One of our main activities is organising and hosting Special Briefings on pertinent topics of EU-Asia relations. Beginning with an informal lunch, the Briefings usually last for 1.5 hours, including questions.

Attendees include EIAS members and other interested parties.

Experts wishing to discuss a possible topic for a Lucheon Briefing are invited to contact EIAS Direct Dr Willem van der Geest.

Linking Socially Responsible Investors and Enterprises in Asia through the Bayanihan Banking Window
12 February, 2007, EIAS Brussels, from 16h45 – 18h15

Speaker: Mr. Romulo S. Romero, Vice Chairman, Coalition of Socially Responsible SMEs in Asia

Listen to an interview with the speaker (mp3)

Last March, the European Commission published a new communication on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with the aim of making Europe a pole of excellence on CSR. In the context of our globalising world, faced with everincreasing societal challenges such as how to achieve sustainable development, economic growth and social stability, engaging the corporate community outside the EU is of increasing importance.

How can Europe work together with external partners to promote better corporate responsibility worldwide? What initiatives are underway that may serve as a model or partner for European efforts?

In the fourth meeting of our briefing series on CSR, the European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS) is honoured to welcome Mr. Romulo S. Romero, Vice Chairman of the Coalition of Socially Responsible SMEs in Asia, to its premises for a presentation and discussion on how to link socially responsible investors and enterprises in Asia through the Bayanihan Banking Window.

The Coalition of Socially Responsible SMEs in Asia is a coalition of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who are motivated by the social responsibility of achieving a common goal of sustainable development. Arising out of the fundamental need of SMEs for increased access to capital, CSR SME Asia recently initiated a move to link socially responsible investor (SRI) capital to socially responsible SMEs through the Bayanihan Banking Window (BBW).

Launched in December 2006, the BBW is forming a consortium of well established non-bank organizations engaged in development finance (by providing financial services such as savings, credit, and/or insurance) as a mechanism for intermediating funds to SMEs.

Listen to an interview with the speaker (mp3)

Photos from the meeting