Purpose & objectives

The purpose of the symposium is to facilitate a network of social enterprise

related organizations in East Asia in order to foster the development and
growth of the sector in the region. The objectives of the conference are as
follows;
1. Knowledge sharing among social enterprises, supporters, financiers and
interested individuals within East Asia as well as transferring knowledge and
tools of global best practices for regional adaptation.

2. Partnership building among synergistic organizations in order to develop

regional infrastructure support for social enterprises in areas such as
Background financing, access to market, recognition body, and capacity development.
Social enterprise as a model for sustainable development is emerging in East Asia.
These are businesses whose purpose is to bring solutions to unmet needs in society 3. Provision of a platform for the exhibition of regional social enterprise market
as well as advancing the balance of social, environmental and economic benefits. opportunity, both in terms of trading and investment potential.
These businesses are at the forefront in addressing key challenges such as
homelessness, poverty, climate change, sustainable agriculture to name but a few. 4. Establishing East Asia firmly on the global social enterprise map as a region
with a unique and differentiated style as well as methods in social
However, social enterprise as a concept is fairly new in East Asia despite fragments entrepreneurship and social innovation.
of success cases and a multitude of emerging new social enterprises. These
enterprises are facing similar challenges throughout the region, from issues such as A process for regional social enterprise movement
capacity development to access to finance and partnership opportunity. In order to
ensure that social enterprises are able to reach their full impact potential, regional Nov 2010 Feb - Oct 2011 Nov 2011
level connection building and coordination in various areas are needed. The region
can also leverage the learning and capacity of global players such as those from the Regional
UK in order to leapfrog the development of the regional social enterprise market as Working Social Enterprise
Knowledge &
well as explore international collaboration potential in areas such as access to groups Asia Summit
finance, market access and mentorship. Partnership
meetings 2011
Workshop
In early 2010 a ground-breaking regional collaboration was initiated by the British
Council. With support from British Council Thailand and Japan, a group of social
enterprise supporters from East Asia embarked on a learning trip to the UK in Knowledge sharing Local and issue-based Forum on critical issue &
February 2010. Following the trip, these organizations had expressed an interest in Common challenges working groups regional agenda setting
forming Social Enterprise Asia Network as the regional network of social enterprise- identification meeting SE Asia Partnership
related entities with Mr. Hideyuki Inoue from Social Venture Partners as the first Working groups & Partnership building Roadmap
chairperson. secretariat established Support groups & trade SE Asia Report launched

This regional symposium emerges as one of a number of joint initiatives promoted by

the British Council and the Thai Social Enterprise Office (TSEO) with the aim of
fostering knowledge sharing and partnership development across the region. This is
in line with TSEO’s mission to facilitate the growth of social enterprises and
intermediaries in Thailand as well as forging a regional partnership for social
enterprise sector.
The symposium is the beginning of a staged process to build the social
enterprise movement in the region. The symposium is structured in such a
way to allow knowledge sharing among leading practitioners as well as
collectively identify common challenges facing the regional social enterprise
sector in order to devise strategic partnership in addressing such challenges.
 Morning session November 15, 2010
8:30am Registration
9:00 - 9:05am Opening Speech by Chargé d'Affaires, British Embassy
9:10 - 9:15am Welcome speech by Editor of Krungthepturakij Newspaper
The symposium will establish working groups in addressing critical challenges 9:15 - 9:20am Regional Social Enterprise Workshop: VDO introduction
collaboratively such as in public policy, financing, capacity development 9:20 - 9:40am Official launch of Social Enterprise Asia Network: Hideyuki Inoue (JPN) –
Representative of SE Asia Network
strategy and impact measurement standards. The working groups will be 9:40 - 10:00am Keynote speech by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on
arranging meetings in developing partnership for regional solutions as well as "Social Enterprise as Asian Sustainable Growth Engine"
fostering support groups and trade alliance. The outcome of working groups 10:00 - 10:10am Group photo with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and all partners
will feed into the regional partnership road-map and forum at Social Enterprise 10:15am -12:00pm 1st Panel: Social Enterprise for a sustainable future in Asia by
1. Zulfiqar Ahmed, Director of Programme & Development, UnLtd, UK
Asia Summit 2011 where critical partnership initiatives and SE Asia Report will 2. Komal Sahu, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), Singapore
be announced. 3. M.L. Dispanadda Diskul, Director of Operations, Centre for Social
Entrepreneurship, The Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage
Partners 4. Riaz Khan, Director, Yunus Center at AIT
5. Vishnu Swaminathan from Ashoka's Hybrid Value Chain Program
Afternoon session November 15, 2010
1:30 - 3:00pm 1st Asian Pitch Session
Open floor for delegates to make 7-minutes pitch on their social enterprise to potential
investors and fellow social entrepreneurs
3:15 – 4:30pm 2nd Panel: Regional investment landscape and opportunity Q&A session and
experience sharing by investor panelists
Speakers:
TYPN 1. Watanan Petersik, Board member, CIMBT and CIMB
2. Abigail Jung, Chief Investment Officer, Sow Asia Foundation
3. Joan Yao, Southeast Asia Investment Manager, LGT Venture Philanthropy.
4. Patricia Sosrodjojo, Grassroots Business Fund
4:30 - 6:00pm Ice-breaking activity, Speed dating activity for investors and social entrepreneurs
Target audience & size
The audience is expected to be around 200 people, predominantly from the
Morning session November 16, 2010
East Asia Region and from Thailand as well as global participants.
8:30 - 9:15am Registration
9:20 - 9:25am Welcome speech by TSEO
The audience will consist of: 9:25 - 9:30am Welcome speech by People Development Association (PDA)
• Social enterprises and social entrepreneurs 9:30 - 11:00am 2nd Asian Pitch Session (Bar Camp by OpenDream) Delegates chosen by popular
• Regional and global social investors and venture philanthropists vote to make 5-minute pitch on their social enterprise to potential investors and fellow
• Corporate social responsibility officers from private sectors social entrepreneurs
11:00am -12:30pm 3rd Panel – CSR Forum: Corporate Partnership in Asia, explore strategic win-win
• Government bodies related to social enterprise development relationship between social enterprise and CSR by:
• Universities and educational institutions. 1. Siam Cement Group (SCG)
• Interested individuals and organizations 2. DTAC
3. Toyota
4. Entrepreneurial Training for Innovative Communities (TBC)
Programme Format
1. Keynote speech by the Prime Minister and leaders in social enterprise in Afternoon session November 16, 2010
East Asia 1:30-3:00pm Thematic Working Group Sessions (as identified by partners and participants in
2. Discussion panel and track-based workshop sessions critical collaborative issues such as capacity development, financing, impact
3. Open floor for pitching by social entrepreneurs measurement and trade network).
Conducted and facilitated by:
4. Booths and exhibitions by social enterprise in East Asia
1. Chris Cusano, Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
5. Informal dinner and speed dating activity 2. Hideyuki Inoue, Social Venture Partners Tokyo
3. Pham Kieu Oanh, Center for Social Initiatives Promotion (Vietnam)
4. Ken Ito, Social Venture Partners Tokyo
5. Komal Sahu, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), Singapore
3:15 - 3:30pm Presentation of working groups’ plan summary
3:30 - 4:00pm Closing keynote speech by Mr. Apirak Kosayodhin, Advisor to the Prime Minister on
"Partnership for Asian Social Economy"
4:00pm Closing ceremony
6:00pm Farewell Activity: Re-earth concert
* The agenda may be subject to change.