PRESS RELEASE

Embargo 10am October 31, 2017

“OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT WILL BE REFRESHED, AND THE SCOPE WILL BE
WIDENED IN 2018”
Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) today launched the research phase of the
2018 report on Transparency in Myanmar Enterprises (TiME), also known as Pwint Thit Sa, in a
new partnership with Yever, a Myanmar business consultancy.
The 2018 report will cover five dimensions: corporate culture; corporate governance; sustainability
management; communication and reporting. These criteria are aligned with global and regional
corporate governance and sustainability such as the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard
which is being used in Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore.
The number of company websites assessed will also be doubled to 200, to cover :

 companies listed at Yangon Stock exchange (YSX),

 Myanmar ‘public companies’
 Other influential companies including large taxpayers and
 Medium/large sized companies not falling in the above categories but which have
volunteered to be benchmarked.

Speaking at the Yangon launch of the research phase, Vicky Bowman, Director of MCRB said,
“‘After three reports which have used the same 35 criteria for examining websites for information,
MCRB has decided to refresh the Pwint Thit Sa methodology. We want to raise the bar for some
of those companies who were close to scoring 10/10.
“We are therefore widening the range of corporate information which we are seeking, and aligning
this more closely with the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard. We are also widening the
scope to include major ‘public companies’ for whom corporate governance should be a top
priority. We’re delighted to be partnering with Yever to make this the most comprehensive report
yet of the transparency of up to 200 Myanmar companies’.
Nicolas Delange, Yever’s co-founder and Managing Director said: “Sound corporate governance
and strategic reporting are two key components that help businesses to build trust with their
stakeholders. Business practices regarding those topics, are evolving quickly all around the world,
but how are Myanmar companies doing?
“The TiME 2018 survey will answer this question by providing data and insights, identifying the
best practices in Myanmar and summarizing some key recommendations to business leaders and
Myanmar authorities.”
The launch of the research phase will include letters to the companies concerned, informing them
of the revised indicators. After Yever has assessed websites – where avalable - companies will
be contacted again in early 2018 to share the initial assessment, and invite the company to
comment or provide updates. The final report will be issued at the end of March.
Background
1. The Pwint Thit Sa /Transparency in Myanmar Enterprise (TiME) report was launched in 2014
inspired by Transparency international’s ‘Transparency in Corporate Reporting’ initiative. The
intention was to encourage increased transparency by Myanmar businesses through the
internet. Reports ranking the website information of large companies were published in 2014,
2015 and 2016: http://www.myanmar-responsiblebusiness.org/pwint-thit-sa/report.html. No
TiME report was published in 2017 while the methodology was redesigned.
2. The 2016 edition of the report compared the websites of 100 of the largest Myanmar
companies and scored them on what they say on their corporate governance and business
practices, with a focus on anti-corruption, organisational transparency and HSE and human
rights. However, it only scores what information companies publish, and is not an assessment
of their actual performance.
3. A list of these companies and the questions to be scored in 2017 will be available on MCRB’s
website in November.
4. Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB) is a Yangon-based initiative funded by
the UK, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Ireland, based on a collaboration
between the UK-based Institute for Human Rights and Business, and the Danish Institute for
Human Rights. The Centre was established in 2013 to provide an effective and legitimate
platform for the creation of knowledge, capacity and dialogue concerning responsible
business in Myanmar, based on local needs and international standards, which results in more
responsible business practices. It is a neutral platform working with business, civil society and
government. (www.mcrb.org.mm)
5. Yever is a Myanmar business consultancy with a clear purpose: promoting sustainable and
responsible business practices in Myanmar.

For more information please contact:

Phyu Phyu Zin, Information and Communication Officer, MCRB
09799667713 or phyuphyu.zin@myanmar-responsiblebusiness.org
Nicolas Delange
nicolas@yever.org