Habitat for Humanity Indonesia’s CEO Power Breakfast Raises US$233,000 And Elicits Support
Corporate social responsibility also featured in a similar event organized by HFH Singapore
JAKARTA, 18th October 2006: Corporate social responsibility was on the menu of the recent CEO Power Breakfast organized by Habitat for Humanity Indonesia. About 50 top management representatives attended the event at JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta. A total of US233,000 was raised from Unilever and GE South East Asia.
Public affirmation: representatives of HFH Indonesia, JW Marriott, Ritz Carlton, GE and the secretary of Ministry of Public Housing signing a Love Indonesia Programs poster
From us to you: HFH Singapore national director Yong Teck Meng presenting a memento to Robert Stark, general manager of the Marriott Hotel in Singapore, in appreciation of the hotel’s support of the CEO Luncheon.
In addition, Ritz Carlton Jakarta and the event’s sponsor, JW Marriott Jakarta, agreed to continue to sponsor food and beverages for Habitat’s events for three years and pledged other forms of support.
Over breakfast, guests heard from Franciscus Welirang, vice-president of PT. Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk. on leveraging corporate social responsibility for success. Stuart L. Dean, president of GE South East Asia, also offered personal insights as a long-term corporate supporter of Habitat in Indonesia.
At the event, existing and potential corporate partners of HFH were also invited to create a model of Habitat home with wooden slats representing bricks. That gesture was a sign of their commitment to be socially responsible on a corporate level.
Both GE and Marriott have partnered with Habitat through employee-volunteer programs, fund-raising and tsunami reconstruction activities; and most recently, rebuilding efforts in earthquake-impacted Yogyakarta.
The CEO Power Breakfast is part of HFH Indonesia’s “Love Indonesia Programs (LIPs)” that will provide housing solutions for more than 25,000 families in Indonesia by 2009.
“Following the success of Habitat Indonesia’s ‘1,000 Houses Campaign’ which reached its target by 2006, one full year ahead of schedule, we wanted a medium term-program that would make substandard housing a matter of public conscience and action though advocacy and fund-raising,” said Jusuf Arbianto, chairman of the National Board of Trustees.
To mark the event, a LIPS poster was signed by Habitat representatives, JW Marriott Jakarta and the secretary of the Ministry of Public Housing, on behalf of the Indonesian government.
Earlier in August, Habitat for Humanity launched a similar event. Its pilot CEO Luncheon saw guests rubbing shoulders with corporate bigwigs from multinational corporations as well as homegrown companies.
Over 40 guests heard Habitat for Humanity board member and president of Philippines’ Ayala Corporation, Fernando Zobel de Ayala, speak passionately about corporate social responsibility. Many guests were spurred on by Habitat’s call to make a financial donation, pledge time, skills and expertise, even roll up their sleeves to help build homes with their own “sweat equity”.
At a photo exhibition, guests had the chance to see the beneficiaries of Habitat through the eyes of Habitat photojournalist Mikel Flamm. The lunch was sponsored by Marriott Hotel Singapore, a strong supporter of Habitat.