By E-Yon Park

Asian countries have experienced spectacular economic growth and approximately 270 million people have been raised out of poverty between 1990 and 2004 (Zhang, 2008). However, this economic progress has come at a high cost. Asia relies heavily on coal as its main commercial energy source.

Regulatory authorities in Singapore are to investigate three CSR Consulting companies for alleged breaches of Singapore company law.

The companies, CSR Asia Pte Ltd, Responsible Research Pte Ltd and PAIA Consulting Pte Ltd are leading players in the CSR industry in Asia. Three directors of CSR Asia, Erin Lyon, Richard Welford and Stephen Frost are also directors of Responsible Research whose board also includes Melissa Brown former Managing Director of IDFC, Lucy Carmody a consultant to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Melissa Ong a Research Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

The Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) of the Singapore Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) will examine the conduct of Graham Owens, who is currently a director of Paia Consulting Pte Ltd. Owens was formerly a director of Responsible Research and had previously worked for CSR Asia as a Senior Project Manager in their Singapore office.