Social procurement in Asia is an underutilized tool for good

World Economic Forum

Most Asian economies face two key challenges: expanding welfare services amidst tightening budgetary conditions and stimulating economic growth that generates youth employment. These twin challenges require innovative solutions and have elevated the importance of social delivery organizations (SDOs — nonprofits and social enterprises) across the continent.

Government procurement from the social sector is one solution that can create win-win solutions for all involved in trying to stimulate growth and provide social services. Research by the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) into the state of play in social procurement across 17 Asian economies has uncovered the key policy measures delivering success.

Read the full article here.

Asia’s rich flip the script on charitable giving: Instead of mega-foundations, they’re using their family companies

Fortune

Asia has its fair share of high-net-worth individuals—think Indian mega-mogul Mukesh Ambani, whose family just threw a wedding reportedly worth $600 million—yet the region’s wealthiest tend not to rely on mega-foundations for their charity work.

Instead, the company takes the lead in Asia. “There’s very little distinction between personal philanthropy and corporate philanthropy” in Asia, says Ruth Shapiro, co-founder of the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS), a Hong Kong-based think tank. “There are no Ford, Gates, Rockefeller foundations here.” Corporate giving comes with its own set of perks: on-the-ground experience, existing distribution systems, and personal connections. “Companies want to fund where they’re operating,” Shapiro explains. “Why send it through another organization,” when companies can just do it themselves.

Read the full article here.

정부와 공익단체는 사람들의 삶을 개선하는 효율적 방법을 모색하는 파트너

Chosun Media

수학시험의 주관식 문제는 답을 틀려도 풀이 과정이 맞으면 부분 점수를 받는다. 결과만큼 결과를 끌어낸 과정이 중요하다는 뜻이다. 기부도 마찬가지다. 매년 한국의 기부 순위가 발표되고 기부가 저조하다는 말들이 오가지만, 정작 그 이유는 알쏭달쏭하다.

아시아 필란트로피 소사이어티 센터(Center for Asian Philanthropy and Society, 이하 캡스)가 기부 환경에 대한 연구 과정에서 ‘왜’에 집중하며, 기부 통계 이면의 ‘맥락’을 짚어내는 이유다. 범위도 아시아로 좁혔다. 미국이나 유럽 같은 서구 사회와는 기부 문화가 다르기 때문이다.

Read the full interview here.

Asian social sector faces technological challenges

Bangkok Post

Despite the rapid digitisation of the Asian social sector, social delivery organisations (SDOs) are struggling to keep up with technological changes because of inadequate access to digital infrastructure, lack of capacity and insufficient donor support, according to the Doing Good Index 2024. As technology continues to advance, a new type of digital divide is emerging that hampers the ability of the social sector to deliver products and services to the most vulnerable communities, said the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS), which created the index.

Read the full article here.

DGI 2024 Report: Indonesian Policies Tend to Hinder Philanthropic Activities

Tempo.co

The 2024 Doing Good Index (DGI) report, recently launched by the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS), reveals that Indonesia’s policies related to philanthropic activities and social initiatives have been stagnant and even barely able to encourage the progress of these activities in the last six years. This lack of policy change and improvement is reflected in the DGI 2024 Report, released on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, which shows that Indonesia is ‘doing okay’.

Read the full article here.

CAPS Published Latest Research on Government Procurement from the Social Sector in Asia

Alliance Magazine

Government procurement of goods and services from the social sector can help leverage the sector’s subject expertise and community links to deliver more efficient and cost-effective social services. However, the potential benefits are contingent on the ease and accessibility of government procurement and broader factors contributing to an organization’s capacity to fulfill needs.

Read the full article here.

70% of social sector organizations are insufficiently prepared against cybersecurity threats

APN News

The Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society(CAPS),a uniquely Asia, independent, action-oriented research and advisory organization, released the 2024 edition of its flagship study, the Doing Good Index. The study finds that despite the rapid digitalization of the Asian social sector, social delivery organizations (SDOs) are struggling to keep up with technological changes due to inadequate access to digital infrastructure, lack of capacity, and insufficient donor support. As technology continues to advance, a new type of digital divide is being created that hampers the ability of the social sector to deliver products and services to the most vulnerable communities.

Read the full article here.

70% of social sector organizations are insufficiently prepared against cybersecurity threats

Daily Guardian

The Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS), a uniquely Asia, independent, action-oriented research and advisory organization, today released the 2024 edition of its flagship study, the Doing Good Index.  The study finds that despite the rapid digitalization of the Asian social sector, social delivery organizations (SDOs)[1] are struggling to keep up with technological changes due to inadequate access to digital infrastructure, lack of capacity, and insufficient donor support.

Read the full article here.

Sri Lanka’s atmosphere for NGOs improves

Daily Mirror

The atmosphere for the operation of the NGOs (non-governmental organizations) has improved in Sri Lanka in 2024 compared to the previous years, a report says.

According to the Doing Good Index used for the assessment of the social services delivery sector, Sri Lanka has been categorized as ‘Doing Okay’ and its promotion reflects a gradually improving economic situation and the clarification of the regulations by the government.

Read the full article here.

Social sector groups lagging in digital skills

RTHK

A study has found many social sector groups in Asia are struggling to keep up with technological changes, due to insufficient donor support and lack of access to digital infrastructure. The Doing Good Index recently surveyed more than 2,100 social delivery organisations, or SDOs, across 17 economies, and found over half suffered from a lack of digital skills. Around 70 percent said they were insufficiently prepared against cybersecurity threats. Ruth Shapiro, co-founder and chief executive of the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society, which conducted the survey, told RTHK it was important for the government and donors to support such groups and help them boost their digital literacy.

Listen to the full conversation here.