The "Women Leadership in Business Integrity" initiative started in June with the online workshop engaging over 30 women entrepreneurs, all members of the Federation of Business Professional Women of Thailand (FBPW), a pilot project supported from the UK Government’s ASEAN Economic Reform Programme.

Recently FairBiz and UNDP Thailand co-hosted the Open Days with the trainees as the second part of the programme. During the two Open Days, FairBiz Business Integrity Advisor Brook Horowitz and UNDP Thailand Head of Exploration Aphinya Siranart offered advice on how to turn the principles of business integrity that the entrepreneurs had learnt about during the workshop into practice in their companies and markets.

The outcomes companies are planning are promising, from developing a gift and entertainment policy to challenge deep-rooted business traditions to implement a new Code of Conduct or incorporate questions about candidates’ values into the recruitment process.

With the COVID lockdown continuing in Thailand, several entrepreneurs saw this as an opportunity to take a time-out and reflect on the role of values and culture in their companies.

There is also a real opportunity in Thailand for business associations like FBPW, supported by UNDP, to work with public authorities - in particular local authorities - on understanding and resolving the integrity challenges faced by SMEs in their regions.

At the end of September, during an Action Day they will share the challenges and successes of bringing new management techniques to their companies’ operations. Through initiatives like this one, the business sector concretely can take steps towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

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