KEYNOTE SPEECH
How Global SRI Standards Translate into a Strategy for International Banks

Kai Nargolwala, Group Executive Director, Standard Chartered

SPEAKERS PANEL
The Asian SRI Business Case

Asian leaders on SRI are beginning to emerge as it becomes clear that SRI principles can form a strong basis for Asian businesses. 13 Asian companies are now in either the FTSE4Good or the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. What are the characteristics of the Asian SRI business case?

Chair: Melissa Brown, ASrIA

• Sunny Verghese, Group Managing Director and CEO, Olam International
• Indraneel Roy, Asia Pacific Business Leader, Hewitt Associates
• Leon Ku, Senior Executive Vice-President, Taiwan Stock Exchange
• Dylan Tanner, Managing Director, ERM Japan Ltd.
  

SPEAKERS PANEL
Australasia and Japan - Lessons from Asia-Pacific's SRI Leaders

Australia leads the region in SRI funds under management. In Japan, more than 600 companies produce environmental reports and the leading MNCs are moving on to full sustainability reporting. The "mainstreaming" process is advancing in both countries.

Chair: Tessa Tennant, ASrIA

• Masafumi Hikima, Advisor, Nikko Asset Management
• Masayasu Ohi, Director & Principal Executive Officer, Daiwa Asset Management
• Mariko Kawaguchi, Senior Analyst, Daiwa Institute of Research
• Paul Costello, CEO, New Zealand Superannuation Fund
• Duncan Paterson, CEO, Centre for Australian Ethical Research
  

SPEAKERS PANEL
Globalization = The Asian Supply Chain

Ask any leading technology company or a global retailer where their key suppliers are. It is a simple fact that the global supply chain is increasingly dominated by Asia. This tribute to Asian competitiveness poses a long list of questions for investors, companies, and SRI researchers.

Chair: Tara Holeman, Business for Social Responsibility

• Ken Larson, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility Program, Hewlett-Packard
• Tom Haugen, Executive Director, Li & Fung
• Claudia Kruse, Senior Analyst, Governance & SRI, ISIS Asset Management
• Dr. Aqueel Khan, Director, Association for Stimulating Know-how (ASK)
  

SPEAKERS PANEL
Who Cares? What the Asian Public Think about Business Responsibility

Asian consumers are ever more aware of environmental and social concerns. How significant is this for business and brand reputation? What are the likely trends? What does this mean for the scope of SRI in Asia?

Chair: Melissa Brown, ASrIA

• Sahala Sianipar, Director, Golin Harris Singapore
• Eiichiro Adachi, Senior Researcher, Centre for the Strategy of Emergence, Japan Research Institute
• Dr. Richard Welford, Associate Director, Corporate Environmental Governance Programme, Hong Kong University
• Hauman Yeung, Researcher, ASrIA
  

NGO ROUNDTABLE
Key Issues and Campaigns - Who is Leading the Charge on Which Issues

Asia's NGO community is growing apace. 2003 was an important year for global and regional campaigns on a number of crucial environmental and social issues. Which issues will gain attention in 2004?

Chair: Jonathan Wootliff, Corporate Responsibility Consultant

• Howard Shaw, Executive Director, Singapore Environment Council
• Liam Salter, Coordinator, Asia-Pacific Climate and Energy Program, WWF
• Chong Chan Yau, Executive Director, Oxfam Hong Kong
• Dr. Liu Kai Ming, Executive Director, Migrant Workers Community College
  

COCKTAIL RECEPTION
Venue: Burkill Hall, Botanical Gardens

KEYNOTE SPEECH
Paul Hoff, Managing Director Asia Pacific, FTSE

Sponsored by FTSE  

KEYNOTE SPEECH

Rachel Kyte, Director, Environmental & Social Development, IFC

SPEAKERS PANEL
Social and Environmental Audits - Real Disclosure vs. Greenwash

Getting all the facts on supply chain dynamics is disconcertingly difficult and yet that is where most of the risk resides for many global companies. Companies increasingly have their own internal and external experts for supply chain audits. Some just tick the boxes. Others go a lot deeper.

Chair: Carrie Johnson, PAIA Consulting

• Stephen Frost, Research Fellow, Southeast Asia Research Center, City University of Hong Kong
• William Anderson, Head of Social and Environmental Affairs, Asia Pacific, Adidas
  

PARALLEL SESSIONS
Materiality - What are the Big Risks for Asian Companies and How Should They be Analyzed

The list of potential SRI issues for particular companies and industries can often be daunting - especially in emerging economies. But investment analysts are often forced to focus on those issues that have the greatest potential to impact financial results or the competitive positioning of different sectors.

Chair: Patrick Vizzone, Rabobank

• Vince Chaney, Head of Commercial Development, Trucost Plc.
• Julie McDowell, Head of SRI Research, Standard Life
• Sean Gilbert, Associate Director, Technical Development, GRI
• Patrick Choo, Director, Kingsway Fund Management
  

Alternative SRI Investments - An Update on Asian Micro-Finance and Community Investment

In Asia, new examples of innovative micro-finance ventures are emerging across the region. Micro-finance has won support from established banks, charitable groups, and traditional private equity funds. What is the record to-date in this exciting area and what are the challenges for investors?

Chair: Vineet Vohra, Global Consumer Group

• Denis Perry, Director, Support Development Asia, Opportunity International Network
• Jean-Philippe de Schrevel, CEO, Blue Orchard
• Davis Golding, Executive Vice President and CIO, ShoreCap International Ltd.
  

PARALLEL SESSIONS
SRI Corporate and Fund Performance - The Data Emerges

Just as the SRI business case is becoming clearer, so is the performance profile of SRI funds. Over the past year, researchers have published a range of sophisticated studies that provide a robust picture of the performance profile of SRI funds.

Chair: Andrew Kwek, Investment Management Association of Singapore (IMAS)

• Alireza Tourani-Rad, Professor and Head of the Department of Finance, Auckland Institute of Technology
• Bijan Foroodian, Director of Quantitative Analysis, Innovest
• David Morrow, Social Marketing Manager, Calvert Group Limited
  

What Investors Need to Know about Asia's Deforestation Crisis

The deforestation crisis in Asia continues to pose a huge challenge for the future of the environment. A number of initiatives have emerged, especially in sectors where consumer pressure is felt, but more comprehensive policies need to be adopted and enforced. Which initiatives are working and what should investors be asking companies and government authorities involved in the forestry sector?

Chair: Peter King, Asian Development Bank

• Nigel Sizer, Director, Asia-Pacific Forests Program, The Nature Conservancy
• Ian Jolly, Director, International Forestry Investments, GMO
• David Gait, Emerging Markets Fund Manager, First State Investments UK
  

KEYNOTE SPEECH

Bart Jan Krouwel, Managing Director, Sustainability and Social Innovation, Rabobank

SPEAKERS PANEL
SRI Issues for Asian Private Equity Funds - Which Standards, Who Verifies, How to Realize Value

Implementing SRI practices is one tangible way for private equity fund managers to add value to potentially risky Asian venture portfolios, but finding the right standards and benchmarks for venture stage companies is not always easy. A new class of SRI-oriented private equity funds is emerging. This panel will offer an opportunity to understand how they are addressing these issues.

Chair: Tim Krause, International Finance Corporation

• Roland Pfeuti, Principal, SAM Venture Capital
• Rajesh Srivastava, Regional Head, Asia, Rabobank
• Marc Stuart, Director, Eco Securities
• Takayuki Yamamoto, Chief Representative of Singapore Office, DBJ
  

SPEAKERS PANEL
If We Build it Will They Come? How does the Pension Fund Community work with SRI

Pension funds play a leading role in the development of SRI policies for institutional investment, but follow a range of strategies. Will a successful track record in management of an SRI-influenced private equity fund attract motivated pension fund investors? Which investors are committed to this asset class and how do they evaluate the funds?

Chair: Tessa Tennant, ASrIA

• David Russell, Advisor, Responsible Investment, University SuperannuationScheme
• Patrick Doherty, Office of the Comptroller, New York Employees' Retirement System
• Frank Pegan, CEO, Catholic Superannuation Scheme, Australia