Philanthropic capital is growing rapidly across Asia, but the standards guiding philanthropic advice have not kept pace. Uneven information, fragmented standards, and power imbalances can complicate decision-making and limit the effectiveness of giving.
To address these challenges, the Asia Centre for Changemakers (ACC), established by the Wealth Management Institute (WMI) with support from Temasek Trust and the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA), has launched The Changemaker's Compass.
Developed with Asia’s philanthropic, cultural, and regulatory contexts in mind, the guide provides a practical framework for advisors, philanthropic families, foundations, institutions, and regulators. It offers guidance on managing conflicts of interest, balancing donor priorities with community needs, strengthening governance, and navigating complex decisions.
Download The Changemaker's Compass
Ten principles for a trusted ecosystem
Drawing on real-world experience across foundations, family offices, and advisory organisations, the Compass sets out ten principles across three domains:
- Personal conduct — upholding integrity, confidentiality, and independence.
- Duty to clients and communities — navigating donor intent, community needs, and long-term societal outcomes, while addressing power dynamics.
- Collaboration and stewardship — strengthening the ecosystem across peers, partners, and the broader profession.
Each principle is supported by practical guidance for professional conduct, organisational governance, and day-to-day decision-making. Rather than assuming stakeholder interests are always aligned, the Compass acknowledges the complex trade-offs that advisors routinely navigate.
As philanthropy expands across Asia, the quality of advisory practice will play an increasingly important role in ensuring capital is deployed effectively. The Changemaker's Compass offers a common reference point for more consistent, transparent, and accountable practice, contributing to efforts by Temasek Trust and its partners to strengthen Asia's philanthropic ecosystem.
Designed as a living framework, the Compass will evolve alongside emerging practices and the changing needs of communities across Asia. Instead of serving as a static code of conduct, it provides a reference that recognises ethical advisory practice cannot be fully codified without remaining responsive to context.
Download The Changemaker's Compass to explore its ten principles and practical guidance for philanthropic advisory practice across Asia.
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