GRI and Australia’s department of foreign affairs and trade (DFAT) have launched the second phase of their partnership through a program promoting sustainable trade and investment in South East Asia.

The program entitled Sustainable Trade and Investment through Reporting in the Indo Pacific (STIR Indo-Pacific)  will be directed at five countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

The program has two main objectives, first to foster policies to increase market transparency through engagement with policy makers and regulators. Secondly, to build reporting capacity among companies part of the supply chains of multinationals.

GRI deputy chief executive Teresa Fogelberg said: “The STIR Indo-Pacific program is the next step in GRI’s continuing commitment to promoting sustainable business practices in the Indo-Pacific and helping Asia take a leading role in corporate transparency.”