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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
12.05.2006 - 10:01am ET
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CSR News from:
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News Category:
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CSR Index For Malaysia Launched
A new CSR Index for Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) in Malaysia
has been launched in Kuala Lumpur
(CSRwire) KUALA LUMPUR AND SINGAPORE - November 30, 2006 - OWW Consulting, a
specialist Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) research company based in
Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, launched the first ever CSR Index for Malaysia
on Thursday. The index is based on months of research and assessment of
the Corporate Social Responsibility performance of major Malaysian
Companies.
The CSR agenda in Malaysia has taken off recently as a result of a number
of initiatives within the private and public sector. The new index adds to
these developments by providing the most comprehensive assessment to date
of the social and environmental performance of companies in Malaysia.
The OWW Responsibility™ Malaysia SRI Index is the first in the OWW
Responsibility™ SRI Index Series which will initially cover Malaysia
and Singapore and in future other South-East Asian economies.
The index opens up the Malaysian market to Socially Responsible Investors
for the first time, by providing an assessment of the Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) performance of Malaysian companies.
Summaries of the background research and CSR assessment for a range of
companies are also available for the first time. These reports provide
details of the CSR performance of companies based on a consistent set of
rigorous international criteria customized to the Malaysian context.
Arshad Adam, co-founder and Finance Director at OWW Consulting, said,
"Malaysia and Singapore offer exceptional investment opportunities.
Currently both markets are in a confirmed "early bull" trend. Experienced
analysts are predicting upside potential of above 30% in the coming two
years in both markets. This will bring historical highs in each market in
line with recent performance in Europe and the US. Already the social
stocks in our index give 16% year-to-date returns at lower risk than the
market."
"These opportunities have so far been out of the reach of Socially
Responsible Investors because credible, consistent and comprehensive
assessments of the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance
of Malaysian companies have not been available. Our new system fills this
gap," he added.
The OWW Responsibility™ assessment process aims to help the SRI
community to access up-to-date and reliable information on the social
performance of companies in Malaysia and Singapore to provide
opportunities for diversification of fund portfolios outside of Europe and
the US.
The first index covers large cap public listed companies and will be
followed by companion indices in the same series for small cap companies
and for Government Linked Companies (GLCs).
Similar series covering companies in Singapore are also in the
pipeline.
Further details and free downloads can be obtained from Thursday 30th
November 2006 at: www.oww-consulting.com and enquiries@oww-consulting.com.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR REPORTERS
About Owens, Williams & Wood Consulting (OWW) Sdn Bhd
Owens, Williams & Wood (OWW) is a technology-based business solutions
company located in Malaysia and Singapore. OWW offers a range of unique
web-based technologies to enable clients to improve their management and
communication of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and
sustainability.
In addition to the Responsibility™ SRI Index Series, our
portfolio includes the following services:
Responsibility™ Online self-reporting and rating tool for
responsible business management.
Responsible Asia™ Training, communications and strategies
for responsible business.
Asian Opinions™ Opinion surveying solutions for
stakeholder engagement.
Private Client Research Services Fully bespoke analytical
reports and recommendations.
Industry Research Macro views, analysis and reporting of
industry benchmarks.
OWW Consulting is the first company in Malaysia and Singapore to sign-up
to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI)
Arshad Adam - Finance Director (BBA, MSc, FCCA)
Arshad Adam is a founding member of OWW Consulting and was appointed
Finance Director in 2006.
Arshad is formerly Assistant Professor of Accounting and Deputy Director
of the MA/MSc programmes at Nottingham University Business School,
Malaysia Campus. He is a Chartered Accountant and a Gold Medal Graduate in
Business Administration from the International Islamic University Malaysia.
He holds an MSc (with Distinction) in International Business Management
from the University of Nottingham. He has extensive international
experience in training of finance professionals in accounting
qualifications for ACCA and CIMA throughout South East Asia.
Arshad has extensive commercial experience and has direct personal
experience of overseas investment projects including outsourcing and cost
consultancy services to international clients mainly from East Africa and
French speaking countries. Outsourcing projects have been conducted in
South East Africa, China, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Turkey and
Zimbabwe.
His professional work as an accountant has involved audit and "off-audit"
experience in operations management and cost management and reduction in
Mauritius, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
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