Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards recognizes winners

A TOTAL OF 59 projects across Asia were selected as the recipients of this year’s Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards (AREA) by Enterprise Asia. The Awards, often dubbed the Nobel Prize for Sustainability, returned this year to Singapore, after having been held in Delhi and Macau over the past two years. The Awards also recognized three business leaders for their roles in promoting CSR practices within their organizations and across their industries.

Over 300 submissions from 28 countries were received from companies across Asia, with judges led by former Minister of Environment of Taiwan, Dr. Eugene Chien, sieving through the submission over a two-months judging period. Besides being able to demonstrate the design and execution of sound and effective CSR programs, nominees are required to demonstrate the extent that CSR practices have been institutionalized within their organizations and the measurable impact of their programs to people, community and environment.

The Awards honors Asian businesses for championing sustainable and responsible business practices, demonstrating companies’ leadership, sincerity and on-going commitment in incorporating responsible and ethical values, compliance, respect for people and individuals, involvement in communities and protection of the environment into the way they run their businesses.

Dato’ William Ng, president of Enterprise Asia said, “The quality of this year’s submission is outstanding. It was a truly monumental task to decide on the best, as every submission was of very high quality-demonstrating the expertise and capability of the region’s CSR practitioners. This is a far cry from when we first started giving out the awards in the year 2009. Much thought has been given to impact and measurability, as a result of increased reporting requirements.”

Prizes were awards in six categories: Social Empowerment, Investment in People, Health Promotion, Green Leadership, SME CSR and Responsible Business Leadership.

Dr. Chien said, “Through these Awards, we highlight the efforts by businesses to promote sustainable corporate practices and an ethical and compassionate business culture. More than ever, we now see the urgency to institutionalize responsible entrepreneurship as a mean to protect our market share, shareholder’s value, and the sustainability of our businesses.”

The three business leaders named as recipients of the AREA Responsible Business Leadership Award are Shehzad Munim, managing director of British American Tobacco Bangladesh; Sun Yiping, president of China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited; and Yen Wen Long, chairman of CTBC Financial Holding Co., Ltd. Among the notable projects winning the Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards are Aircel’s ‘ Save Our Tiger’, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s ‘ Coral Relocation’, Hai- O Enterprise Berhad’s ‘ Talent Development Through Education Excellence’, Pfizer Taiwan’s ‘A Warmth During Winter’, Nu Skin Malaysia’s ‘ Southeast Asia Children Heart Fund’, and The Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited’s ‘ Healthy Communities Initiatives’. “The success of these programs are perhaps best measured in the number of lives touched and saved, communities uplifted, tears of joy shed, and how the future of our children, and their children, are secured. There’s really no better recognition for having contributed to making the world a better place, than the satisfaction of witnessing the difference you have made. I congratulate all award recipients, and hope that this will encourage them to continue with their generosity of spirit,” Mr. Ng said.