On 16 February 2022, the Office of the Embassy of Canada, AustCham, Civitas, the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the European Union, LNCCI, and the British Business Group in Lao PDR organized the inaugural Lao CSR Awards, with the award ceremony hosted by the British Embassy in Laos. The Lao CSR Awards recognizes companies that uphold the highest standards of responsible business conduct (RBC) in their corporate strategies and daily work, and whose CSR activities can serve as models for the wider Lao business community.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an area of discussion worldwide and businesses tend to integrate CSR into their strategic objectives. Sustainability reporting is not yet mandatory in Lao PDR but some companies report voluntarily on their social and environmental performance or even integrate CSR initiatives into their strategies and daily operations.
This year’s theme for the Lao CSR Awards was “Environmental Excellence” and the shortlisted candidates reflected a wide range of approaches to incorporating environmental wellbeing into their CSR efforts, across multiple different industries.
The winners of Lao PDR’s first-ever CSR Awards, in two categories, are the Luang Prabang hotel Angsana Maison Souvannaphoum in the Large Business Category and online travel agent Discover Laos Today in the SME Category.
Angsana Maison Souvannaphoum is a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Luang Prabang with a business philosophy of “Embracing the Environment, Empowering People’. The hotel believes that sustainability goes beyond protecting the environment to creating a positive impact in the communities. The hotel has several CSR initiatives including monthly “Trash Idol” cleanups in the local community, tree planting, a commitment to being plastic-free, and an annual sustainability report with specific benchmarks for the following year.
Discover Laos Today is a licensed tour operator based in Luang Prabang. With more than 10 years’ experience in the tourism sector. The team at Discover Laos Today is made up of travel enthusiasts, avid thrill-seekers, photography hobbyists, and specialists of leisure, adventure, and discovery. Discover Laos Today has been heavily involved in the protection of Lao’s endangered turtle species through its work in building and funding an insurance colony. There, the turtles are being protected from the wildlife trade and bred to ensure the survival of their species.
The turtles are cared for by world-renowned herpetologist Nathanael Maury, who breeds the turtles in specially designed enclosures on the outskirts of Vientiane.
Source: Vientiane Times
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