Speech by : Dr Wilson Tay
Date : 10 November 2009

Distinguished Panel of Speakers,

Tan Sri-Puan Sri,

Datuk-Datin,

Members of the Media,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good morning and welcome to the MIM-KAS Human Capital Management (HCM) Forum 2009.

We thank you for taking time off your busy schedule to attend this yearly gathering of HR practitioners and professionals.

This annual forum started back in 2006 when MIM initiated it as a yearly get-together for HR practitioners to discuss, share and learn about the latest trends, practices and challenges facing human capital management and development. Besides knowledge sharing on HR practices, this forum also serves as a networking session for those in the HR fraternity to gather together and learn from each other.

With this in mind, MIM also takes this year-end gathering to introduce new programmes and initiatives for the coming new year to assist you and your HR team to plan and manage your organisation's human resources more effectively.

This year, the theme is "Towards Responsibility Management" - what organisations can do today to create a healthy business environment that ensures sustainability for the future through adopting responsible business management practices.

With globalisation and improvement in technology and sciences, the quality of our work lives has been enhanced with faster technology, more efficient energy resources, higher productivity, etc.

However, as a result of these advancement, issues such as business sustainability, climate protection, resource conservation, stakeholders and employee engagement, ethical and responsible management practices have come to fore in recent years.

As responsible employers and employees, we have become aware that environmental and social well-being need to be balanced with financial profitability and organisational growth in order for businesses to be sustainable.

Responsible ethical management thus provides an opportunity for today's businesses to manage into the future_ creating a future where businesses thrive in an environment and society that further feeds to the profitability and continued existence of these businesses.

CSR is no longer solely about social responsibility but rather a business imperative for future growth, sustainability and existence.

To all the distinguished panel of speakers today, we thank you for your sharing and we hope that this business imperative will make positive changes in our organisations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our thanks to Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) represented by Dr Thomas Knirsch, KAS Resident Representative, who is sick and unable to be with us today. We wish him a speedy recovery.

KAS has been partnering MIM since 1996 on three of our annual social development programmes for youth leadership development, managers' renewal and retirees' life enrichment programmes. These annual programmes have proved successful over the years with over 1,500 alumni who have benefited from them.

Hence it is a natural progression in our partnership to move into the CSR initiatives. We started with a CSR survey in end July to find out if companies needed training programmes to support in implementing their CSR initiatives. The findings from this survey will be presented later after the panel speakers' session.

We also take this opportunity to announce our collaboration with The Academy of Responsible Management (ARM) represented by Dr Geoffrey Williams, ARM Director, to deliver the CSR training programmes.

This collaboration is as result of the survey carried out which saw a need for knowledge and skills enhancement in CSR. We look forward to your support of these new programme initiatives from MIM.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Besides this new initiative, MIM has also planned for many new programmes for 2010. Please ensure that you collect a copy of our Training Directory today, for your annual training planning purposes.

Besides this array of programmes, we also deliver management development programmes in-house which can be customised to your needs and purpose. MIM offers management consultancy in talent management and succession planning programmes and can also help you conduct your training needs analysis. All these services are provided as we strive to assist you and your organisations to equip your human resources with the relevant skills and knowledge to excel in their workplace and contribute to the bottom-line of your company.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Your valuable presence here today, speaks volumes of your trust and support in us as the national management organisation and provider of training and development programmes for your organisation's employees.

We thank you for your continuing support and look forward to working together with your organisations to deliver the best in management practices.

Thank you.

Related links:

MIM-KAS HCM Forum 2009 - "Towards Responsibility Management"

Download presentation slides:
1. MIM-KAS HCM Forum Slides
2. MIM CSR Survey 2009 Slides
3. Responsible Business Conduct: The Business Case for SRI by Dr Geoffrey Williams