BASPIA English Blog

BASPIA's Organizational Overview
--Vision
--Mission
--Strategy

BASPIA celebrated its 2nd birthday on November 12th, 2007 introducing its new Vision, Mission, and Strategy Statements.   To start off its third year, a 2nd Launching Banquet Celebration at the Press Center was held on Friday, November 23, 2007.   It was a time for meeting other members and associates, reflecting on past acomplishments, introducing our Intermediary NGO establishment, and overviewing our future projects.

We are in the process of developing our English website, but until then please click on the Category Folder entitled, "BASPIA News" for our organization's information.  Other categories include information on other organizations or resources regarding human rights, development organizations, government organs, or coporate involvements.  (Please email us with any questions or concerns at: info@baspia.org)



Thank you for your interest!


Please see our informational materials below.

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Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute (HERI) November Photos

Dear English Blog Readers:

Here are some photos (care of HERI) of a BASPIA team attending the HERI Corporate Social Responsibility / Sustainability Course in Novemeber.

In Front (Left to Right):
Mr. Doyoung Kim, SK Telecom Manager; Mr. Wonjae Lee, Head of HERI; Professor Hankyun Rho, Kookmin University College of Business Administration

Behind Front row (Left to Right):
Shienna Kim, OD Intern; Minyoung Seo, OD Intern; Susan Lee, OD Project Associate.  Not shown: Kim Yoon-Hyung.































For more photos, please go to the HERI website at: 
http://www.heri.kr/bbs/list.php?bbs_section_cd=gallery

SRHK Webzine--The 2nd Issue

The Second Edition of the Silk Road of Human Rights Webzine is now out.   This edition features an article reflecting on ten years of HRBA, written by Mr. Andre Frankovits, Director and Former Executive Director of Human Rights Council of Australia (HRCA) and a personal interview with Ms. Hye-Ran Yoon, the 2005 Ramon Magsaysay winner for Emergent Leadership.  Also special to this edition is a collection of photographs taken by Chung Ang Unversity Students of the Silk Road in China.  Please go to  http://www.baspia.org/webzine/2ho/index.htm, to see the full webzine.

The Cover of the 2nd Edition of SRHK Webzine.

BASPIA's 2nd Launching Ceremony Highlights

On Friday, November 23, 2007, BASPIA hosted its 2nd Lauching Ceremony at the Press Center near City Hall in Seoul.  Almost 100 BASPIAN members, friends, and family came to enjoy a night of entertainment, reflection, and fellowship.  Please see our Korean blog for more information.

Caribou Coffee Korea
Donates Coffee Goods to BASPIA

Last week, Caribou Coffee Korea kindly donated over $400 USD (or over \350,000 Korean won) worth of coffee goods to BASPIA, which will go directly towards facilitating the University Workshop programs held bi-annually at Korea University, as well as promoting BASPIAN memberships.

 

BASPIA is in great appreciation of the support!

Caribou Coffee first opened its stores in Korea this spring with five locations around Seoul: Yangjae, Shinchon, Apgujung, Ewha Women’s University area, and inside the Incheon International Airport.  The company also provides catering services for special events, meetings, and celebrations.

While the Caribou name might be new to Korea, it is the second largest coffee chain in the United States, well-known for their specialty drinks, such as Turtle Mocha or Mint Condition.  Caribou granola bars are also sold in local convenient stores, such as Family Mart and LG25.

For more information: http://www.cariboukorea.co.kr/

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) &

Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute (HERI)

Dear BASPIA WORLD English Blog Readers,

We just attended the HERI Sustainability Course last week and I'm happy to report that I am even more enthusiastic about what is going on in Korea.  Not only is SK Telecom really making waves in the area of social enterprise, such as through their lunchbox project, but HERI is also providing a great platform for growing future social leaders in business.  

 

At the event, I was impressed by the student-run group, Nexters, which was formed after some college students attended one of the HERI Sustainability courses.  Nexters just recently went on a trip to India and Bangladesh to learn more about social entrepreneurship and theories about how corporations can help alleviate poverty.

 

CSR is a relatively new sector for South Korean businesses, but HERI is building awareness about it.   After Korea joined Global Compact this past summer, HERI was the first organization to analyze sustainability reports using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines.  (The GRI is a unique, multi-stakeholder organization pursuing consistent, regular and comparable reporting.)

 

I am looking forward to seeing what else happens in the field of human rights, development, and corporate social responsibility.   If you are too, please make use of the various resources listed below as they are freely available on-line.

 

Sincerely yours,
Susan Lee
Project Associate
Organization Development

 

 

For more information about:

• Nexters: http://nexters.org/blog
  
• Global Compact Korea: http://www.unglobalcompact.org/NewsAndEvents/news_archives/2007_09_17.html

• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): http://www.globalreporting.org/AboutGRI/ 

• HERI’s first analysis on 22 local South Korea companies: http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_business/230034.html 
  

On-line Resources about CSR:

• Ethical Corporation:http://www.ethicalcorp.com/
  
• Business and Human Rights Resource Center:  http://www.business-humanrights.org/Home

Landmark report on transparency released

S. Korean firms score well on consumer protection but low on human rights and the economy

Aug.20,2007

Yuhan-Kimberly ranked first in the transparency of its public reports on achievements in social and the environment sectors. The landmark report evaluating the transparency of South Korean companies gave high scores to companies for reporting on product responsibility, but lower scores for reporting on human rights and the economy.

 

The Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute, an affiliate of The Hankyoreh, analyzed the “sustainability reports” of 22 local companies to estimate how transparent they have been in disclosing their business achievements in diverse categories. The areas include the economy, the environment, labor, human rights, society and consumer protection.

 

According to the outcome, Yuhan-Kimberly scored an average 57 points on a scale of 100, ranking first among those surveyed. Korea South-East Power came in second with 55 points, followed by POSCO and Daewoo Securities with 52 points each. Samsung SDI and Korea Electric Power Corp. were next with 48 points each.

 

The transparency analysis is the first of its kind in South Korea and was initiated at a time when corruption at Korean conglomerates, known as chaebol, comes under fire and awareness of the need for greater transparency and increased corporate social responsibility is growing. The average score for all 22 companies surveyed stood at 39 points.

 

Along with the top six companies, Samsung Electronics, KT, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Korea Water Resources Corp. and Korea Midland Power received higher-than-average scores, while SK Telecom, Korea Land Corp., LG Electronics, Lotte Shopping, Korean Air, Hyundai Motor Company, GS Caltex, Shinhan Bank, Kumho Asiana Group and Woongjin Coway were among those which received lower-than-expected scores.

 

Meanwhile, public companies fared better than private-owned enterprises in transparent corporate reporting. State-run companies received an average 44 points, while private ones got 37 points, the analysis showed.

 

By sector, Yuhan-Kimberly came in first in three categories -- labor, human rights and product liability. Korea South-East Power ranked first in the environmental area and Daewoo Securities and POSCO led the pack in community and economic sectors, respectively.

 

According to the analysis, South Korean companies received relatively fewer points in reporting on human rights and the economy, while they were given higher figures in product responsibility and other social categories.

 

The analysis of sustainability reports, the first of its kind done in South Korea, demonstrates how faithfully local enterprises are disclosing their achievements based on international standards.

 

The analysis reflects that Korean companies are maintaining relatively high transparency in reporting on consumer protection and related product liability areas, but fall short of global standards in unveiling information on human rights.

 

Yuhan-Kimberly was the most transparent company among manufacturers, trailed by POSCO and Samsung SDI, while Daewoo Securities topped the list among non-manufacturers. KT and SK Telecom ranked second and third, respectively, the analysis showed.

 

The Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute said that the analysis was based on recommendations by the Global Reporting Initiative and conducted in a total of 50 business-related indexes for three months since March of this year.

 

“It is a welcome shift for a growing number of local companies to be publishing sustainability reports in tandem with global trends,” said Lee Won-jae, head of the The Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute. “When they raise transparency on reporting information about society and the environment, it will likely help them do business in more socially responsible ways.”

 

By Hankyoreh
August 8, 2007

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_business/230034.html

 

Afterthoughts from the International Symposium on North Korean Human Rights

By Yoon Hyung KIM
Intern, RBA Research Team
November 20, 2007

 

Last year at school, I wrote a paper on “Why North Korean Defectors are Not Recognized as Refugees?” Through this assignment, I learned about international refugee law and current situations on North Korean defectors. So at this symposium, I expected to learn up-to-date theory and action within this field.

 

The symposium really did not come up with any tangible solutions, especially regarding UNHCR’s stance and China’s government. UNHCR still upheld the conventional definition of refugees, mainly considering North Korean defectors as economic migrants. In my opinion, UNHCR needs to bring more comprehensive perspectives in defining refugees. However, considering the limit of UNHCR’s capacity as well as geopolitical delicacy surrounding China and Korean peninsula, I understand the difficulties in its action. 

 

As for the Chinese standpoint, this event was said to be the first time any professors from China came to speak about their opinions. Since NGOs have criticized China for not protecting North Korean defectors and for violating the principle of non-refoulment, I expected these professors to align themselves with NGOs’ stance. To my surprise, the Chinese professors seemed to advocate China’s tough policy.  A professor from Yanbian University, Kim Gang-Il, caught my attention by emphasizing the priority of regional stability outweighs humanitarian concerns, and thus China’s difficult situation should be understood and not put under further pressure through publicizing the issue. I believe his argument is practical and realistic even though his statement is likely to be controversial for human rights activists.  

 

The Political External Section Chief of U.S. Embassy, Brian McFeeters, stated that nuclear issues takes precedence over humanitarian concerns. He emphasized that the North Korean defectors issue falls within the responsibility of Asian nations, rather than the U.S government, because the majority of defectors reside in Asian countries such as China.  It seemed to me that the U.S is also inclined to opt for the silent diplomacy just as China.

   

Overall, the symposium was an opportunity for me to reaffirm the viewpoints of various parties concerned, although I would have liked to hear about opinions from Chinese government representatives. It seemed that a new consensus in favor of silent diplomacy is being built as an alternative to publicizing. Silent diplomacy may give involved countries more room for practical action; however, it risks leaving vulnerable people at the government’s disposal. This is why I can’t help but hope that silent diplomacy is not just another way of turning a blind eye to the asylum-seekers from North Korea. 

 

 

BAS Funds for
Kachin Women's Association-Thailand (KWAT)

As the second launching ceremony nears, we take some time to reminisce over the people and programs of our past two years. 

 

One program we are eager to re-launch is the BAS Asian Funds.  In October of 2006, BASPIAN member and former staff, Ms. Su-Hyung Jung, went to Thailand to meet Ms. Shirley Sheng, the head of Kachin Women’s Association-Thailand (KWAT).  In February of 2007, BASPIA was proudly able to presented KWAT with a grant of $1500 USD. We hope to continue this program that provides support “from Asia to Asia."

BASPIAN Su-hyung Jung (left) speaks with the
head of KWAT, Ms. Shirley Sheng.

About KWAT:

http://www.globalgoodspartners.org/kwat

 

KWAT is a community-based organization that provides training and educational awareness programs, covering topics such as gender, women’s rights, and health, for women from the Kachin state of Burma.  The Kachin state is located in the north of Burma, traditionally an agricultural community, but over the years has been oppressed by the Burmese military.

 

KWAT developed as a response to the violence and instability faced by Kachin women.  Many women settled in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border, so KWAT works with women in Chiang Mai and surrounding villages, where the Kachin exile population is the largest.

 

KWAT is also deeply involved in human rights advocacy, education, and research.  The report, Driven Away: Trafficking of Kachin Women on the China-Burma Border, was written based on research done in 2004.

 

 

Kachin Women's Association - Thailand (KWAT)
P.O Box 415, Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand
E-mail: kwat@loxinfo.co.th

 

For more information and a copy of the report, Driven Away, go to:

http://www.womenofburma.org/kwat.htm

BASPIA attends the Hankyoreh
HERI Sustainability School

Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute has monthly Sustainability Courses designed to cover a topic and case study from a Korean corporation regarding the CSR strategies and outcome.  Last month's topic was about ethics at POSCO. This month will be about SK Telecom.  The course will be headed by Mr. Won-jae Lee, Head of Research at the Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute (HERI).

 

The education workshop will be on Thursday, November 22, 2007, from 6:00pm - 9:00pm

 

Those interested in attending contact:

http://www.heri.kr/school/main.php

Phone: 027100216

Email: smschool@hani.co.kr

 

Mr. Won-jae Lee, Head of Research at HERI

 About Hankyoreh:

The Hankyoreh joins U.N. Global Compact

Newspaper plans to publish report on its efforts to achieve corporate social responsibility

 

The Hankyoreh has officially joined the U.N. Global Compact, which pursues ten principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. The United Nations Global Compact granted permission to The Hankyoreh to participate in the initiative on Sept. 4, making The Hankyoreh the first newspaper corporation in Korea to join the initiative.

 

As a participant in the compact, The Hankyoreh will publish a sustainable management report in the near future to make public its achievements in the area of corporate social responsibility.

 

In addition, The Hankyoreh Economic Research Institute, a subsidiary of the newspaper, will set up a sustainable management training center. In addition to providing training, the institute will assess and measure the sustainable management performance of other local businesses.

 

The U.N. Global Compact, initiated by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and launched in 2000 at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, is the largest international consultative network in the world. At present, approximately 4,000 enterprises and organizations from over 100 countries are engaged in the Global Compact, while a total of 81 South Korean companies have already signed on to the compact.

 

The South Korean branch of the Global Compact held a preparatory meeting this year on July 4 and will be inaugurated on Sept. 17.”

 

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/234295.html

Posted on : Sep.6,2007 12:31 KST