Hinrich Foundation
The Hinrich Foundation is an independent charitable foundation headquartered in Hong Kong. It was established Oct. 22, 2012 by Merle A. Hinrich, the founder and executive chairman of Global Sources to encourage sustainable global trade out of a belief that it “promotes peace between nations.”
The foundation aims to encourage innovation and competitiveness in trade through international trade policy research, trade-related education and export-led job creation.
Principles
The Hinrich Foundation has stated its objectives
are to:
- Encourage equality in trade development by influencing policymakers to take a balanced approach and support open, free, transparent and fair global trade.
- Encourage both the private sector and governments to drive innovation and competitiveness.
- Sponsor the education and skill development of individuals who wish to participate in international trade.
- Provide practical trade services which in turn create jobs.
Programs
The Foundation advances its mission through three central programs:
- Trade related education & training
- Export-led job creation
- International trade policy research
History
The Hinrich Foundation was established Oct. 22, 2012. The foundation merged with Kearny Alliance Asia, assuming control of activities and management previously performed by Kearny Alliance Asia.
The foundation assumed financial support of scholars and fellows of the Kearny Alliance Asia, with the scholars becoming Hinrich Global Trade Scholars. The foundation currently has 89 total scholars and alumni and fellows.
Activities
Education & training
The foundation distributes scholarships and internships to economics, business and journalism students from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, the United and mainland China. The foundation currently has 89 total scholars and alumni. Its scholars attend partnering schools including Thunderbird School of Global Management , De La Salle University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Tsinghua University and the University of the Philippines Los Banos.
In 2014, the Hinrich Foundation partnered with University of the Pacific (United States) to offer an Export Trade Training Program to train the professional staff of exporters in Vietnam and the Philippines in international management, marketing, supply chain management and trade finance.
Job creation
The Hinrich Foundation offers a Developing Country Export Assistance Program for export manufacturers in developing Asian economies that pairs small and medium-sized manufacturers with international buyers through business-to-business marketing websites such as Global Sources Online, Sourcing Reports and China Sourcing Fairs. Its goal is to enable suppliers to generate more orders, create local jobs and contribute more to their local economies. The foundation asserts it has assisted in generating $12,000,000 USD in actual and expected orders for beneficiaries in India, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, coming to this conclusion through a survey it conducted of beneficiaries.
The foundation launched Developingcountrysourcing.com in 2013 to help exporters generate more orders and grow their business. The countries it covers include the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Nepal and Myanmar. The site offers research on local industries, information on local products including trends and price changes, and contact information for suppliers.
Policy research
The organization distributes international trade policy research to provide information to governments, policy makers and private sector business communities. The foundation supports China Global Trade, a program of The Kearny Alliance that offers trade news, research, data as well as analysis and commentary.
On its site Developingcountrysourcing.com, the foundation offers research and analysis from surveys it conducts of local suppliers in the industries and countries it operates in.
Corporate social responsibility
The Hinrich Foundation has contributed to Room to Read by donating funds to construct the Shree Navajyoti Primary School in Bhumisthan, Dhading Bagmati, Nepal and offering Room to Read senior students internships in Cambodia.
The organization also gave financial support to Child’s Dream to complete the building of the Muang Va Secondary School in Xaingabouli, Laos.
Partners
The Hinrich Foundation is partnered with Global Sources , Kearny Alliance Asia, Digital Divide Data, the Israel-Asia Center, the Australian Gift & Homewares Association and VF Corporation.
In Oct. 2013, the Hinrich Foundation and VF Corporation partnered to offer scholarships for Bangladeshi citizens to study master’s of business administration and master’s of science in industrial engineering. The VF Corporation will also offer a career development program for students upon graduation and trade-related internships.
References
Craft 2 Inspire
Princeton in Asia
ASEAN Foundation
Future of China US Trade
Talk Vietnam
Myanmar Blogger
French Chamber of Commerce Cambodia