The findings of the survey will help provide an understanding of how business enterprises operating in Myanmar and the region are responding to human rights challenges and also provide input for the centre’s capacity-building activities in Myanmar on responsible investment, business and human rights, according to the centre.

The survey was designed by the Human Rights Resource Centre, the UK-based Global Business Initiative on Human Rights, and Moores Rowland Indonesia as part of a series of research and awareness-raising initiatives regarding business and human rights in the region.  

The role of the centre, which is a new initiative to encourage responsible business activities throughout Myanmar, is as a facilitator during the survey process, Ma Hnin Wut Yee said.

“Currently, there are just 15 local and foreign companies responding through an online survey, whose deadline was on 20th October,” she said.

During the extension period, the centre will call other local and foreign companies to collect more respondents rather than gathering respondents through an online survey, Ma Hnin Wut Yee told Mizzima.

So are companies not willing to cooperate?

“Slow internet connections are part of the reason for the delayed responses to the survey. Moreover, it is quicker to get responses in face-face-type interviews rather than through an online survey due to the nature of the interaction.

This survey will highlight the different practices and norms concerning human rights in business operations between Myanmar and other regional countries, she said.