Our Story
Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) was established in 2003 in Makati City, Philippines. What began as a small team with a big vision, has grown into a regional development organisation with offices in three countries, and a footprint spanning 20+ years.
2003-2007
ASSIST was founded with a pioneering vision for a more sustainable and ethical industrial landscape in Southeast Asia.
ASSIST Philippines was founded in Makati
Won our 1st EU-funded project
Prioritized the sustainable industry
Focused on supply chain sustainability
2008-2012
Driven by a mission to scale our impact, we successfully expanded our footprint across the continent, forging vital new partnerships along the way.
Set up ASSIST Vietnam and ASSIST India
Expanded into multiple priority areas
Secured 1st DEG-financed partnership
Won 6 EU-SWITCH grants
2013-2017
This era stands as a testament to our agility and growth, marked by the historic milestone of reaching our first million beneficiaries through dedicated service.
Opened ASSIST Cambodia
Deployed MOD in response to Typhoon Haiyan
Launched 100 Projects
Debuted iMPACT Magazine
2018-2022
In the face of unprecedented global challenges, we stood firm—earning world-class accreditations while leading critical responses for health and education.
Empowered 1M+ youth in education and employability
Led COVID-19 responses in health and sanitation
Accredited by GlobalGiving, CAFA, Benevity, BlackBaud
Launched ASSIST Creativelab
2023-2026
Today, we continue to define excellence, validated by prestigious certifications and a growing shelf of global awards that honor our commitment to transformative impact.
Established ASSIST Indonesia
Secured ISO, PCNC, and DSWD certifications
Managed 60+ partnership projects
Launched employability toolkit Success360
Our Story
Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) was established in 2003 in Makati City, Philippines. What began as a small team with a big vision, has grown into a regional development organisation with offices in three countries, and a footprint spanning 20+ years.
ASSIST Philippines was founded in Makati
Won our 1st EU-funded project
Prioritized the sustainable industry
Set up ASSIST Vietnam and ASSIST India
Expanded into multiple priority areas
Secured 1st DEG-financed partnership
Opened ASSIST Cambodia
Deployed MOD in response to Typhoon Haiyan
Launched 100 Projects
Empowered 1M+ youth in education and employability
Led COVID-19 responses in health and sanitation
Accredited by GlobalGiving, CAFA, Benevity, BlackBaud
Established ASSIST Indonesia
Secured ISO, PCNC, and DSWD certifications
Managed 60+ partnership projects
Our ecosystem
Through three interconnected arms, we deliver integrated solutions that drive sustainable transformation, social impact, and knowledge-sharing across Asia.
Development Solutions
Social Actions
AsianNGO & iMPACT
Our social enterprise and its publication
provide knowledge, resources, and insights to
strengthen capacity among key development
stakeholders across Asia.
Our Values & Principles
We are committed to our core values—integrity, innovation, excellence, and empowerment—guided by principles that shape how we lead, collaborate, and deliver meaningful impact across our work and partnerships.
Integrity
We act with transparency, accountability and ethical consistency in everything we do.
Respect
Genuineness
Accountability
Innovation
We embrace creative thinking and adaptive approaches to solve complex development challenges.
Agility
Creativity
Collaboration & Partnership
Empowerment
We believe in strengthening the capacity of communities and partners to drive their own change.
Trust
Communication
Passion
Excellence
We hold ourselves to the highest standards of quality, rigour, and professional delivery.
Stakeholder Delight
Growth
Process & Goal-Oriented
Our Leadership
Our leadership provides vision and strategic direction, ensuring our work remains responsive, impactful, and aligned with the needs of communities and partners. Through strong governance and guidance, we translate our mission into meaningful initiatives and consistently deliver sustainable, long-term results that advance social improvement and transformation across regions and sectors.
Karthik Subburaman
Executive Director
Suganya Sreenivas
President
Francis Solis
Chief Finance Officer
Francis Macatulad
Director for Business Development
Mahesh Krishnamurthy
Director for PMO
Aru David
Regional Director – ASSIST Mekong
Platosen Samarasam
Director for Research & Acquisitions
Awards & Recognition
Our awards and accreditations reflect our commitment to quality, accountability, and impact. They affirm the high standards we uphold and the trust placed in us by the communities we serve and our partners. These recognitions validate our efforts to deliver meaningful, measurable, and sustainable outcomes across diverse development initiatives worldwide.
Winner – Innovation in Non-Profit/NGO Services – Master of Disaster
Bronze Award – Innovative educational support – Adopt-a-Madrasah
Silver Award – ESG Leadership Award – AgriSagana
Gold Award – Social: Human Rights and Labor Standards – ANNAKKO
Silver Award – Social: Talent Management – sustainABILITY
Silver Award – Waste Management and Consumption – Circular Explorer
Bronze Award – Health and Emergency Assistance – 2024 TI Philippines BSCP
Gold Award – Social: Human Rights and Labor Standards – ANNAKKO
Governance & Accountability
Our Commitment
ASSIST is committed to the highest standards of governance, transparency, and accountability.
As a mission-driven nonprofit, we maintain strong systems and practices that ensure ethical operations, regulatory compliance, and responsible stewardship of donor and partner resources.
Policies, Safeguards & Accountability
ASSIST maintains comprehensive policies aligned with international best practices, covering anti-corruption and ethical conduct, safeguarding of children and vulnerable communities, responsible data management and privacy, and transparent reporting to donors and partners.
Together, these governance systems ensure that ASSIST manages donor grants, CSR initiatives, and development programs with credibility, transparency, and strong financial and operational oversight.
Certifications & Accreditations
ASSIST operates under a robust management system certified to ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, demonstrating our commitment to quality, efficiency, and continual improvement.
In the Philippines, ASSIST holds key nonprofit recognitions, including certification from the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC) and accreditation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). These recognitions affirm our compliance with national standards for governance, financial accountability, and program implementation.
ASSIST is also registered with leading global philanthropic platforms such as Charities Aid Foundation, Benevity, YourCause, and GlobalGiving, enabling corporations, institutions, and individual donors worldwide to support our programs with confidence.
Explore our initiatives and stories in our ASSISTNow Newsletter.
