The food and agriculture sector is a key part of Asia’s regional economy. Asian economies are among the world’s leading producers, consumers, exporters and importers of major agricultural commodities, most notably rice, but also other grains, oilseed, and increasingly meat. Asia is also home to two-thirds of the world’s poor, or almost 2 billion people, …

China’s position on the environment has been encouraging but implementation has hardly kept apace. By Asia Business Council Executive Director Mark L. Clifford.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) increasingly has become a central business issue. Businesses are increasingly integrating social and environmental issues into their strategies and operations, to help them navigate a world in which the Internet, text messaging, and other technologies magnify any misstep. Asian businesses are increasingly putting their stamp on the global CSR debate. From …

How energy efficient will the government headquarters in Tamar be? It should be among the most energy efficient in the world since it will be a brand-new development.

Asia’s Chief Executive Perspectives The Council’s second annual survey, conducted in September- October 2007, found increasing (and, as it turned out, well-founded) concern among members about the global economy. Other issues of concern were of a long-term nature. These included: The availability of a high quality work force—education quality, and entrepreneurship and innovation—remains a top …

Buildings account for around 30 percent of the world’s total energy consumption and a similar percentage of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. But most buildings in Asia are surprisingly inefficient at using energy for lighting, heating and cooling. More than half of the world’s new construction is taking place in China and India alone, yet …

Asia’s Chief Executive Perspectives (2006) The Council conducted its first annual survey of members in October 2006. This poll is designed to gauge Asian business leaders’ views on regional and global issues. The 2006 survey found that access to a high quality workforce is the top issue for business and that energy and environmental issues …

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) is a critical business issue facing the global corporate community. The Council’s work on IPR consists of two parts – first, to lay the groundwork, we commissioned an overview of the subject from a global perspective. Council members felt that more work needs to be done.  We worked on a project …

In the fall of 2004, the Council held a workshop that provided a platform for our members to share their experiences and exchange insights on branding in Asia. The workshop highlighted that branding is more than a marketing function—it is a powerful tool for aligning organizations and evaluating operational capabilities. Our members also explored various …

Succeeding in the constantly changing marketplace requires preparation for a full range of uncertainties. Will China continue its growth path? Will the United States continue to be Asia’s key economic driver? Will terrorism and health-related issues derail Asia’s economic achievements? To better understand Asia’s current and medium-term challenges, members of the Asia Business Council undertook …