KUALA LUMPUR: SME Corporation Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Datuk Hafsah Hashim received the inaugural “APEC Business Ethics Lighthouse Award” on Sept 2.
She received the award at the APEC Business Ethics Forum: Building the Ethics Capacity of SMEs” held in Nanjing, China, from Lynn Costa of the US Department of Trade, who is also the Project Overseer for the Business Ethics for APEC SMEs initiative.
The award was introduced by the United States as a recognition of an individual or organisation that has brought a more ethical business environment in the APEC region, said a statement from SME Corp Malaysia.
Hafsah was among the pioneers who assumed an active role in mooting codes of conduct pertaining to business ethics.
“Her tireless efforts and determination in forging strategic alliances with key stakeholders from the industries, as well as, the policy and enforcement bodies in developing codes to better align industry practices across the economies are remarkable contribution towards integration and elevation of standards economies,” the statement said.
In addition, she was appointed the co-chair of the Expert Working Group for APEC Principles for Voluntary Codes of Ethics in the medical device sector in Kuala Lumpur.
This resulted in the formulation of the KL Principles, in April 2011, which emphasised the magnitude of ethical practice in ensuring decision-making relating to medical options were made in the best interest of patients. — Bernama