Published 05-28-04
Submitted by Association for Sustainable and Responsible Investment in Asia
This year's ASrIA conference will focus on cutting edge SRI practices, both for investors and for companies. SRI funds now top US$3 trillion globally and there is growing demand for information which can shed light on the environmental, social, and ethical risks which affect companies with operations in Asia.
"SRI has gained tremendous traction in global markets over the past three years," says Tessa Tennant, ASrIA's chair. "Critical environmental issues are posing high profile risks for economies across Asia and the challenges of establishing a fair workplace are intense. Now that more investors, companies, and governments are focusing on SRI issues, the question is how to identify real leaders and the issues that will make a difference to investors."
The conference will provide a forum to address SRI issues for investors, companies, policymakers, and advocacy groups. The focus will be on understanding how Asian and global companies with operations in the region set standards and how to assess the investment implications. Conference sessions will address a range of issues which shape the SRI agenda:
ASrIA's conference enjoys backing from the International Finance Corporation, an arm of the World Bank and will be run in conjunction with the Social Venture Network's "Spirit of CSR: Time for Action" conference to be run during the same week by the Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility.
ASrIA is a not-for-profit membership association dedicated to promoting sustainable investment practice and corporate responsibility in the Asia Pacific region. ASrIA currently has more than 100 members, managing over US$2 trillion of funds. Among its many activities, ASrIA has run a number of highly successful conferences and seminars throughout Asia and has played a significant role in stimulating SRI investment throughout the region.
For further information on ASrIA's 2004 conference, please see www.asria.org or contact Melissa Brown, ASrIA's Executive Director, on 852-3105-3701.
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