23 September 2020
A total of 81 projects and business leaders across Asia were selected as recipients of the Asia
Responsible Enterprise Awards 2020 (AREA), which was an increase of 27% from last year. Widely
regarded as the gold standard for CSR and sustainability practice, this year’s award ceremony was
organized virtually due to the unprecedented global healthcare crisis. A diversity of industries and
leading organizations from all over the region received the AREA, demonstrating a continued dedication
to responsible business practices despite the pandemic.
Organized by Enterprise Asia, the leading non-governmental organization for responsible
entrepreneurship in Asia, the AREA aims to recognize and honor Asian businesses and leaders for
championing sustainable and socially responsible business practices. The award categories are Social
Empowerment, Investment in People, Health Promotion, Green Leadership, Corporate Governance,
Circular Economy Leadership and Responsible Business Leadership. Through the award ceremony,
this unique opportunity has provided over 600 attendees to interconnect and celebrate virtually.
According to Richard Tsang, Enterprise Asia’s newly elected president, “the pandemic has forced us to
revisit our values and to focus on balancing economic, social and environmental progress as envisioned
by the 2030 Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). Leveraging this moment
of crisis, it is important for us to turn the recovery into a real opportunity to do things right for the future.”
Mr Tsang added, “to date, the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards has seen over 600 successful
corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects being highlighted, with millions of communities uplifted
and billions of lives touched and saved. The success of these efforts is 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 one has made.”
This year, over 200 submissions across 19 countries were received from organizations across Asia.
AREA judges, led by Dr Eugen Chien, former Minister of Environment of the Republic of Taipei, sieved
through the submission over a three-month judging period.
According to Dr Chien, “the panel of judges were impressed by the quality and diversity of submissions
this year and had the challenging task of evaluating and determining this year’s finalists. The winners
are determined not just by their efforts and results, but also by such criteria as effective delineation,
nexus to the community, identification of needs, measurability, effectiveness of implementation, ability
to reach the target audience, impact, leadership involvement, institutionalization and continuity.”
Dr Chien added, “I am happy that many of the participants this year have put in greater efforts in
managing the continuation of their CSR projects. This result in projects that are more sustainable, of
greater relevance to the target community, and create greater impact than ever before during this time
of crisis.”
Among the notable winning projects were “Colourful Dream” by NIPSEA Management Company Pte.
Ltd – commonly known as Nippon Paint, the initiative was conceptualized as Nippon Paint’s CSR
program which focuses on education and empowerment of youths and the communities across Asia;
the project “Solid and Transparent Corporate Governance Mechanism” by E.SUN Financial Holding
Co., Ltd. is to pursue better corporate governance, the Company has a well-designed director election
system, which is a fair and open process to ensure an effective management in aspects of board of
directors, stakeholders’ interests, and transparency and disclosure; Bangchak Corporation Plc’s “Rak
Pan Sook Project: A Solution to Plastic Nightmare” project is a public awareness and sustainability
project supporting the recycling of used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and used lubricant
containers and turning them into usable products.
The most coveted CSR event in the region – AREA 2020 are supported by official PR partner Two Way
Public Relations, supporting organizations – Circular Economy Club, CSRone Taiwan, Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia, National Institute of
Entrepreneurship and Innovation (N.I.E.L) Cambodia, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
(IGES) Japan, Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy and Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable
Development.
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Media Contact
Ms Nerissa Ng
Enterprise Asia
(60) 3 7803 0312
n.ng@enterpriseasia.org
About Enterprise Asia
Enterprise Asia is a non-governmental organization in pursuit of creating an Asia that is rich in entrepreneurship as an engine towards sustainable and progressive economic and social development within a world of economic equality. Its two pillars of existence are investment in
people and responsible entrepreneurship. Enterprise Asia works with governments, NGOs and other organizations to promote competitiveness and entrepreneurial development, in uplifting the
economic status of people across Asia and in ensuring a legacy of hope, innovation and courage for the future generation. Please visit https://www.enterpriseasia.org/ for more information.
About Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA)
The Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards program recognizes and honors Asian businesses for championing sustainable and responsible entrepreneurship in the categories of Green Leadership, Investment in People, Health Promotion, Social Empowerment, Corporate Governance, Circular Economy Leadership and Responsible Business Leadership. For more information, visit: https://enterpriseasia.org/area/.