The Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) carried out its first Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme by donating US$5 of the registration fee collected from every paying participant at the recently-concluded ICCA Asia Pacific Summit and 4th edition of BE@Penang to the Penang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre.
Proceeds will be topped up further by PCEB, and funds will be used to purchase essential items needed by the centre for their turtle conservation efforts in the Malaysian city – home to Green and Olive Ridley Turtles.
Earlier in July, PCEB unveiled the Penang Turtle Cares CSR programme in conjunction with its Penang 2020: BE Unfiltered campaign.
MICE organisers interested in holding CSR programmes at the Penang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre on Kerachut Beach can consider a few options. For instance, groups can make contributions in kind; conduct study tours or beach clean-up activities; or participate in the planting of Ambung-ambung trees, which provide shelter for turtles to lay their eggs under.
An officer at the centre shared with TTGmice that most CSR participants to date were from local companies.
Event organisers may also propose CSR activities or programmes they would like to conduct at the centre with PCEB, who will then check with the centre if they are appropriate, said Ashwin Gunasekeran, CEO at PCEB.
Cindy Chiang, assistant manager, MICE department, Asian Trails Malaysia shared that European clients were increasingly showing interest in CSR programmes and due to time limitations, preferred one-day CSR programmes over city tours.
Chiang was among summit delegates and media who visited the Penang Turtle Conservation and Information Centre as part of a post-tour programme organised by PCEB after the ICCA Asia Pacific Summit and BE@Penang event.
