Plenary 3:​ Launch of the Commission on Asian Philanthropy​

The Asian Way of Giving: Unleashing the power of Asian philanthropy for a sustainable future

Naina Subberwal Batra opened the session by highlighting the growing economic and social challenges in Asia and the crucial role that the region's rising wealth can play in addressing these issues. While Asian philanthropy remains smaller than its Western counterpart, it has grown significantly over the past decade and there is increasing interest in strategic giving, she said. Subberwal Batra also introduced the new Commission on Asian Philanthropy co-convened by the Institute of Philanthropy and the Asia Philanthropy Congress, where commissioners from pan-Asian philanthropic organisations embark on a three-year journey to advance the professionalisation of the philanthropic sector in the region and drive research, insights, and new standards for Asian giving. 

Moderated by Warren Ang, the discussion focused on exploring diverse philanthropic approaches across Asia in relation to governance, community engagement, and innovative models. Her Highness Princess Nouf bint Muhammad AlSaud outlined Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goal of growing the nonprofit sector to 5% of GDP, highlighting the importance of governance and local collaboration to achieve this target. Gabriel Leung discussed the flexibility of Hong Kong’s philanthropic ecosystem, where the Government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, for example, partner closely with non-governmental organisations to better serve the community. 

Ichiro Kabasawa shared Japan’s innovative approach of reallocating dormant bank accounts to nonprofit organisations, providing a flexible funding model to boost the country's philanthropic landscape. Beili Shen addressed the rapid growth of philanthropy in China from increased online donations and government support and emphasised the need for stronger regulations and public trust. Aditya Natraj highlighted India’s corporate social responsibility law, which mandates companies to contribute 2% of net profits to social development, a policy that is fostering a more inclusive approach to development at all levels of society. Haryo Mojopahit discussed the role of faith-based giving in Indonesia, particularly Islamic concepts like donating a proportion of wealth as zakat, to create transformative impact in areas such as healthcare and education.

On the uniqueness of the Commission on Asian Philanthropy, Leung and Kabasawa relished the importance of this collaboration in Asia, which allows sufficiently representative and diverse perspectives to come together to address shared social challenges. Natraj added that the Commission's commitment to quarterly meetings and ongoing research would ensure the documentation and replication of successful philanthropic models across Asia. Overall, the session underscored the need for regional cooperation, knowledge sharing and culturally contextualised approaches to philanthropy to create lasting and meaningful change across Asia.