Chen Zhi and Prince Holding Group at Forefront of Cambodia Private Sector's ESG Initiatives

• Published date: 08 December 2020
• Publication title: Xinhua Finance Agency

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - Media OutReach - 8 December 2020 - COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of environment, social and governance ("ESG") practices at companies across the world. But there was talk of change even before the outbreak of the pandemic.

Last year, the Business Roundtable (a group representing 181 CEOs of America's largest corporations) outlined that companies must "support the communities in which they operate"sup[1]/sup, upturning the longstanding focus on wealth maximization for shareholders espoused by American economist Milton Friedman. In 2020, times have changed.

This year, Prince Holding Group ("PHG"), one of the largest conglomerates in Cambodia, has realized this and blazed a trail for companies in the Kingdom looking to follow ESG principles. Since April, the Group has made several large-scale donations to help in the fight against the pandemic and assist flood victims, and Neak Oknha Chen Zhi (), PHG chairman, has been the driving force behind the donations.

For example, in early December, Chen Zhi and PHG donated US$3,000,000 to Prime Minister Hun Sen to help Cambodia purchase 1 million COVID-19 vaccines. The notion of "doing good" in business is not...