Page 69 - The Ethics of ASEAN

The Rise of Corporate Ethics in ASEAN

This rise in ethics in the HR function is in fact the trend in
companies and Shree identifies three ethics areas that HR did
not exercise before: 1) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice
(DEIJ), 2) Sustainability, and 3) Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR).
Despite growth in corporate responsibility and more
progressive labour policies in ASEAN, redefining the role of
HR as ethics advocate and expert is a challenge. Corporate
leaders often see HR as purely administrative and as reactive to
directives given to them rather than as leaders. HR professinals
themselves often lack training in ethics and social policy. When
it comes to thinking about what is the right thing to do in the
ASEAN workplace, HR professionals lack a network of peers
in other countries or experience working outside their home
country.
In fact the ASEAN workplace needs HR leaders in ethics
because the practice in companies does not always protect
employees and is not used to reaching out to the vulnerable or
disenfranchised such as workers with disabilities or immigrant
workers. Too often, leaders in our ASEAN corporate culture still
view policies like diversity and social justice as being “western”
ethics.
Shree believes that HR professionals in ASEAN should
become more connected and it may require a push in
companies for HR to be strategic rather than the administrative,
and advocate for emerging ethics like sustainability, DEI, and
CSR. Shree also hopes that the younger generation will be
able to bring a more ethical mindset to the corporate world,
especially those who will or already are starting their own
businesses.

Mikkel Larsen: Ethical investors want
companies to make a real impact

Mikkel Larsen is based in Singapore and worked for DBS Bank
for nearly a decade before becoming CEO of Climate Impact X
(CIX) in 2021. Mikkel believes in “practicing what you preach” and
personally engages in an environmentally-conscious lifestyle.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is a growing
discussion topic in business and finance. Mikkel Larsen notes
that there has been more “talk” than “walk” when it comes to
impact. Figure 5: Mikkel Larsen,
Chief Sustainability Officer
For example, he mentions the US$ 2.5 trillion shortfall DBS Bank
each year in carrying out the United Nations Sustainable

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