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MANILA: Twenty-three Thai firms make top-50 ranking at Asean corporate awards event in the Philippines

Two Thai-listed companies, PTT Global Chemical and Samart Corporation, earned the Top 5 Asean PLCs Awards at this year's Asean Corporate Governance Award (CG) event in Manila, according to the Asean Capital Markets Forum (ACMF).

Twenty-three Thai-listed companies were among the top 50 Asean companies that achieved the highest scorecard ranking at the event. They were followed by 11 companies from the Philippines, eight from Singapore, six from Malaysia and two from Indonesia.

The event was hosted by the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), leaders of the region's top publicly-listed companies (PLCs), capital markets regulators and governance experts. The awards recognised the efforts of companies that continuously implement good corporate governance in their operations and services.

The 2015 results show that Thai-listed companies have continuously ranked among the top 50 Asean companies for a fourth consecutive year. This reflects the regional leadership role that Thai-listed firms have played in applying international corporate governance standards in their operations.

Asean CG Scorecard is a programme initiated by the Asean Capital Markets Forum and sponsored by the Securities and Exchange Commissions of each Asean country. The programme's purpose is to evaluate corporate governance standards of listed companies within six of the 10 Asean countries, which are Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Since its inception in 2012, this is the first time the names of the top 50 listed companies were publicly announced.

"Since the programme's inception, Thai-isted companies have been outstanding in consistently applying corporate governance principles in line with the Asean standard," said Bandid Nijathaworn, president and CEO of the Thai Institute of Directors.

"This is particularly in the areas of the Rights of Shareholders and the Equitable Treatment of Shareholders. Despite the increasingly stringent evaluation criteria, Thai-listed companies have consistently improved their standards and compliance in accordance with the Asean standard."

As such, said the corporate governance expert, the awards earned by Thai-listed companies could be considered a proud achievement for all Thai-listed companies and the Thai capital market.

"The Thai Institute of Directors wishes to congratulate all the companies that won awards. The institute will continue to support Thai-listed companies to further advance corporate governance practices to enhance the development of the Thai capital markets and corporate governance practice of the Thai private sector," he said.

"We are very pleased with the success. The recent Asean CG Scorecard results clearly underline the leadership of Thai-listed companies on their corporate governance standards, which will have a direct effect on investor confidence, both domestically and internationally on the Thai capital market," said Rapee Sucharitakul, secretary-general of Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission.

"This major achievement for the Thai capital market as a whole was made possible by the ongoing collaboration from all parties and the determination and commitment of the Thai-listed companies to enhance their own corporate governance practices in line with international standards.

"The SEC will continue to promote this project as it is such a vital mechanism for improving corporate governance of listed companies across the region. This in turn would help to increase brand recognition for the Asean asset class."

Ford scholarships have Thai development theme

Ford Thailand extended its Go Further Innovator 2015, an inaugural scholarship programme in partnership with the Population and Community Development Association (PDA).

The programme invites university students from the Bangkok Metropolitan area and eastern Thailand to submit short video clips under the theme of "Go Further - Go Forward for the Development of Thailand" for the opportunity to win 50 scholarships worth a total of Bt650,000. Submissions will be accepted through to February 5, 2016.

The programme is part of Ford's commitment to support education for Thai students. This inaugural Go Further 2015 Scholarship will be promoted in partnership with the PDA and provide university students an opportunity to present their creative ideas through three-minute video clips. The submissions must be around Ford's four core pillars of quality, green, safe and smart.

All finalists will have the opportunity to join Driving Skills for Life (DSFL), Ford's flagship CSR programme that provides hands-on safe driving training to participants, in March 2016. The first 100 students to submit videos will also win souvenirs from Ford.

The results will be announced through www.ford.co.th/about/newsroom and www.pda.or.th, and on Ford's Thailand Facebook page on February 26, 2016.

Tiffany's target date for long-term climate goal

Tiffany & Co has pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, joining other leading companies in setting long-term climate change goals - and asking world leaders to do the same.

As part of an initiative organised by The B Team, a not-for-profit coalition of global business leaders, Tiffany & Co joined the signing of an open letter to Heads of State that emphasises the importance of a long-term climate goal and highlights the bold actions of the private sector.

"As a global iconic brand and leader in a sustainable luxury, Tiffany is proud to join other responsible businesses in pledging net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050," said Frederic Cumenal, CEO of Tiffany & Co.

"This continues our commitment to protecting our precious natural environment and we hope to inspire others to do the same," he said.

"Around the world, Tiffany & Co aims to reduce its environmental footprint in an effort to protect future generations from the impacts of climate change," said Anisa Kamadoli Costa, the chief sustainability officer.

"At this critical juncture, business has an important role to play in protecting the environment by leading by example and calling for bold action."

To that end, the company continues a global initiative to replace energy-intensive lights in retail displays with efficient LED lights and expanded this retrofit project in 2014 to include LED overhead lighting. By the end of 2015, more than 65 Tiffany & Co retail stores will have been retrofitted with LED overhead lighting.

In New York, its hometown, the corporate offices were consolidated in 2011 according to the LEED green building certification programme.

Those offices are now LEED certified to the Platinum level. At its manufacturing and distribution facilities, it is implementing a variety of energy-saving and emission-reducing programmes, including the use of solar arrays.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Quick-News-30273648.html

-- The Nation 2015-11-29