Creating Business and Social Value : The Asian Way to Integrate CSR into Business Strategies

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is used to describe the voluntary efforts of companies to assume a larger responsibility for the effect of their operations on society. As such, CSR is an important complement to development efforts of governments. Companies in the Asia-Pacific region are becoming increasingly aware that encompassing economic, social and environmental responsibilities into their business practice is likely to contribute to their business success at both the national and international level. This publication introduces ways businesses can practically integrate CSR in general and the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact in particular, into business strategies and practices. It further provides examples of how a number of companies from the Asia-Pacific region have implemented the principles of the Global Compact in their day to day work. Finally, it provides a brief overview of what governments can do to support and facilitate company implementation of CSR.