Myanmar companies still have a poor record on human rights and measures to fight corruption, said a report published by the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business on July 22.
Myanmar companies still have a poor record on human rights and measures to fight corruption, said a report published by the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business on July 22.
The Pwint Thit Sa report said Myanmar companies needed to improve health and safety standards for workers and introduce better working conditions.
The report also said businesses needed to use work practices that reduced negative effects on the environment.
MCRB director Vicky Bowman said the watchdog organisation wrote twice to the 60 Myanmar companies it reviewed, to tell them of the report before starting its investigation.
The report said the companies were rated on a point system based on how information on their websites appeared to the public in relation to anti-corruption measures and transparency.
The report said 45 percent of the companies rated zero points for transparency and commitment to fighting corruption, with the highest rated companies not performing higher than an index figure of 6.6.
The highest possible rating was 10.
The report said big companies, including Eden, Ruby Dragon, Shwe Than Lwin, Yuzana and Zay Kabar, as well as the military-owned Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited and Myanmar Economic Corporation, did not even have official websites.
Of those that did, Kanbawza Bank received a score of 6.63, Max Myanmar Holdings was rated at 5.8, Shwe Taung at 5.58, City Mart at 4.75 and Serge Pun and Associates at 3.24.
The MCRB said it will release an updated report next year and will hold workshops to help companies to improve their rating on the index.
