The blue circle partners with the asia foundation and world wide fund for nature to promote gender equality, social inclusion and sustainable governance in the mekong subregion
SINGAPORE, July 11, 2023. Today, The Blue Circle (“TBC”), The Asia Foundation (“TAF”), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (“WWF”) signed a Partnership Agreement to strengthen gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in TBC’s environmental and social governance management process.
TAF and WWF share a common goal of strengthening natural resource governance and sustainable development efforts through increased gender equality and social inclusion in the Mekong subregion. In December 2022, TBC, TAF, and WWF began a collaboration to address shared interests, utilising each organisation’s area of expertise.
Renewable energy projects in the lower Mekong subregion often lack comprehensive and effective environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. This partnership will strengthen TBC’s technical capacity to integrate ESG standards in its activities. TBC’s adoption of more responsive GESI programming will also provide a model that can be brought to scale in other projects and countries in the region.
Mekong For the Future, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented by WWF, will support development of a comprehensive management plan for TBC to improve environmental sustainability, through workshops, seminars, conferences, and technical expertise. Concurrently, the USAID and Australia Mekong Safeguards Program, implemented by TAF, will assist TBC in enhancing GESI and ESG standards across the energy company.
“At The Blue Circle, we believe that gender equality and social inclusion is the soul of sustainable development. Joining hands with TAF and WWF will support us in taking collective, coordinated, and comprehensive actions to create sustained improvement,” said Priyanka Awasthi, Chief Sustainability Officer for The Blue Circle.
“Gender equality and social inclusion stand at the forefront of our priorities as part of Mekong Safeguards’ mission to make infrastructure in the Mekong subregion sustainable and equitable. Our activities drive opportunities for women and vulnerable populations at all economic levels, ranging from mainstreaming gender in the energy industry to supporting women-owned businesses in local communities,” said Winston K.H. Chow, Chief of Party of the USAID and Australia Mekong Safeguards program.
"WWF recognises the critical role of community-led conservation and climate adaptation, which prioritises women’s leadership and knowledge in natural resource management. Through the USAID Mekong For the Future project, cross-sectoral partnerships – such as with TBC and TAF – foster transformative and innovative approaches to integrating gender and social inclusion into traditionally exclusionary spaces,” added Veerawit Tianchainan, Chief of Party of the USAID Mekong For the Future program.
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About The Blue Circle
Founded in 2013, The Blue Circle identifies, develops, finances, owns, and operates renewable energy projects in complex and challenging geographies of the Asia-Pacific region. The Blue Circle uses the most advanced technology to build responsible and sustainable projects. With offices in Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, and Manila, The Blue Circle is the leading renewable energy company in Southeast Asia.
About The Asia Foundation
Established in 1954 and with a strong global presence through 18 offices around the world, TAF is a non-profit international development organisation committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia with active involvement in women’s empowerment, economic development, education, and environmental protection.
About World Wide Fund for Nature
WWF is an independent conservation organisation, with over six million supporters and a global network active in nearly 100 countries, working to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.