ASSIST energy efficiency initiative LEAP Indonesia holds Train the Trainer workshops

Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) energy efficiency initiative Leapfrog towards Efficiency And Progress through Low Carbon Economy Indonesia (LEAP) held Train-the-Trainer Workshops last March 26 to 30, 2012 Hotel Ibis Slipi in Jakarta Indonesia.

Benchmarked on international standards and best practices such as ISO 50001, the training aims to build capacity of energy professionals in Indonesia by creating a pool of local trainers on energy management systems. Among the topics covered are carbon footprint calculation, GHG inventory, and energy management systems.

LEAP Indonesia is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project designed to help the businesses from five sectors (Cement, Iron and Steel, Textile, Power Plant and Palm Oil) 1) reduce their Green House Gas emissions, 2) become more energy-efficient and 3) contribute to the national plans of the government towards low-carbon economy.

The initiative is co-financed by PT TUV NORD Indonesia and German development bank DEG. ASSIST offers technical expertise, training and technical assistance to local companies for this project.

Another batch of training is currently being held in Medan, set at April 9 to 13.

The workshop was facilitated by ASSIST Partnerships and Network Management Director Kamesh Ganeson and Triyono Adiputra. Ganeson is a sought-after expert on Enterprise Risk Management, Energy Management Systems, Six Sigma Implementation, Business Continuity Management, Strategic Business Planning, Balanced Scorecard Implementation, Innovative Problem Solving and Decision Making (TRIZ, Theory of Constraints, 8D, K-T), Business Process Re-engineering, Value Analysis & Engineering, and Complaints Management. Meanwhile, Mr. Adiputra is a lead consultant for several Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in Indonesia, and has a master’s degree in Environmental Management.

Participants include representatives of pilot companies from cement, iron and steel, and power industries: Holcim, Merpati Balap Sakti, Indonesia Power Gunung Salak, Siemens Indonesia, Indonesia Power (Suralaya), Jawa Power, Indo Raya Kimia.

Local papers Jurnal Medan, Sumut Pos and Bisnis Sumatra are also featuring the initiatives.#

ASSIST launches Advancing Carbon-Neutral Economy (ACE) PPP Project in Chongqing and Guangzhou

Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) launched its Public Private Partnerships Advancing Carbon Neutral Economy last March 22-23 in Chongqing and March 26-27 in Guangzhou through a Multi-Stakeholder Forum and Awareness Training.

ACE is an 18-month PPP Project co-financed by DEG and implemented by TUV NORD China and ASSIST that seeks to help reduce China’s carbon footprint.

TUV NORD’s Lead Auditor Li Yong Jun facilitated the Awareness Sessions along with ASSIST Projects and Grants Management Director Sathappan Sathappan, while TUV NORD’s CEO and Regional Manager for the Far East Paul van Bernkelen led the forum.

The events provided the attendees an overview of the project, including its rationale and the benefits to participating companies, and solicited their support and input in reducing China’s carbon emissions. Companies were likewise introduced to the International Standards and best practices such as ISO 50001 (Energy Management System), ISO 14064 (GHG Inventories), and PAS 2050 (GHG Assessment). #

EQUIP BPO culminates with a Best Practices Forum

EQUIP BPO (Enhanced QUality and Information security Program for Businesses and Professionals in the Outsourcing sector) ended with a Best Practices forum at the Crowne Plaza, Ortigas last March 16, 2012.

Jointly implemented by Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) and TUV Rheinland Philippines and in collaboration with the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP), the EQUIP BPO initiative seeks to equip the BPO/ITES firms with the necessary technical and managerial skills to adapt to challenges on quality, health and safety, and information security practices.

TUV Rheinland’s Tristan Loveres welcomed the attendees while BPAP’s Raymond Lacdao delivered the Keynote Address.

For his part, Kamesh Ganeson of ASSIST discussed the Project Implementation Highlights, which include:

(i) 60 participants attended the 2 CEO Forums;
(ii) 59 individuals attended the 2 3-day Technical Trainings on QMS, ISMS, OHSAS
(iii) Organized 2 1-day Focus Group Discussions with key players of the IT-BPO Industry
(iv) Identified and developed 3 course modules based on the outcome of the Focus Group Discussions
(v) Delivered 2 3-day TOT Sessions to qualify local trainers on the following topics: Quality, Leadership, and Problem-Solving & Decision-Making
(vi) Provided on site & off site technical assistance to 9 participating companies during the project journey
(vii) Designed and developed a virtual academy for the IT-BPO Industry which has e-learning, online exam and project information components

Five participating companies provided a presentation on their experience and learning during the project, especially in terms of quality and information security program management: B&M, Maersk, Ericsson, NATCCO and Itech. Mr. Murali of ASSIST delivered the closing remarks.

Attendees include NATCCO, Global Payments Processing Center, Ericsson, Itech Business Solution, B&M Global Services Manila, TDG, Emerson, BPAP, UP-ISSI, Maersk Global Service Center, GSM, PC Craft Computer Technologies, Foundation for IT Sustainability, Amdatex, and ECCI.

Women’s groups open discussions on Justice and Healing for VAW victims

As part of the women’s month celebration, the Justice and Healing Project Team hosted a forum-launch on its project Justice and Healing for Victim-survivors of Gender-based Violence on March 28, 2012 at the AIM Conference Center in Makati City.

The forum aims to engage various groups – the police, barangay officials, and women’s rights advocates in a discussion to address violence against women (VAW) and the long journey in seeking justice and healing.

The program also served as the launch some of its project publications: “Springboards for Women’s Journeys Toward Justice and Healing: A Baseline Report” on the experiences of survivors and service providers including lawyers, prosecutors and judges with VAW laws, conducted by Women’s Crisis Center (WCC) and Women’s Legal Education, Advocacy and Defense Foundation, Inc. (WomenLEAD); “Compendium of Laws and Rules on VAW Litigation” compiled by WomenLEAD for the Paralegal Skills Training in VAW Litigation for Community Service Providers, and; “Inviolability versus Inalienability” a legal monograph on Article 36 of the Family Code or psychological incapacity and its implications on the rights of women in abusive marriages — the first of three legal monographs on gender controversial aspects identified by WomenLEAD that need to be addressed.

The event gathered leading advocates against gender-based violence, namely Olivia Tripon of Women’s Feature Service (WFS), Atty. Claire Luczon of Women LEAD, Theresa Balayon of WCC. A response was given by Winnie Penaredondo, a VAW survivor/advocate .

The Justice and Healing project seeks to strengthen the components of the justice system to deliver rights-based and gender-sensitive services using the Justice and Healing perspective with respect to the VAW cases.

Funded by the European Union through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), the project is implemented by WFS, WCC, WomenLEAD, and the Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST).#

ASSIST goes to Bangkok for UNEP Expert Workshop on APELL and Responsible Production

Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) is among the participants of the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) Expert Workshop on Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) and Responsible Production held in Bangkok, Thailand last February 29 to March 2, 2012.

Earthquakes, typhoons and other emergencies highlight the need for APELL.

The event served to raise awareness among public and private sectors in Thailand on the effectiveness of the APELL approach for improving local level preparedness to industrial and natural hazards and to build capacity of experts from both the government and the private sector in Thailand to carry out training activities that will adress capacity building needs of industrial SMEs.

Around 60 practitioners from government agencies, industry associations, chemical industries, including SMEs, academia, consultants and individual experts attended the event.

Through the event, UNEP hoped to (1) build participants understanding of the main concepts behind Responsible Production adn APELL (2) equip participants on the proper use of the UNEP RP Toolkit, Learners and Trainers Companion and (3) identify potentail trainers in the country to replicate trainigns on RP nationwide.

The APELL process is a methodological tool focusing on the identification of possible manmade and natural hazards, on awareness raising, and on the establishing and strengthening of local capacities for immediate, multi-party responses in the event that an emergency occurs. Since its development in the mid-1980s, APELL has been implemented in more than 30 countries and 80 communities worldwide.

Managing Director Sreeni Narayanan and Group Associate Mahnaz Zanganeh attended on behalf of ASSIST. In inviting ASSIST, UNEP recognizes the organization’s efforts at greening the industries.

Among these is the Systematic Engagement to Culture Responsible Enterprises in Gujarat (SECURE Gujarat), a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Project funded by German Development Bank DEG, which aims to explore how Responsible Production (RP) Framework can be mainstreamed in India’s rapidly growing economy.

Further, under the PRE-SMEs (Promoting Resource Efficiency for Small and Medium Enterprises in Developing Countries) project, ASSIST also developed a self-implementation resource efficiency toolkit for the UN Environmental Program (UNEP). Later, it also released a Responsible Production Learners and Trainers Companion, an interactive software-based training and communication package that can be used by presenters, trainers and trainees to raise awareness to the benefits of the approach and to guide RP users through some of the most important tools in the RP Toolkit.#

ASSIST joins ADB Social Enterprise Forum

Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) is glad to have joined the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Social Enterprise Forum held last February 28, 2012 at the ADB Headquarters, along with representatives of social enterprises, impact investors, NGOs, corporate foundations, development agencies, and the Philippine government.

 

 

The forum served as a venue for 1) sharing insights on the regional and Philippine social enterprise landscapes, 2) showcasing examples of promising social enterprise models with prospects for growth and replication, 3) identifying possible resources for social enterprises seeking to scale up their activities, and 4) providing a platform for Philippines social enterprises to connect with domestic and international impact investors.

The day-long affair began with Bart Édes, ADB Director for Poverty Reduction, Gender and Social Development Division welcoming the participants. Harvey Keh, the Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship of the Ateneo School of Governance then spoke on the State of Social Enterprises in the Philippines.

This was followed by four sessions led by esteemed panelists: Characteristics of a Successful Social Enterprise, How to Scale Up a Good Idea: Replication and Expansion, How Emerging Social Enterprises can Attract Capital and Nurturing the Philippine Social Enterprise Ecosystem.

ASSIST was represented by Managing Director Sreeni Narayanan and Group Associate Mahnaz Zanganeh. #

ADB NGOC Photo Contest

Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST)  in partnership with the Asian Development Bank NGO and Civil Civil Society Center is pleased to launch:

Click: Capturing Images of Inclusive Growth

Theme: Achieving Inclusive Growth through Partnerships in a World of Seven Billion

The photography competition calls for images that capture the challenges that the world of seven billion faces, as well as the efforts being taken by various stakeholders – governments, non-profits, industries and the communities – to resolve them, with inclusive growth as the overarching theme. Through this initiative for the ADB NGO Center, ASSIST hopes to educate, alert, and more importantly, inspire people to act.

Contest mechanics:

1. Anyone who is a citizen of any one of ADB’s 67 members* can join. ADB staff, consultants and their immediate family members are not eligible to compete.
2. The secretariat will accept entries from March 15 to April 15.
3. Entries must be original and not infringe on the rights of any entity.
4. The competition is composed of two categories
   1. Amateur
   2. Professional
5. There is no registration fee.
6. Each participant may submit up to three entries.
7. Photos should show any or a combination of the following themes:
   1. Addressing Climate Change
   2. Gender and Development
   3. Managing the Effects of Disasters
   4. Food Security
8. Photo-editing programs may be used, but only for basic post- processing actions for contrast, color balance, sharpening, cropping, dodging and burning. Collages will not be qualified.
9. Entries should not bear watermarks, signatures, frames or other markings such as date and/or time stamps.
10. Screening and final judging will be conducted by a panel of experts.
11. ADB reserves the right to publish all entries on the ADB website, other relevant websites and for non-profit use by ADB and its not-for-profit partners.
12. Entrants do not waive their intellectual or moral property rights by entering the contest, and will therefore retain the right to be identified as the photographer behind the image.
13. Photos should be 300dpi at the minimum.
14. Each entry should come with the following information on a separate sheet.
    1. Last name, First name
    2. Category: Amateur or Professional
    3. Complete Address
    4. Contact numbers and e-mail address
    5. 3 to 5 sentences describing when and where the photo was taken, and what is in the frame
    6. Title of entry
15. Entries should be e-mailed to adbngocphotocontest@gmail.com.
16. Entries should not have won in previous competitions.
17. The final 8 winners for the two categories will be chosen based on the following criteria. There will be a separate category for Popularity, to be determined based on the results of Facebook and on-site voting.
    1. Substance, impact and creativity: 50%
    2. Composition, clarity and technical quality: 50%
18. The prizes are:
    1. Professional
       First Prize: $600
       Second Prize: $500
       Third Prize: $400
    2. Amateur
       First Prize: $500
       Second Prize $400
       Third Prize: $300
    3. Popularity Contest:
       One winner of $200 for each category

*ADB members: Afghanistan; Armenia; Australia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Belgium; Bhutan; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; Canada; People’s Republic of China; Cook Islands; Denmark; Fiji Islands; Finland; France; Georgia; India; Germany; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Ireland; Italy; Japan; Kazakhstan; Kiribati; the Republic of Korea; Kyrgyz Republic; Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Luxembourg; Malaysia; Maldives; Marshall Islands; Federated States of Micronesia;, Mongolia; Myanmar; Nepal; The Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Pakistan; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Portugal; Samoa; Singapore; Solomon Islands; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Taipei, China; Sri Lanka; Tajikistan; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Tonga; Tuvalu; Turkey; Turkmenistan; United Kingdom; United States; Uzbekistan; Vanuatu; and Viet Nam