Malaysia: New nonprofit for journalists and bloggers

In a bid to defence the media and to promote of freedom of expression in Southeast Asia, a new nonprofit organisation was launched recently. The Southeast Asia Media Legal Defence Network (SEAMLDN) aims to provide legal assistance to journalists and media organisations, support training and also to promote the exchange of information and strategies among lawyers working on media freedom cases. Read more

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Markets should reward firms with sustainability reports

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) was stated in a new report that companies in Asean, which produce sustainability reports, outlining the impact their activities are having on the environment, should be rewarded by markets. Furthermore, steps should be taken by governments to toughen existing laws and rules to ensure more companies publish these reports. Read more

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MyProcurement Portal Raises Eyebrows

The newly launched MyProcurement Portal has raised a number of questions on corporations receiving government contracts in Malaysia. Parliamentarian, Tony Pua, recently called on the authorities to investigate four contracts which were awarded by the Education Ministry, the Royal Malaysian Police and the Defence Ministry. Read more

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Petrobras sponsors GRI Readers’ Choice Awards 2010

Only 1 week left to nominate your favorite reports

Petrobras will be the exclusive sponsor of GRI’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2010 in which readers from around the world can choose the best sustainability reports. The Awards are organized by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), in partnership with KPMG Spain, KPMG Netherlands, Futerra, SustainAbility, ACCA and TCS. GRI is an international multi-stakeholder organization that develops the sustainability reporting framework for organizations of all sizes, locations and sectors.

Since 2003 Petrobras has adopted in its sustainability reports the principles and indicators developed by GRI.  In the first edition of the Awards, held in 2008, Petrobras’ Social and Environmental Balance was elected the best report by the participants. The winners of the 2010 edition will be announced during the Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency (www.amsterdamgriconference.org), scheduled to be held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from 26 to 28 May.

According to GRI’s CEO Ernst Ligteringen, the Readers’ Choice Awards will be one of the highlights of the conference. “GRI is delighted to partner with Petrobras once again, the Brazilian company having been a key sponsor of GRI’s last biennial conference .” said Ligteringen. “This partnership with GRI shows the importance Petrobras attributes to discussions regarding sustainability and transparency in society. The Readers’ Choice Awards is an opportunity to reflect on the current role of sustainability reporting in light of what readers and organizations expect of it as a management tool. We are pleased to cooperate with this initiative.” said Luis Fernando Nery, Petrobras’ Social Responsibility manager.

Any report reader can participate in the Readers’ Choice Awards by visiting the website http://awards.globalreporting.org/ before 8 April and voting on the 105 shortlisted reports. As a sponsor, Petrobras is not competing for the prize. In addition to supporting this project, the company is a member of the working group that developed the GRI sector supplement for the oil and gas industry. Furthermore, Petrobras takes part in global discussions in the Organizational Stakeholder program and has a representative at GRI’s Stakeholder Council.

About The Global Reporting Initiative

The Global Reporting Initiative has pioneered the development of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework and is committed to its continuous improvement and application worldwide. This framework sets out the principles and indicators that organizations can use to measure and report their economic, environmental, and social performance. www.globalreporting.org

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Airline Union Calls For Minimum Wage Disclosure

Bernama reports that members of the Malaysian Airline System Employees Union (MASEU) have called on all government linked companies (GLCs) to disclose their minimum wage rate. Read more

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Ethics For Media

The Center for International Media Ethics (CIME) and EthicsforMedia is presenting a unique opportunity for journalists interested in further training opportunities. The organization is dedicated to encouraging ethical media practices around the world. In collaboration with journalists and experts, they have created a weeklong course focusing on how good ethics can lead to business sustainability. Read more

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New Foundation To Manage Malaysia’s RM100 mill CSR Fund

Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, announced recently the establishment of Yayasan 1MDB, which stands for 1 Malaysia Development Bhd, to manage a RM100 million Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Fund.

The foundation is set to launch key initiatives in bridging socio-economic gaps in a bid to fulfilling the 1Malaysia values, Najib was reported to have said. The key initiatives will, among others, promote equal opportunity to education and quality of life for all Malaysians. Najib is also chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees.

The tagline “1 Malaysia”, is Prime Minister Najib’s slogan to unite the nation, which is currently facing some religious unrest due to some Muslims protesting the use of  the word “Allah” in a Roman Catholic periodical.

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