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Upcoming Events

04/10/2025

Brand Protection Congress - Day 2

8:30 am

-

5:45 pm

Singapore

Event Details

04/10/2025

Brand Protection Congress - Day 2

Brand Protection Congress is a leading industry event bringing together global experts to tackle counterfeiting, intellectual property prote...

Event Details

8:30 am

-

5:45 pm

Singapore

04/09/2025

Brand Protection Congress - Day 1

8:30 am

-

6:00 pm

Singapore

Event Details

04/09/2025

Brand Protection Congress - Day 1

Brand Protection Congress is a leading industry event bringing together global experts to tackle counterfeiting, intellectual property prote...

Event Details

8:30 am

-

6:00 pm

Singapore

Past Events

Safeguarding Your Supply Chain: Understanding HRDD Challenge

January 22, 2025

The event will gather renowed experts from the Thai provate sector to address the above questions and unpack the next steps that will allow businesses to orientate into social sustainability reporting with increased confidence and clearer guidelines and best practices.


Event participation is by invitation only. To find out more, contact morgan@apacgates.com



10:00 – 10:30 | Registration

10:30 – 10:40 | Welcome Note by the Thomson Reuters Foundation

10:40 – 11:10 | Fireside chat | Navigating the Reporting Maze: HRDD vs. ESG for the Thai private sector

Moderator: Joanita Britto Menon, Senior Legal Programme Manager, TrustLaw, Thomson Reuters Foundation

  • Morgan Hughes, Director of Research, APAC Gates
  • David Welsh, Director, Solidarity Centre

11:10 – 12:15 | Panel discussion | Strategic Disclosure: A Roadmap for Thai Businesses

Moderator: Stefania Perna, Senior Project Manager, Thomson Reuters Foundation

  • Roberta Pinamonti, Associate Director, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)
  • Keelong Foo, Director, Tat Win
  • Gary Rynhart, Senior Employers' Specialist, International Labour Organization (ILO)
  • Katie Fowler, Responsible Business Director, Workforce Disclosure Initiative/Thomson Reuters Foundation

12:15 – 12:30 | Wrap up and presentation of the trade show

  • Thomson Reuters Foundation

12:30 – 13:30 | Trade show | Lunch & Innovate: Empowering Responsible Business Practices

  • FairAgora Asia
  • Issara: independent workers' voice system
  • Labour solutions
  • Ulula Worker Voice Tech
  • Quizrr

10:30 am - 1:30 pm

Bangkok

Amplifying Workers' Voices in Thailand's Responsible Busines

January 22, 2025

The relationship between business associations and CSOs is one that has not yet been fully explored, leaving meaningful opportunities for collaboration in the shadow. This event delves into the unique role played by these actors and at their contribution in ensuring that workers and businesses can work together, fully respecting labour and human rights.


Event participation is by invitation only. To find out more, contact morgan@apacgates.com



14:00 – 14:30 | Registration

14:30 – 14:40 | Welcome Note by the Thomson Reuters Foundation

14:40 – 15:10 | Fireside chat | From Challenge to Change: Elevating Worker Voices with HRDD

Moderator: Stefania Perna, Senior Project Manager, Thomson Reuters Foundation

  • Belinda Hlatshwayo, Business and Human Rights Coordinator, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, UNDP Business & Human Rights
  • Neila Mangin Maïza, Corporate Accountability Advisor, Manushya Foundation

15:10 – 16:20 | Panel discussion | Bridging Forces: Elevating Labor Standards Through Collaboration

Moderator: Katie Fowler, Responsible Business Director, Thomson Reuters Foundation

  • Morgan Hughes, Director of Research, APAC Gates
  • Matt Friedman, CEO, Mekong Club
  • Mark Taylor, Senior Director, Strategy & Global Partnerships, Issara Institute
  • Khai Yau Chua, Partnerships and Programme Coordinator, Migration, Business and Human Rights Programme, IOM

16:20 – 16:30 | Conclusion and closing

16.30 – 18.00 | Reception and networking

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Bangkok

Safeguarding Your Supply Chain: Understanding HRDD Challenge

January 15, 2025

The event, organised in collaboration with the Head of Services, Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC), will gather renowed experts from the Malaysian private sector to address the above questions and unpack the next steps that will allow businesses to face social sustainability reporting with increased confidence and clearer guidelines and best practices.


Event participation is by invitation only. To find out more, contact morgan@apacgates.com



10:00 – 10:30 | Registration

10:30 – 10:40 | Welcome Note by the Thomson Reuters Foundation

10:40 – 11:10 | Navigating the Reporting Maze: HRDD vs. ESG for the Malaysian private sector

Moderator: Joanita Britto Menon, Senior Legal Programme Manager, TrustLaw, Thomson Reuters Foundation

  • Speaker TBC
  • Morgan Hughes, Director of Research, APAC Gates

11:10 – 12:15 | Strategic Reporting: A Roadmap for Malaysian Businesses

Moderator: Stefania Perna, Senior Project Manager, Thomson Reuters Foundation

  • Cynthia Wang, Human Rights Manager, Human Rights, Business for Social Responsibility
  • Tara Méité, Deputy Executive Director, Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MGCC)
  • Erik van Os, Director of Consulting, Embode/AIM-Progress
  • Rika Fontana, Responsible Business Senior Manager, Workforce Disclosure Initiative/Thomson Reuters Foundation

12:15 – 12:30 | Wrap up and presentation of the trade show

12:30 – 13:30 | Trade show | Lunch & Innovate: Empowering Responsible Businesses

  • Earthworm Foundation
  • Ulula Worker Voice Tech
  • Just Good Work
  • Pinkcollar
  • ILO

10:30 am - 1:30 pm

Kuala Lumpur

Amplifying Workers' Voices in Malaysia's Responsible Busines

January 15, 2025

The relationship between business associations and CSOs is one that has not yet been fully explored, leaving meaningful opportunities for collaboration in the shadow. This event aims to look at the unique role played by these actors and at their contribution in ensuring that workers and businesses can work together, fully respecting labour and human rights.


Event participation is by invitation only. To find out more, contact morgan@apacgates.com



14:00 – 14:30 | Registration

14:30 – 14:40 | Welcome Note by the Thomson Reuters Foundation

14:40 – 15:10 | From Challenge to Change: Elevating Workers Voice with HRDD

Moderator: Stefania Perna, Senior Project Manager, Thomson Reuters Foundation

  • Björn Claeson, Director, Electronics Watch
  • Adrian Pereira, Executive Director, North South Initiative (NSI)

15:10 – 16:20 | Bridging Forces: Elevating Labor Standards Through Collaboration

Moderator: Rika Fontana, Senior Manager, Responsible Business, Thomson Reuters Foundation

  • Morgan Hughes, Director of Research, APAC Gates
  • Archana Kotecha, Founder & CEO, The Remedy Project
  • Lilin Loh, Strategist, Forum for the Future
  • Dr. Jessie Cheah Swee Neo, Head of Governance and Local Development, UNDP B&HR

16:20 – 16:30 |Conclusion and closing

16.30 – 18.00 | Reception and networking

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Kuala Lumpur

Bridging Commerce and Human Rights

Event Information

Business associations, such as chambers of commerce, bring their members together to advocate for their collective interests. However, as businesses are increasingly investing in CSR, sustainability, and are required to perform greater due diligence for human rights and environmental sustainability, there is a need for greater sharing between business associations and civil society organizations working on these issues.


For more information, visit: https://www.rbhrforum.com/


Session partners: APAC GATES, Responsible Business Hub EuroCham Cambodia, BSR, Labor Solutions, Digital Governance Asia


Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Time: 16:30 - 17:30 ICT

Location: United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand

Register Now

Click here to register online to attend in-person or virtually.

Speakers

Jen Green

Matthew Grose

Matthew Grose

VP for Partnerships and Advisory,

Labor Solutions


Jen Green is a lawyer by training and gender and economic development expert who came to Southeast Asia just over a decade ago to volunteer with a human rights NGO in Cambodia while on sabbatical from her role as legal advisor for major energy and infrastructure development and finance. Jen 

VP for Partnerships and Advisory,

Labor Solutions


Jen Green is a lawyer by training and gender and economic development expert who came to Southeast Asia just over a decade ago to volunteer with a human rights NGO in Cambodia while on sabbatical from her role as legal advisor for major energy and infrastructure development and finance. Jen began consulting for companies around the region and for international development organizations, creating community business plans for two villages doing ecological services in Mondulkiri, consulting with artisanal honey growers for WWF, leading three business acquisitions by a socially responsible restaurant group, and being business advisor to a variety of microfinance banks, venture capital funds and other investment firms in SE Asia on increased their growth through gender inclusion and reviewing their existing products and programs. Jen is the CP for Partnerships and Advisory for Labor Solutions, a women-owned and -run tech firm based in SE Asia that improves the lives of workers through improving education, connection and engagement with their employers and designing supplier-centered solutions for global sustainability and human rights reporting.

Matthew Grose

Matthew Grose

Matthew Grose

EABC Vice President and Chair of Insurance Working Group,

European Association for Business and Commerce (EABC)


Matthew (Matt) Grose is a Thailand specialist Business, People, and Organizational Strategy and Transformation Consultant, and Insurance Marketing, Sales and Operations Subject Matter Expert, with 25 years’ experience in C level r

EABC Vice President and Chair of Insurance Working Group,

European Association for Business and Commerce (EABC)


Matthew (Matt) Grose is a Thailand specialist Business, People, and Organizational Strategy and Transformation Consultant, and Insurance Marketing, Sales and Operations Subject Matter Expert, with 25 years’ experience in C level roles in Thailand covering HR, CX, Sales and Strategy in Financial Services companies.


Matt holds professional qualifications in HR (CIPD Fellow, UK) Financial Services (ANZIIF Sr. Associate, Australia) an MBA (Distinction, Leicester University, UK) and is an honors graduate in Thai Studies from SOAS (University of London, UK). He is currently a Vice President on the EABC Board, Chair of its Insurance Working Group and a Partner at Horton International. He is also SOAS Alumni Ambassador to Thailand and recently spoke at the Global Sustainability Conference on the Building a Workforce for a Sustainable Future. Prior to 2000, Matt worked in higher education, building partnership arrangements between European and Thai universities and schools.

Seth Hays

Matthew Grose

Morgan Hughes

Managing Director,

Digital Governance Asia


Seth brings over two decades of experience in the not-for-profit sector in Asia, including work with governments, leading universities, associations, and civil society organizations across the region. Most recently he was Chief Representative for a large not-for-profit association in the Indo-Pacif

Managing Director,

Digital Governance Asia


Seth brings over two decades of experience in the not-for-profit sector in Asia, including work with governments, leading universities, associations, and civil society organizations across the region. Most recently he was Chief Representative for a large not-for-profit association in the Indo-Pacific Region working on innovation policy, in which he established and operated association offices in Shanghai, Beijing, and Singapore, which sustained membership growth, event attendance, and overall engagement in the region.

Morgan Hughes

Roberta Pinamonti

Morgan Hughes

Director of Research,

APAC GATES


Morgan is an experienced policy researcher with a strong focus on trade association research and insights. She brings with her over 15 years of experience in project management, on-the-ground fieldwork for humanitarian not-for-profits and business associations, and practical policy advocacy having led policy

Director of Research,

APAC GATES


Morgan is an experienced policy researcher with a strong focus on trade association research and insights. She brings with her over 15 years of experience in project management, on-the-ground fieldwork for humanitarian not-for-profits and business associations, and practical policy advocacy having led policy briefings for governments across the Asia-Pacific region. Morgan has worked for leading chambers of commerce in Asia, including with AmCham Taiwan and as Head of AmCham Singapore's Insights division.

Roberta Pinamonti

Roberta Pinamonti

Roberta Pinamonti

Associate Director,

BSR


With more than 14 years of experience in the field of sustainability, Roberta supports companies in translating social and human rights expectations into management practices. In particular, she focuses on supporting companies in the energy and utilities sectors in navigating regulatory trends as well as investor and

Associate Director,

BSR


With more than 14 years of experience in the field of sustainability, Roberta supports companies in translating social and human rights expectations into management practices. In particular, she focuses on supporting companies in the energy and utilities sectors in navigating regulatory trends as well as investor and other stakeholder expectations when it comes to human rights management. She is passionate about renewable energy and leads BSR's work in renewable energy and human rights.


She has experience with human rights due diligence and impact assessments, code of practice and policy development, sustainability strategy and integration, sustainability reporting, and materiality assessments.


Prior to joining BSR, Roberta spent six years with Enel, a multinational electric utilities company, as a CSR specialist. She managed projects across various countries, particularly in Latin America, focusing primarily on integrating sustainability into business operations and developing the company's human rights approach. 


Roberta holds a MA in Economics and CSR and a BA in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Trento in Italy. An Italian native speaker, Roberta also speaks English, Spanish, and French fluently.

Samuel Schleipman

Roberta Pinamonti

Roberta Pinamonti

Responsible Business Hub Coordinator,

European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia


Sam Schleipman is the Coordinator of the Responsible Business Hub (RBH), which is a part of the European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia. As an international development professional, Sam appreciates the critical initiatives of the RBH to make Cambodia’s key indu

Responsible Business Hub Coordinator,

European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia


Sam Schleipman is the Coordinator of the Responsible Business Hub (RBH), which is a part of the European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia. As an international development professional, Sam appreciates the critical initiatives of the RBH to make Cambodia’s key industries more environmentally friendly and socially conscious. These goals are a win-win; Cambodia’s natural and human resources will be protected while making the country more appealing to international buyers and investors.


Sam is working with stakeholders across Cambodia in this phase of his diverse career in the realm of development. He has lived in Phnom Penh since 2020 and has served as a Business Development and Partnership Manager for International NGOs focusing on the Asia region. Prior to coming to Cambodia, he lived and worked across sub-Saharan Africa as a development program manager in the realms of livelihoods, environmental protection, education, water, and agriculture.

Bridging Commerce and Rights Advocacy

Event Information

Join us online and in-person in Taipei for the launch of APAC GATES’ latest research on the unique role of international business associations across the Indo-Pacific in advocating for certain rights and civic freedoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Time: 9:30AM - 10:30AM (Taipei/GMT+8)

Price: Free

Location: Avenue Work + Space (B1, No. 92, Section 2, Anhe Road, Taipei City, Taiwan)


Register Now

RSVP by March 25 to reserve your spot to attend online or in-person. To register or for more information, please email morgan@apacgates.com. For those joining online, a Zoom link will be sent once registration is complete.

Speakers

Siobhan Das Bachran

Siobhan Das Bachran

Siobhan Das Bachran

Chief Executive Officer,

American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Malaysia)


In 2016, Siobhan joined AmCham Malaysia and became the organization's first Chief Executive Officer in its 46-year history.


Siobhan has created an action-oriented policy platform at the Chamber that is designed to

address both the strategic concerns of American 

Chief Executive Officer,

American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Malaysia)


In 2016, Siobhan joined AmCham Malaysia and became the organization's first Chief Executive Officer in its 46-year history.


Siobhan has created an action-oriented policy platform at the Chamber that is designed to

address both the strategic concerns of American multinational companies and the tactical day-to-day challenges faced by operations on the ground.


By working closely with business leaders and various stakeholders in the Malaysian and U.S. governments, Siobhan has created a vibrant platform that can represent the membership

and ensure that AmCham Malaysia fulfills its role as the Voice of U.S. Businesses in Malaysia.


Before returning home to Malaysia, Siobhan spent 11 years in Shanghai, five of which were spent as a director at AmCham Shanghai. She spent the first 20 years of her working life in

the film industry, stretching from Los Angeles to Australia.


Siobhan is a Sloan Fellow from London Business School with a Master's in Leadership and Strategy and holds two undergraduate degrees from Boston University in Broadcasting and Film, and English. She is passionate about bringing people together to make a difference and enjoys helping people uncover themselves and their strengths.

Elena Fanjul-Debnam

Siobhan Das Bachran

Siobhan Das Bachran

Chief Executive Officer,

Labor Solutions


Elena is Founder and CEO of Labor Solutions. She leverages her background in employee wellbeing and social enterprises to lead the Labor Solutions' global team in developing technology tools for improving ethics + human rights within value chains. Labor Solutions takes a radical approach to human rig

Chief Executive Officer,

Labor Solutions


Elena is Founder and CEO of Labor Solutions. She leverages her background in employee wellbeing and social enterprises to lead the Labor Solutions' global team in developing technology tools for improving ethics + human rights within value chains. Labor Solutions takes a radical approach to human rights - engaging workers directly, and is currently serving over 1.8 million workers and is active in over 30 countries. Elena spent eight years in Indonesia, and is currently based in Singapore.

Seth Hays

Siobhan Das Bachran

Morgan Hughes

Managing Director,

APAC GATES


Seth brings over two decades of experience in the not-for-profit sector in Asia, including work with governments, leading universities, associations, and civil society organizations across the region. Most recently he was Chief Representative for a large not-for-profit association in the Indo-Pacific Region wor

Managing Director,

APAC GATES


Seth brings over two decades of experience in the not-for-profit sector in Asia, including work with governments, leading universities, associations, and civil society organizations across the region. Most recently he was Chief Representative for a large not-for-profit association in the Indo-Pacific Region working on innovation policy, in which he established and operated association offices in Shanghai, Beijing, and Singapore, which sustained membership growth, event attendance, and overall engagement in the region.

Morgan Hughes

Morgan Hughes

Morgan Hughes

Director of Research,

APAC GATES


Morgan is an experienced policy researcher with a strong focus on trade association research and insights. She brings with her over 15 years of experience in project management, on-the-ground fieldwork for humanitarian not-for-profits and business associations, and practical policy advocacy having led policy

Director of Research,

APAC GATES


Morgan is an experienced policy researcher with a strong focus on trade association research and insights. She brings with her over 15 years of experience in project management, on-the-ground fieldwork for humanitarian not-for-profits and business associations, and practical policy advocacy having led policy briefings for governments across the Asia-Pacific region. Morgan has worked for leading chambers of commerce in Asia, including with AmCham Taiwan and as Head of AmCham Singapore's Insights division.

Julie Hunter

Morgan Hughes

Julie Hunter

Senior Legal Advisor - Asia & the Pacific,

International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)


Julie Hunter is a Senior Legal Advisor for ICNL’s Asia & the Pacific program, focused on safeguarding civic space and public participation across Asia. Her expertise centers around protecting rights and marginalized groups in regulatory frameworks 

Senior Legal Advisor - Asia & the Pacific,

International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)


Julie Hunter is a Senior Legal Advisor for ICNL’s Asia & the Pacific program, focused on safeguarding civic space and public participation across Asia. Her expertise centers around protecting rights and marginalized groups in regulatory frameworks related to civil society, resource governance, and climate change.


Prior to joining ICNL, Julie was based in Asia-Pacific, leading projects as an attorney for Blue Ocean Law on indigenous rights, environmental protection, and deep-sea mining. While based in Bangkok, Julie worked on business and human rights issues in Thailand and Myanmar with FORUM-ASIA, Amnesty International, and Chulalongkorn Faculty of Law. Julie also served as a supervising attorney for the Allard Law International Justice and Human Rights Clinic at the University of British Columbia, overseeing investigations on land grabbing and mining in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.


Julie has consulted for various human rights institutions, including the Council of Europe Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Court of Human Rights, the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the Coalition for the International Criminal Court. She is the author of influential publications on deep-sea mining, climate, and labor trafficking, which have led to regulatory improvements in the United States and Pacific Island countries.


Julie holds a J.D. from Yale Law School, a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and a B.A. from Harvard University. She is a member of the New York Bar.

Steven Okun

Morgan Hughes

Julie Hunter

Chair,

AmChams of Asia Pacific (AAP)

Senior Advisor,

Global Private Capital Association


Steven Okun, Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors and Senior Advisor to the Global Private Capital Association, is a leader on corporate public affairs, ESG, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement. A 21-year resident of Singapore, he spent the first twelve

Chair,

AmChams of Asia Pacific (AAP)

Senior Advisor,

Global Private Capital Association


Steven Okun, Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors and Senior Advisor to the Global Private Capital Association, is a leader on corporate public affairs, ESG, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement. A 21-year resident of Singapore, he spent the first twelve years of his career in Washington, DC, including in the Administration of President Bill Clinton. He served as KKR’s first Director of Asia Public Affairs from 2011-2017 and from 2003-2010 he created and led Public Affair for UPS Asia. He serves as Chair of AmChams of Asia Pacific, a position to which he was elected for a fifth time.  An in-demand speaker, Steve also appears frequently across global media.

Shawn Shieh

Shawn Shieh

Shawn Shieh

Founder and Director,

Social Innovations Advisory, Ltd.

Co-founder,

Freshwater Institute


Shawn has 15 years of experience working to strengthen civil society and social movements in China and the Asia-Pacific. In 2018, he founded Social Innovations Advisory, Ltd., an international consultancy dedicated to building a resilient civil society in

Founder and Director,

Social Innovations Advisory, Ltd.

Co-founder,

Freshwater Institute


Shawn has 15 years of experience working to strengthen civil society and social movements in China and the Asia-Pacific. In 2018, he founded Social Innovations Advisory, Ltd., an international consultancy dedicated to building a resilient civil society in the global South. SIA partners with other organizations to design strategies and tools to sustain civil society and strengthen its capacity to hold government and corporate actors accountable. He is currently establishing an NGO, Freshwater Institute, in Taipei to provide capacity building support to human rights groups in East Asia.


Shawn is also a Contributor to Rights CoLab (New York), a Research Associate at the Overseas Development Institute (London), and a Research Fellow at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was previously Deputy Director of China Labour Bulletin in Hong Kong, and founder of the English-language operations for China Development Brief in Beijing.


Shawn received his Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University and was formerly Associate Professor of Political Science at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. He has written extensively on China’s civil society and overseas investment, and maintains a blog on NGOs in China.

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