Philippine Airlines Foundation Co-convenes EAS Congress Workshop

 

Quezon City, Philippines — Corporations around the world, as well as their shareholders, are becoming increasingly conscious of the need for socially responsible behavior. While corporate objectives normally revolve around financial returns, many corporations do their share in making a difference for the community, in the form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.

 

As part of the East Asian Seas Congress 2012, a three-day International Conference scheduled from 9 to 11 July 2012, five thematic workshop sessions are being planned. These will focus on various aspects of sustainable development of a coastal and ocean-based economy, i.e., what is popularly referred to as the "blue economy."

 

One of the sub-themes during the workshop is entitled "Good Governance, Good Business," a theme which aims to highlight the outcomes of Rio+20 and initiatives related to the coastal and ocean governance and discuss their implication with regard to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA), and a CSR Workshop will be held under this sub-theme.

 

The proposed CSR workshop will focus on sustaining coastal and marine ecosystem products and services, the first part of which will be devoted to showcasing the positive business practices that have contributed towards sustainable development, including climate proofing of communities; Habitat rehabilitation; Water conservation; Food Security and Livelihood Management; and Pollution Reduction and Waste Management.

 

The second part of the workshop will be a discussion on strengthening endeavors and collaborative efforts of the private sector, through the formation of a corporate network towards the sustainability of the coasts and marine areas of East Asia.

 

The workshop will be co-convened by the Philippine Airlines Foundation. PEMSEA maintains that the corporate and business sectors have a vital role in building, maintaining and sustaining coastal and marine resources, and the products and services they provide to the East Asian region, and globally. PEMSEA recognizes this important role and hopes to encourage and facilitate multinational and national corporations to integrate social responsibility into their organizational strategies, programs and practices through this workshop.

 

The East Asian Seas Congress 2012, carrying the theme, "Building a Blue Economy: Strategy, Opportunities, and Partnerships in the Seas of East Asia," is hosted by the Republic of Korea, and organized by PEMSEA, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) of the Republic of Korea, and the City Government of Changwon. The EAS Congress 2012 is supported by the Global Environment Facility(GEF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Carrying the theme, "Building a Blue Economy: Strategy, Opportunities, and Partnerships in the Seas of East Asia," it will bring to the fore the crucial role of coastal and ocean resources in support of the global commitments to enhance human welfare and environmental sustainability while pursuing economic growth. In particular, it will provide participants with the prospect of identifying contributions, progress and achievements in the governance of regional/sub-regional seas within the framework of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA), which are the essential building blocks for a blue economy, as well as new opportunities and the intergovernmental and multi-sectoral partnerships.

 

To register for the CSR workshop, please visit the EAS Congress 2012 website.