The ASEAN Business Awards

The ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) were launched by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) to mark ASEAN's 40th anniversary in 2007. Since then, the ABA have recognised numerous outstanding ASEAN businesses and showcased promising small and medium-sized enterprises with the potential to become global players. The Awards have become a platform for promoting regional integration.

This 2021 ASEAN Business Awards on Skills Development (ABA-SDA) is the third time to be held by ASEAN-BAC. The Skills Development Award category was introduced in the ABA in 2019 during Thailand's presidency of the ASEAN-BAC. The presidency's theme 'Empowering ASEAN 4.0' was based on the expectation that digital technologies, artificial intelligence and robotics will significantly transform economies and societies in the ASEAN region. In this 2021 Skills Development Awards, two large enterprises and one small and medium enterprise have been selected as the winners

 Skills Development High On The Agenda

The ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work was adopted at the 36th ASEAN Summit on 16 September 2020. This declaration reaffirms the commitment to the ASEAN Vision 2025 to build a people-oriented, people-centred ASEAN Community where ASEAN peoples enjoy higher quality of life and the benefits of community building. This declaration also shows how skills development is a priority in response to the changes of technology and new working environment.

The Declaration calls for the development of a roadmap for its implementation through concrete strategies and actions. One of the objectives is to establish programme areas for cooperation and coordination of relevant ASEAN sectoral bodies, private sector, academia, tripartite partners and other stakeholders for human resources development (HRD).

To achieve the objectives of this HRD roadmap, the roles of private sector in human resource development are very crucial. That is why more business and industry involvement in skills development is a high priority for governments across the ASEAN region and these awards hopefully will also help embolden private sectors' commitment to skills development.

To select the awardees, the committee refers to the four criteria: (1) impact, (2) cooperation, (3) innovation and replicability, and (4) sustainability.

LARGE ENTERPRISE WINNERS

KRUNGTHAI BANK PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED

This state-owned financial institution has taken significant initiatives in human resource development through enhancing the staff competencies, providing skills development for students, engaging in community development, and actively addressing sustainable development issues. 

First winner of ASEAN Skills Development Award 2021, Large Enterprise
Industry: Banking   |   Country: Thailand

"Krungthai Bank envisions growing alongside Thai people and supporting the government in advocating Thailand 4.0 policy. Krungthai Bank encourages all employees to participate in upskilling and reskilling training. We pay attention to sustainable development by addressing social and environmental issues through "Go-Local, Grow-Local" or Krungthai Loves Communities campaign. We a/so provide opportunities for undergraduate and vocational students/trainees to take internships and career orientation ..." Mr Payong Srivanich, CEO

There have been significant initiatives taken by the Krungthai Bank Public Company Limited to enhance the staff competencies, address sustainable development issues, and focus on community and skills development for students. 

The bank is developing its employees based on its core, technical and management competency frameworks, with an emphasis on 4 key-aspects - strenghtening foundation, leadrship, upskill-reskill and digital banking. Besides classroom training, it has started to focus more on non-classroom training, such as on-the-job training, special project assignments, job rotation and corporate jackathons, it also encourages self-learning culture through the use of e-learning, micro-learning, and knowledge management. To anticipate future banking and build public trust, it encourages employees to develop digital skills, leadership, and the 5 desirable character traits, which are working with intergity, having excellent teamwork, and being aware of social as well as environmental issues and impact. These traits are the bank's core values that it its actively trying to insitill in its employees as part of its Sustainable Krunghta (Krungthai Kunnatham) Initiative because these values underpin good governance, innovation, operational excellence, and responisbilites to stakeholders. 

The jury’s judgement: The Krungthai Bank Public Company Limited places a strong emphasis on enhancing the staff competencies and its engagement in providing skills development for students. It also displays a strong commitment to sustainability development and fulfilling the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Outreach

Skills Development Activities

• Staff training upskilling and reskilling on core competencies, technical competencies, and leadership competencies
• Project-based internships for university students
• Knowledge exchange and curriculum development regarding technology and innovation
• Scholarships to qualified and high potential students

Profile

BANYAN TREEE GROUP

A global hospitality group with a diversified portfolio of hotels, resorts, spas, galleries, golf, and residences under 10 brands and operating in countries in the region and beyond with a strong commitment to education and professional growth for employees and local communities. 

Second  winner of ASEAN Skills Development Award 2021, Large Enterprise
Industry: Hospitality and Tourism   |   Country: Singapore

"Sustainability starts with a company's value system and a principles-based approach to doing business. Our team's safety and wellbeing always remain our first priority, and we are strengthening a culture of empathy and resilience. To not just survive, but thrive, we continue to go beyond the precautionary principle to create shared value with our stakeholders. This is a critical time to reassert our purpose, to ensure we bounce back with more resilience and sustainability in a post-pandemic world. We look to move from preservation to aspiration, and being resilient means constantly adapting towards a purpose that guides evolution. Purpose is the compass for business, and our original purpose of "Embracing the Environment, Empowering People" is more meaningful than ever." Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Exceutive Chairman

Banyan Tree Group is one of the world's leading independent, multi-brand hospitality groups centred on stewardship and well-being while offering exceptional, design-led experiences. The Group's diversified portfolio of hotels, resorts, spas, galleries, golf and residence is centred around an ecosystem of 10 glbal brands, including the award-winning Banyan Tree, Angsana, Cassia, Dhawa and Laguna

The jury’s judgement: Banyan Tree Group received high marks on impact and sustainability due to having a strong and lasting commitment to education and professional growth for employees and the local communities. The commitment has lasted more than 10 years and is budgeted as a fixed part of the company's annual budget.

Outreach

• Associate training: In 2020, associates received a total of 484,074 training hours (average 4.2 hours per associate per month). In addition, Banyan Tree Management Academy trained 1,288 associates in 2020 alone.
• Seedlings: In 2020 alone, 1,083 vocational internships were supported with a combined equivalent of 405 years of training.
• Developing the career skills and capacity of stakeholders and local partners: In 2020 alone, the Group engaged 691 participants in workshops, lectures and training on sustainable tourism, career development skills and women's empowerment in Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
• "I Am With You" Service Culture Training: As of 31 December 2020, more than 300 associates have participated in IMWY sessions, including corporate leaders,
• General Managers, as well as associates who will go on to facilitate the same training to their properties and business units. Dedicated training of our worldwide associates by small batches for interactive facilitation is in progress amidst COVID-19.
• Laguna Phuket Community Learning Centre: 8,736 students taught at learning centre since 2007.
• Fully Booked! Mobile Learning Centre: Since 2007, 9,669 students and 463 teachers have benefitted from the programme.
• Classes in schools and universities, equipment donations, and infrastructure maintenance: Supported 10,903 students and community members with the help of 796 associates and guests.
• Banyan Tree Spa Academy: Since the first academy was established in Phuket in 2001, over 2,000 spa therapists have been trained to-date. All spa therapists undergo over 650 hours of theoretical and practical training, giving them a skill for life.
• Banyan Tree Gallery: In 2020 alone, the Group commissioned 130,125 products from artisans in 47 active communities. To date, it has supported 167 communities through this effort.

Skills Development Activities

• Associate wellbeing development
• Community enrichment and development
• Seedlings programme that supports marginalised youths by providing mentorship, scholarships and vocational training
• Learning facilities for schools and universities
• Workshops, lectures and training programmes

• Established a training academy (Banyan Tree Management Academy) to support associate developmental needs

Profile

small and medium ENTERPRISE WINNER

gott sdn bhd

A company produces educational teaching and training apparatus for technical education and training providers with a strong commitment to staff and skills development.
Industry: Manufacturing   |   Country: Malaysia

"'GOTT is looking forward to a technology-based company that making engineering technology visible via hands-on experience and provide quality TVET system. We are committed to providing learning opportunities for students and teachers to use our training kits and facilities for their laboratories and to work together to improve training syllabi." Tan Siang Guan, Director

Gott Sdn Bhd produces engineering technology for hands-on learning in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) deisgned for private schools, insititutes, colleges and universities. These producs may enhance the teaching of technical skills which are fast and easy to understand. 

The compnay has invested resources for staff development and skills development for 20 to 30 students in the form of long-term (more than 3 months) internship from technical and engineering universities, colleges, and polytechnics in the area of Industrial Technology Management, lectric and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science. Continuous professional development for its staff is provided in the form of job-training and seminars to help improve company productivity, innovation and quality products and services. 

Gott Sdn Bhd also offers training for lecurers from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, and from local higher education institurions and universities. In addition, the company also shares experiences through guest lectures, public seminars and sharing labs for learning. 

Outreach

Skills Development Activities

•  Teaching Factory
• Staff development through upskilling
• Internship for 3 months and longer
• Teacher training and industry exposure
• Guest lectures

Profile

FOR FURTHER DETAILS OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AWARD WINNERS, CHECK PDF FILE