Aquaculture, or large-scale ‘fish farms’ is now the fastest growing source of protein in the world, and has overtaken wildcatch fisheries as the main source of seafood.

If done right, seafood can be less carbon and water intensive than alternative sources of land-based protein. Much of the growth in seafood in recent years has been driven by Asia, both in consumer demand as well as export production. Getting the seafood sector to work is vital for both economic growth as well as the planet. However, many serious challenges still exist.

Industrial-scale illegal fishing continues to plague the sector, taking livelihoods away from many lower income coastal communities and impacting government revenues around the world. Much of the illegal fishing has operated in the shadows and is associated with human rights and labour abuses, corruption and a range of other illicit activities.

The impact of illegal fishing

In many countries around the world, the seafood sector is growing at twice the rate of GDP growth. It is a significant employer and contributor to government revenues. South-East Asia is particularly well-suited to capture this growth given its rich tropical waters and vibrant coral reefs.

However globally, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing represents a theft of around 26 million tonnes, or close to $24 billion value of seafood a year.

This is seafood that could have been caught in the waters of other countries, caught using illegal and ecologically damaging techniques, or under-declared due to transshipment at sea.

In certain cases, such as tuna, stocks have declined over 90%, and some species could soon be classed as ‘at risk’ by the IUCN. The decline of such stocks impacts economic development, jobs, livelihoods of coastal communities that are already under stress, as well as having serious environmental consequences. Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing has exacerbated the situation, taking more fish out of our seas than scientists recommend.

In addition, the seafood sector is a particularly challenging sector for the 100 million who work across the seafood value chain.

Poor labour conditions and human rights abuses, both on fishing vessels and in processing plants, are notorious and well documented. As vessels travel in and out of national jurisdictions, monitoring such poor and hazardous labour conditions require new approaches.

Climate change is adding a further complication, with warmer and more acidic water impacting the health and growth of fish, the water currents that fish travel along and the entire marine biological…

Source link : Can technology help us tackle illegal fishing? by The World Economic Forum

The Nikkei Asian Review released today its third annual Asia300 Power Performers Ranking, a compilation of the most powerful and valuable listed companies in Asia.

The Asia300 list is Nikkei’s exclusive selection of the biggest and fastest-growing companies from 11 economies across the continent. We compiled the ranking by analyzing the 325 companies on that list, taking into account a mix of four factors: growth, profitability, efficiency and financial soundness.

Ranking second among Thai companies and 18th overall was Central Pattana, the property development and management arm of Central Group, a Thai retail conglomerate. A high net profit-to-sales ratio helped boost its overall score.

Thai Beverage, the country’s largest beverage company, was the third-highest-ranked Thai company, at 63rd overall. Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, the country’s largest private hospital operator in terms of market capitalization, came in fourth. Other strong performers were Siam Cement and Indorama Ventures.

This year’s top performers include a number of regional players that may not be well-known to the general public but are nonetheless delivering solid results in terms of these key metrics.

These “stealth” companies include Taiwan’s Largan Precision which earned the top spot on the ranking for the second straight year.

Suppliers quietly build fortunes while consumer brands enjoy a spending boom

Largan has played a crucial role in the iPhone supply chain from the beginning, providing lenses for every single unit that has shipped since the device debuted in 2007.

The other Taiwanese company in the top 10 is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest semiconductor foundry, at No. 4.

A different kind of stealth company can be found in India providing low-cost IT services to Western companies. HCL Technologies came in at No. 2, followed by Tata Consultancy Services in ninth and Infosys at 13.

Stealth companies were not the only winners this year

With robust consumption across Asia, consumer-oriented companies also put in a strong showing, with Chinese internet conglomerate Tencent Holdings tied for fourth and Vietnam Dairy Products (Vinamilk) placing 16th.

Of the two Thai companies that made the top 20 in the Asia300 ranking, Airports of Thailand, a state-owned airport operator, scored the highest position, at 10th overall. It had a strong showing in net profit-to-sales ratio, at 15th, and performed well in equity capital ratio.

Despite a somewhat disappointing ROE, AoT managed to hold on to both its leading position in the ranking among Thai companies and 10th overall…

Source link : AOT and Central Pattana make the top 20 in Asia300 Power Performers by Boris Sullivan

For millions of workers, telecommuting has become a daily reality: the number of employees who regularly work from home in the US has risen by 115 per cent over the past decade, according to Global Workplace Analytics.

This increase brings the total number of remote workers in America to 3.9 million, or 2.8 per cent of the whole workforce.

Ninety-three per cent of people worldwide stated in the Regus Great Big Survey that they would choose an employer who offered flexible working over one that didn’t, and it’s a figure that’s certain to grow in the years ahead.

Who are the telecommuters?

The popular image of a remote worker is a recent graduate working in a creative industry, perhaps graphic design or advertising, while sipping flat whites in a coffee shop.

But the reality is that telecommuting has a foothold in every industry. The Global Workplace Analytics data doesn’t cover freelance workers – instead, it showed that remote working was most common among managers, with professional, scientific and technical services industries taking the lead.

Far from being dominated by millennials, half of telecommuters are aged 45 or over. These respondents also tended to be better educated and earned an average of $4,000 a year more than employees who didn’t work remotely.

Increasingly, remote working isn’t being seen as a cheap option for marginal workers, but as a way of valuing experienced, highly qualified staff seeking the right work-life balance

A remote workforce is more productive

Despite often taking on a larger workload, our research shows that remote workers have a better work-life balance and feel more positive about their jobs than office-based employees.

With 52 per cent of telecommuters less likely to take time off and 23 per cent prepared to work more hours, remote workers are more productive too.

The Global Workplace Analytics study estimated that employers can save $11,000 a year through telecommuting.

Employees also benefit – workers get back the equivalent of 11 days a year in reduced commuting time and can save more than $4,000 by cutting their spending on transport costs.

Technology and flexible workspaces make transition easy

The rapid growth of remote working in some cities underlines the importance of technology and infrastructure. Chattanooga in Tennessee was the first city in the US to roll out 10 gigabit internet connections, which are around 1,000 times faster than the average broadband connection. The result? A 325 per cent increase in telecommuting.

By contrast, remote workers are disrupted by areas with poor infrastructure, with 22 per cent of GBS respondents saying their work has been interrupted by unreliable internet connections at home.

Flexible…

Source link : Who are the telecommuters and why Telecommuting continues to rise ? by Daniel Lorenzzo

The co-living market in Singapore saw unprecedented activity over the past 12 months with millions of dollars of funds being pumped into operators, enabling them to embark on an expansion spree.

Investors’ optimism in the market raises the question if the time for co-living has finally arrived. Looking back, the co-living journey in Singapore has not been smooth sailing. Early entrants to the market, such as 13 and Techsquat, opened with much fanfare in 2014/2015 but were largely defunct within a year of operation after having to battle financial, regulatory and cultural challenges.

The hype in the co-living market was revived in recent months after it gained recognition as a convenient, community-driven and affordable solution for expatriates who are looking for a fun and fuss-free accommodation option.

Co-living addresses millennial expatriates’ housing needs by offering them a private space in a shared apartment with plenty of common areas for community activity.

With the help of technology, operators are able to bring like-minded individuals together. Community managers stationed in the cluster also organise regular social or work-related events to facilitate interactions among members. New players who are looking for a share in the market include Singapore-based start-up Hmlet, Shanghai-based start-up Mamahome, and lyf, a new brand of living targeted at the millennials by The Ascott Limited.

Their growth was aided by the government’s move to lower the minimum rental period for private homes from six to three months in June 2017, making it more viable for co-living operators to target members who want flexibility in their housing options.

Co-living in Singapore – are we there yet? | JLL

The post Co-living in Singapore : are we there yet? appeared first on Thailand Business News.

Source link : Co-living in Singapore : are we there yet? by Daniel Lorenzzo

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET)’s 13th President  has announced the strategic direction “Creating Partnership Platform to Drive Inclusive Growth” with four agendas.

Transform, Strengthen, Enhance, and Grow with quality aiming at promoting market quality, improving market accessibility, building capital market infrastructures as well as removing obstacles and streamlining processes for the whole capital market, reinforcing SET’s vision “To Make the Capital Market ‘Work’ for Everyone.”

SET President Pakorn Peetathawatchai outlined his strategic directions in his first major address since taking the office on June 1, saying

“With the digital revolution, demographic changes, globalization and national policies, the exchange will proactively build partnership platforms in the capital market that bring together stakeholders to deliver innovative products and services that will benefit the society and economy.”

Key four agendas are as follows

Transform

SET will utilize technologies and innovations to optimize and improve end-to-end services by building open platforms to serve common needs of stakeholders in the capital market. In addition, these open architecture platforms promote partnership and collaboration among all stakeholders and stimulate innovation.

Strengthen

To groom SET employees and capital market professionals to be ready to cope with challenges and leverage opportunities in the new era of the capital market. In addition, Regulatory Reform will take place to update current regulations to cope with the new business landscape.

Enhance

To make Thai capital market standout in the global arena as “Market of Well-being”, which includes businesses related to infrastructures, tourism, hospitality, healthcare and food, all of which are the country’s competitiveness and strengths of the Thai capital market that can supply funding need for infrastructure investment projects in the region, especially CLMV.

Grow

To continue to promote the Thai capital market towards sustainable growth with high quality in all dimensions, including products, services, intermediaries, and investors. SET will spearhead the building of ecosystem conducive to the growth of SMEs and startups so that they will have an alternative funding source to leapfrog their business growth.

The post SET’s New President rolls out four agendas towards Inclusive Growth appeared first on Thailand Business News.

Source link : SET’s New President rolls out four agendas towards Inclusive Growth by Thai News ข่าวไทย

Consider the ructions digital disruption is bringing to global labour markets, and the anxiety felt by workers fearful of losing their jobs.

Speaking at Davos this year, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff described a looming “digital refugee” crisis. World leaders recognise that closing a rising gap between rich and poor can only be achieved by engineering a massive forced re-distribution of wealth, or by making people more employable through better training.

Personal development plans can go deeper than your everyday performance review. They offer managers and their staff an effective survival template. It’s just a matter of doing them right – so they don’t become the tedious box-ticking exercise so many consider them to be.

It’s about them, not you

Even when staff are eager to impress, there’s a risk they’ll see development plans as a chore. That is, unless managers stop concentrating on their own needs and appeal to their staff’s passions and abilities.

Of course, the reason for even bothering with growth plans is to address business needs. The holy grail, then, is to create a plan that simultaneously excites staff. If that’s not possible, try to cover at least one motivational factor other than business need, while doing as much as possible to make workers feel like they own the process.

“Personal development does not necessarily imply upward movement,” says the UK’s Chartered Management Institute. “Rather, it’s about enabling individuals to improve their performance and reach their full potential at each stage of their career.”

Don’t get too carried away, though. Have a written copy of your business model at hand to ensure employee needs gel with those of the company.

Be serious or don’t bother

One of the key ingredients to making a personal development plan work is engendering a sense of trust. At a basic level, that means regularly finding time for staff. But it could also mean finding money.

Access to finance, equipment or outside professional training could well be needed.

As HSBC warns, “If you underestimate the resources required, you risk setting employees up to fail and damaging morale, productivity and the trust of employees.”

Getting serious about development plans also means getting serious about their structures. You need to do more than simply asking staff to write down their skills and hobbies. Philip Clifford, Associate Dean for Research at the University of Illinois, told science journal Nature that they should have four key components. These include sections for self-assessment and reflection, career choices and pathways, explicit short and long term goals, and ways to achieve and implement those goals.

You may also want to determine…

Source link : Four simple steps to design a personal development plan by Daniel Lorenzzo

The trade bloc’s sizeable consumer base is underscored by a young workforce, some 60% of whom are aged below 35. With this favourable demographic structure, together with positive economic trends, it is expected that the average ASEAN disposable income and consumer expenditure are set to further increase in coming years.

Notably, the widespread use of the internet and social media is also having a more influential role in re-shaping the retail landscape in the ASEAN, sometimes blurring the lines between physical and virtual buying channels.

This article provides a summary of major findings of the Survey, allowing companies to have a better understanding of their potential target customers in Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.

ASEAN Consumer Spending On the Rise

According to Euromonitor International, annual consumer expenditure in the ASEAN will rise to US$1.92 trillion by 2020, 30% above the 2016 level of US$1.47 trillion, and this is equivalent to a healthy average annual growth of 6.8%.

Hong Kong and ASEAN countries enjoy a close trade relationship. In 2016, the ASEAN was Hong Kong’s second largest trading partner and fourth largest export market.

Among the major export destinations within the ASEAN, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam have caught the eyes of many Hong Kong exporters and retailers, thanks to their economic vigour, strong purchasing power, and in particular a fast expanding middle class.

To better understand the spending patterns of the middle class consumers in these five countries, including their shopping motivations and channels, as well as their receptiveness of Hong Kong’s brand products and services, HKTDC Research carried out a consumer survey (the Survey) in the second quarter of 2017 to gather first-hand information.

The Survey was conducted in the five ASEAN countries stated above, covering seven cities, namely Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur (KL), Manila, Jakarta, Surabaya, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Hanoi.

A total of 1,406 completed questionnaires were collected through face-to-face interviews. To qualify as middle-income class consumers in respective countries, all respondents had to be aged 21-60, with monthly household income no less than US$1,000, and have lived in the surveyed city for at least two years.

This article offers an overview of Survey findings, with forthcoming articles focussed on characteristics and attitudes of ASEAN consumers, their spending preferences as well as e-commerce opportunities.

ASEAN Middle Class Consumers Are Sensible Spenders

First and foremost, the Survey revealed that the ASEAN middle class allocated some 40% of their monthly income on discretionary items. In general, respondents…

Source link : 8 points to understand ASEAN 630 million Consumers Survey by Hong Kong Trade Development Council

Thailand’s first quarter growth has expanded by 5 year high of 4.8 percent, according to the country’s economic monitoring agency.

Deputy Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Board, Wichayayuth Boonchit revealed that the high growth was attributed to a 3.6 percent boost in private sector consumption as a result of the government’s assistance plan for low income citizens.

Low inflation and interest rates, coupled with continued private sector investment from last year’s 4th quarter, were also contributing factors. reports Thailand’s news agency NNT

Most notably, applications for investment assistance in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) have reached 165 billion baht while government investment has seen positive growth for the first time in four quarters.

Meanwhile, exports have continued to expand at a rate of 9.9 percent, approaching 61.9 billion US dollars. Increased demand due to growth in exports and private sector consumption has resulted in a 3.7 percent growth in the industrial sector due to increased demand.

The agricultural sector has also benefited from favorable weather conditions and sufficient water supply, expanding at a rate of 6.5. In addition, the tourism sector has garnered up to 573 billion baht from foreign visitors and 267 billion from domestic tourists.

The board has therefore adjusted its growth forecast for this year to 4.5 percent, up from the previous figure of 4.1, with a range of between 4.2 and 4.7 percent.

The post Thailand’s Q1 growth reaches 4.8 percent to Five-Year High appeared first on Thailand Business News.

Source link : Thailand’s Q1 growth reaches 4.8 percent to Five-Year High by Thai News ข่าวไทย