ID :
209697
Tue, 09/27/2011 - 12:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/209697
The shortlink copeid
MALAYSIA RETAINS THIRD SPOT ON ASIAN SUSTAINABILITY LIST
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has maintained its third
ranking in the 2011 Asian Sustainability Rating (ASR) albeit registering a lower average score this year.
This year it scored an average 39 per cent from 42 per cent last year as the inclusion of new and poorly-performing companies held back Malaysia's score and was enough to bring down the average for the country.
However, with Bursa Malaysia expected to launch the Environment, Social and Government (ESG) Index by end-2012, this average is likely to improve.
The ASR is a proprietary set of 100 sustainability indicators, covering disclosures on the main elements of ESG risk, comprising 750 companies from 10 Asian countries selected according to free float market capitalisiation.
South Korea maintained its first position as ist companies performed
across-the-board with scores mostly markedly higher for environmental
disclosure.
Thailand ranked number two, up by two positions from last year, while India fell two notches to number four, followed by Taiwan, Singapore, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
CSR Asia co-founder and chairman Dr Richard Welford said the Malaysian government continued to be the main driver for the corporate social responsibility agenda.
"We have the prime minister talking a lot about CSR and they are aware there is a role for the private sector to play in the development of their countries," he told reporters on the sidelines of the CSR Asia Summit 2011.
Welford said there was tremendous growth among local companies in real interest about sustainable business practices, as construction companies started to deal with issues of migration labour and foreign workers and palm oil companies, which took the lead in CSR, have inspired other businesses.
To increase awareness of CSR among local companies, the government needs to encourage the private sector to play their role, he said.
"We need encouragement and a little bit of push, so I think it is important for the government to encourage us and I hope the government will talk more on CSR issues," he said.
The government should not necessarily cut taxes to encourage social
responsibility among companies as social responsibiliy is good for business and is part of the company's branding and reputation, he said.
"Secondly, the government should ask companies to include their CSR
activities in the annual report and with the launch of the ESG index next year, there's a big drive for Malaysian companies because they don't want to be out of that ESG index," he added.
-- BERNAMA
ranking in the 2011 Asian Sustainability Rating (ASR) albeit registering a lower average score this year.
This year it scored an average 39 per cent from 42 per cent last year as the inclusion of new and poorly-performing companies held back Malaysia's score and was enough to bring down the average for the country.
However, with Bursa Malaysia expected to launch the Environment, Social and Government (ESG) Index by end-2012, this average is likely to improve.
The ASR is a proprietary set of 100 sustainability indicators, covering disclosures on the main elements of ESG risk, comprising 750 companies from 10 Asian countries selected according to free float market capitalisiation.
South Korea maintained its first position as ist companies performed
across-the-board with scores mostly markedly higher for environmental
disclosure.
Thailand ranked number two, up by two positions from last year, while India fell two notches to number four, followed by Taiwan, Singapore, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
CSR Asia co-founder and chairman Dr Richard Welford said the Malaysian government continued to be the main driver for the corporate social responsibility agenda.
"We have the prime minister talking a lot about CSR and they are aware there is a role for the private sector to play in the development of their countries," he told reporters on the sidelines of the CSR Asia Summit 2011.
Welford said there was tremendous growth among local companies in real interest about sustainable business practices, as construction companies started to deal with issues of migration labour and foreign workers and palm oil companies, which took the lead in CSR, have inspired other businesses.
To increase awareness of CSR among local companies, the government needs to encourage the private sector to play their role, he said.
"We need encouragement and a little bit of push, so I think it is important for the government to encourage us and I hope the government will talk more on CSR issues," he said.
The government should not necessarily cut taxes to encourage social
responsibility among companies as social responsibiliy is good for business and is part of the company's branding and reputation, he said.
"Secondly, the government should ask companies to include their CSR
activities in the annual report and with the launch of the ESG index next year, there's a big drive for Malaysian companies because they don't want to be out of that ESG index," he added.
-- BERNAMA
