Wednesday 7 April

12.00-13.30

MANAGING THE ETHICAL RISKS OF DOING BUSINESS IN ASIA

SPEAKERS: PAUL WENMAN, SourceAsia Ltd
CHRIS TORRENS, Control Risks Ltd

CHAIR: DR KERRY BROWN, Senior Fellow, Asia Programme, Chatham House

The speakers will argue that although investors and brands usually seek assurances on the legal and financial status and product quality of Asian producers, few companies have useful information on the wider integrity of their investors, suppliers and business partners. They will discuss how environmental, social and other ethical aspects of performance can have a range of business impacts for investors and brands – financial, commercial, legal and reputational. They will also consider whether there is an acceptable level of risk and how to identify the priority sources of environmental and ethical risks, and outline options for managing these.
Paul Wenman advises on the corporate responsibility risks facing investors and brands when doing business in Asia. SourceAsia’s InvestAssure service provides an online web monitoring and alert service to identify allegations of unethical behaviour involving investees or suppliers. CSR China is recognised as the top online source of information on corporate responsibility in China. Paul has worked as a consultant in the area of environmental management and corporate responsibility for 25 years and has worked internationally as a Director of both Environmental Resources Management (ERM) and Ernst & Young’s Environmental Services and Corporate Responsibility team. His multinational clients include BP, Procter & Gamble, Vodafone, Pfizer, Next, the Norwegian Ministry of Finance and several international banks.

Chris Torrens is Deputy Director of Global Client Services at Control Risks, an independent risk consultancy that helps clients manage political, security and integrity risks worldwide. He was based in Shanghai for ten years, during which time he ran the company’s corporate investigations team in China. He has worked with multinational clients across a range of industries and sectors, dealing with ethical and compliance risk issues in transactions and managing fraud investigations in sectors such as manufacturing and retail. Chris holds an executive MBA from the China-Europe International Business School in Shanghai. His book, Doing Business in China: A Guide to the Risks and the Rewards will be published by the Economist Group in May.


Please register with the following details to: asia@chathamhouse.org.uk
• I am able to attend the CDG on Wednesday 7 April (12.00-13.30)

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Advanced registration is required but will not be acknowledged.

Best wishes,

Asia Programme
Chatham House
10 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4LE
Fax: +44(0)2079575710
Email: asia@chathamhouse.org.uk