ASEAN SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS COACH TRAINING (TOT) 2024

As a kick-off activity of the Ecothon-Programme, the ASEAN Sustainable Business Coach Training (ToT) was held from 22nd to 26th July 2024 with the participation of 70 business coaches and start-up accelerators from different ASEAN countries. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the training course has been organised as part of Ecothon—a competition for sustainable business models featuring comprehensive training, coaching, and mentoring sessions for startups in ASEAN.

Hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Start-ups of the Republic of Korea and co-organised by the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) and the ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center (ASEIC), the virtual Training Course was organised to strengthen professional capacities of business coaches, start-up accelerators and the related stakeholders in the ASEAN countries, which eventually contributes to the development of sustainable start-up ecosystem in the ASEAN region. Since its pilot run in 2021 as part of Ecothon, the ToT program has become a vital platform for professional development in sustainable business practices in the region. This year’s program featured international experts, dynamic learning modules, and case studies of global and regional sustainability pioneers.

Out of nearly 300 applications, over 70 business coaches from Lao PDR, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines were selected to participate in a 2-day virtual training course conducted via Zoom. During the training, participants were introduced to key sustainability concepts such as ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), and SCP (Sustainable Consumption and Production). They also explored various sustainable business models, particularly those focusing on resource efficiency and eco-design.

In addition, international instructors guided participants through sustainable business model development and validation, covering processes such as establishing a sustainability mission, implementing strategies, measuring performance, and scaling up. Participants also examined case studies of successful eco-friendly ventures, such as Patagonia, Tesla, and Boxgreen.

Furthermore, the instructors introduced diverse funding channels suited to Southeast Asia, including venture capital, government grants, debt, and Sharia-compliant financing.

Upon completing the 2-day training course, 25 coaches were selected to join an intensive coaching orientation session. This session equipped them with essential coaching skills to prepare for their roles as local coaches for Ecothon 2024, scheduled to take place in August and September this year.

HSF’s support for ToT is part of the Think Global Sustainability Network under HSF’s Global Project on Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change (GMACC).