ASEAN CSR FELLOWSHIP, JAKARTA, 3 – 7 APRIL 2017

The ASEAN CSR Fellowship is a newly-launched programme which seeks to build up the next generation of ambassadors for responsible business in Southeast Asia. This is an initiative that is initiated and organized by ASEAN CSR Network and its national partners; in the context of Indonesia is Indonesia Business Links (IBL).

This program aims to deepen cross-border perspectives and build up the next generation of CSR leaders for responsible business in Southeast Asia, harnessing their potential to address key regional issues in business & anticorruption, business & human rights, business and youth, and business and environment. 16 Fellows were selected from 8 ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam) to participate in a series of study tours to meet business leaders, government ofcials, academics, and civil society practitioners. They range from CSR managers from MNCs to land rights activists at NGOs.

The program was held in Jakarta from 3 – 7 April 2017. Fourteen speakers participated on this program. In the morning session on day 1, Ibu Yanti Triwadiantini, Chair ASEAN CSR Network and Bapak Heru Prasetyo, Chairman, Board of Patrons Indonesia Business Links, shared about understanding CSR in Indonesia and ASEAN. In the afternoon of Day 1, Mr. Lee Yoong Yoong, Dir. of Community Affairs Directorate ASEAN Secretariat sharing the history of ASEAN and the ASEAN 2025 Blueprint, and Ms. Elaine Tan, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation sharing the the ASEAN CSR Fellows about the ASEAN Foundation’s mandate to promote greater awareness of the ASEAN identity, human resource development, people-to-people interaction, and close collaboration among the business sector, civil society, academia and other stakeholders in ASEAN.

On day 2, the program discussed about Business and Human Rights, and Collective Action for Business Integrity in Indonesia. The speakers were from Vale Indonesia, Oxfam Indonesia, Telkomtelstra and Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN). On day 3, the program focused on business and environmental issues in Indonesia. The speakers was Ibu Erna Witoelar, Founder and Board Member of Indonesian Biodiversity Foundation (KEHATI), Ibu Ratih Anggraeni, Senior Sustainability Integration Manager, Danone Indonesia, and Ibu Dian Novarina, Deputy Director of Corporate Affairs, Asia Pacic Resources International Limited (APRIL). In the afternoon, the fellows visited a waste bank supported by the local government and Unilever Indonesia Foundation in Mampang, South Jakarta. The fellows were welcomed by Vice Major of South Jakarta Drs. Irmansyah, M.Sc.

In the morning session on day 4, the fellows had done supply chain mapping exercise where they had identied key stakeholders and pin down areas that are most vulnerable to irresponsible practices. CEO ASEAN CSR Network, Mr. Thomas Thomas joined this session. In the afternoon on day 4, the program discussed regarding Business and Youth Economic Empowerment issues. Bapak Fuad Lalean, Managing Director Accenture Indonesia, Ibu Harmini and Bapak Mohamad Fahmi from Indonesia Business Links were the speakers on this session. IBL shared that the major impact that IBL achieved are on the improvement of attitude and mentality of beneciaries. Indirect impact include: life skill/soft skill trained, and increased family income and strengthened economic/livelihood.

On Day 5 and also last day of the ASEAN CSR Fellowship’s Jakarta leg: the fellows attended the Training Workshop on Managing Effective Partnership for Development conducted by Ibu Yanti Triwadiantini, Certied Trainer of Partnership Brokers Association. Particularly, the fellows learned about effective and impactful partnership, how partnership is important in sustainable development, and how they can apply them for their projects. Our fellows had fun touring the Museum Bank Indonesia and Kota Tua (Town City) and farewell dinner to the ASEAN CSR fellows with presence of Bapak Rafendi Djamin, Former Representative of ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) as Guest of Honour.

As a partner from ASEAN CSR Network, Indonesia Business Links seeks the program is very important and in-line with its mission, contributing towards the creation of sound and ethical business practices in the country. CEO ASEAN CSR Network, Mr. Thomas Thomas and ACN agreed that the Fellowship in Jakarta went very well. The Fellows enjoyed the speakers, site visits, closing dinner, etc.

Highlights in Indonesia http://www.asean-csr-network.org/c/component/content/article/55-our-organisation/1033-fellowship-inindonesia-2017?Itemid=55