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PWINT THIT SA UPDATE: Almost Half of the Largest Myanmar Companies Don’t Yet Have Website
Six weeks into the project, we have reviewed the websites of 60 Myanmar companies that are significant players in the country’s economy. We have found that only 34 of them i.e. just over half have websites.
The Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) gave an update yesterday on their TiME/Pwint Thit Sa project which was launched on 18 March and is intended to encourage increased transparency by Myanmar businesses in the areas of anti-corruption, organizational transparency, and human rights, health, safety and the environment. The project will rate companies on the basis of their information published on their websites.
Vicky Bowman, Director of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business said “Six weeks into the project, we have reviewed the websites of 60 Myanmar companies that are significant players in the country’s economy. We have found that only 34 of them i.e. just over half have websites. Some of these websites give details about the structure of their company or group. Some mention their commitment to combatting corruption. But very few of them use these websites to report on other responsible business practices”.
“However we are encouraged that a number of companies have already contacted us to discuss the project and how they can improve their transparency. That is the purpose of the Pwint Thit Sa project: to recognise good practice by Myanmar companies where it exists, and encourage its uptake by others”.
Vicky continued “Our next step will be to contact the companies in the first week of May with our draft findings. We will send them our findings by email and letter. We will invite them to provide us with further information, and upload it to their websites. For example, we believe some companies already have staff codes of conduct or responsible business policies. But it might not have occurred to them there is business and reputation value for them, and a benefit to wider Myanmar society if they are public”.
Companies have two months until the finalisation of the survey to publish more information. The results will be published in July. The survey will be repeated in 2015.
Background
- Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) is a Yangon-based initiative funded by the UK, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands and Ireland, based on a collaboration between the UK-based Institute of Human Rights and Business, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights. The Centre was established to provide an effective and legitimate platform for the creation of knowledge, capacity and dialogue concerning responsible business in Myanmar, based on local needs and international standards, which results in more responsible business practices. It is a neutral platform working with businesses, civil society and government.
- The companies for the research project have been drawn from the list of the Top 100 commercial tax payers and Top 100 income payers published by the Internal Revenue Department. Subsidiaries have been group together under their parent Group. Other large companies have also been added to the list.
- A list of the questions/issues which have been searched for on company websites is also available for download. Comments on this, and on the company list, including any suggestions for other companies to be included can be sent to [email protected]
Transparency in Myanmar Enterprises: Research QuestionnaireDocument PDF, 102.25 KB, 1412 downloads, Apr 29, 2014
Transparency in Myanmar Enterprises: Research Questionnaire (Burmese)Document PDF, 109.71 KB, 1304 downloads, Apr 29, 2014
- Companies will be informed of the research on their websites in the first week of April/May. Companies will have the opportunity to identify or add further information to their website. Only information added before 30 June will be taken into account. The overall findings will be published in July.
