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With its modest pilot in 2022, Give A Day has become a cornerstone event for the entrepreneurial community in Cambodia. Over 300 Entrepreneur Support Organisations (ESOs) have actively participated in the previous events, with an impressive 94% expressing their eagerness to be part of the initiative again. The success of Give A Day lies in its ability to create opportunities by fostering collaboration and connecting the ecosystem actors with one another.
For its 20th edition, Give A Day proudly collaborated with the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG), enhancing the event's global perspective. The collaboration aimed to bring knowledge on global trends related to impact management and impact transparency—two crucial levers for mobilising capital seeking impact in emerging markets.
The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG), a registered UK charity since November 2017, has established over 40 National Advisory Boards globally. This organisation brings together leaders from finance, business, and philanthropy to address pressing social and environmental challenges. Serving as the Secretariat of the Impact Taskforce, GSG accelerates private capital seeking to make a positive impact on society and the environment. The GSG has also shown interest in establishing a National Advisory Board in Cambodia.
Give a Day 20 "Navigating Impact Management and Transparency to Achieve the SDGs: Learning from Global Markets" is co-hosted GSG as a part of their Capacity Building and Stakeholder Engagement Workshops in the region. This workshop, tailored for listed and large companies, SMEs, investors, chambers of commerce, policymakers, financial regulators, professionals in the accounting profession, and academia who aim to gain a deeper understanding of the significance of impact transparency as a key lever to mobilise private capital for positive impact, assess the current state and trends in sustainability reporting and impact transparency, with a focus on country-specific implications, foster engagement with organisations committed to sustainability and impact transparency and to equip participants with essential tools for implementing impact transparency and management practices.
The event featured keynote addresses from industry experts, including Jo Fackler, Impact Management Platform, and Santiago Sueiro, Senior Policy Manager at GSG. A panel session on "Introduction to Impact Transparency and the Global Landscape of Sustainability Reporting" included insights from Ms. Chea Yaeem, Deputy Director of Securities Issuance Supervision Department, Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia; Mr. Michael Tan, Founder Director, Aquarii SG Pte Ltd and CEO, Aquarii BD Cambodia and Ms. Devahuti Chaudary, Senior SDG Impact Specialist, Asia-Pacific UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub.
The discussions covered business readiness for increased sustainability disclosures, addressing challenges and opportunities. Insights included challenges in operationalising impact management, emphasising the need for NGO-private sector alignment, framework selection issues, and growing recognition of impact management in the private sector. Opportunities were highlighted in increased investment as investors focus on impact. Alignment issues with standards and the perception of sustainability disclosures as a cost were discussed. The call to action stressed the need to bridge the gap in impact education, emphasising its democratisation to transform Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) perception and attract capital.
With 46 participants in attendance, Give A Day 20 successfully brought together a diverse group of stakeholders committed to advancing sustainable practices and impact transparency in Cambodia's entrepreneurial landscape.
As Give A Day continues to evolve, it remains a catalyst for transformative conversations, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration, contributing to the growth and sustainability of Cambodia's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Stay tuned for more updates and insights from Give A Day as it continues to shape the narrative of impactful entrepreneurship in Cambodia.
The event was covered by the following media: