that business in Asia can play towards fulfillment of wider initiatives like the MDG's (Millenium Development Goals) and Mission 2007