Oxford College of Business CSR initiative, recognized as one of the best in Asia

Singapore was the host to the Annual Enterprise Asia, Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards 2016, on 24th June 2016 at Resort World, Resort World Sentosa, Convention Center, Singapore. Over 200 senior executives from multinational and leading corporations in Asia attended the event and witnessed the awards presentation.

Oxford College of Business (OCB) was named the winner of the Social Empowerment Award at the Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Award (AREA) 2016 for its outstanding and exemplary achievements in social and responsible entrepreneurship across Asia. With over 300 CSR projects identified from all over Asia and judged over a period of 6 months, the "Out of Darkness" CSR initiative carried out by Oxford College of Business was one of the 59 winners selected in ASIA.

The Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards is a prestigious international event which recognizes and honours Asian business for championing sustainable and responsible entrepreneurship in Green Leadership, Investment in People, Health Promotion, Social Empowerment, SME CSR and Responsible Business Leadership.

The Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards 2016 is one of the biggest CSR Awards in Asia. The event aims to create a Global Standard event to raise awareness on CSR as well as to have a prestigious awards recognition event to honor outstanding individuals and companies from all over Asia for their contributions to the environment, fair practice, the community and its people.

Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards independently endorses organizational efforts in creating a culture of compassion, integrity and in being socially responsible corporate citizens. The award recognizes Asian companies and recognizes their collective action and self imposed responsibility to better the world we live in. Commenting of this achievement, the Director/CEO of Oxford College of Business, Mr. Malindu Ranasinghe says “I give all glory and honor to Christ alone for this international recognition, for without his grace Oxford College of Business would never have been able achieve this great feat which no other education provider in the country has ever achieved in the field of CSR. The “Out of Darkness” CSR initiative is a collective effort of Oxford College of Business and it Alumni to give back to those who did not have, what we had for ourselves “an Education.” The “Out of Darkness” project aim to identify under-privileged children in extreme rural areas by giving them a chance to change their future through education. Offering electricity through the use of solar power to their humble dwellings inspire these children to study under more conducive learning conditions because Oxford College of Business and its alumni believes knowledge does to a child’s future, what no other empowerment can. Post installation evaluation revealed that 70 per cent of these underprivileged children showed a 100 percent improvement in attending to homework given by the schools after receiving electricity. Furthermore, this project has opened the eyes of the generous people of this island to promote this concept together with Oxford College of Business and its alumni resulting in accomplishing illumination of houses of underprivileged sooner than expected.

Future Direction

Oxford College of Business and its alumni are committed to light up 100 homes by the end of 2016 and extend the programme to illuminate 250 homes by 2017 and 600 homes by the end of 2018. And, this project goes on until this project accomplishes the task of illuminating all under privileged homes in the country enabling such children to continue their education in a conducive learning environment.

Eight winners from Sri Lanka

Out of 300 entries received from all over Asia and a final selection of 59 companies were awarded top honors in the 6 main award categories, namely: Green Leadership, Investment in People, Health Promotion, Social Empowerment, SME CSR and Responsible Business Leadership. Oxford College of Business was declared the winner of the Social Empowerment category for its outstanding contribution to children living in under privileged homes by providing them Solar powered lighting through the “Out of Darkness” CSR initiative. Other winners from Sri Lanka include: HSBC (Sri Lanka), Ceylon Tobacco PLC, Asian Alliance PLC, Sampath Bank PLC, Hayles PLC (Puritas Ltd), JLanka Power and Prosperous Capital and Assurance Ltd.

The international advisory panel comprised of: Tan Sri Fong Chan Onn (Former Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia), Datuk Seri Dr Victor Wee (Former Chairman of Tourism Malaysia), Tan Sri Ahmad Furzi Abdul Razak (Secretary Genaral of World Islamic Economic Forum Foundation), Lt Gen Sudhir Sharma (Former Quarter Master General of Indian Army), Senator Bam Aquino (Senator of the Republic of Philippines), Congresswoman Gwendolyn Garcia (District Representative Cebu, 3rd District, Philipines and Dr. Shaikha Al Maskari (Chairperson, Al Maskari Holdings).

Previous Winners from Sri Lanka

Previous winners from Sri Lanka over the past three years in the Social Empowerment category at Asian Responsible Awards include: 2015 - Hayles Agriculture Holds Ltd ( Seaweed Innovation Project) and Expolanka Holdings PLC ( Venture Engine). 2014 - Dutch Bay Resorts ( The Dutch Bay Project) and Union Assurance ( The School Traffic Warden Awareness) 2013 – Asia Capital PLC ( Glorious Jaffna Foundation) and HSBC ( Cocoshel – Business Village Built by Women).

Mr, Dato William Ng, President of Enterprise Asia commented: “The Global CSR Summit & Awards has withstood the test of time and is supported by respected companies from around the Asia including some of the Fortune 500 companies. This sets us apart from all the other competing events in this space. Participation from companies have remained strong which is a strong endorsement to the high moral ethics that this event holds.”