Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
OTHER WORK EXPERIENCES
OTHER EXPERTISE
PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT
WORK EXPERIENCE DURATION
Timeline
Generic
PREMA ARASAN

PREMA ARASAN

Subang Jaya

Summary

Accomplished consultant, trainer, and social compliance expert with over 15 years of experience in driving successful project implementations while upholding rigorous social compliance standards. Expertise in strategic planning and team leadership aligns organizational goals with ethical and sustainable practices. A certified trainer with 20 years of experience, the training approach emphasizes adaptability, active engagement, and a strong commitment to empowering teams and individuals. Specializes in equipping organizations with the tools and knowledge necessary to enhance social compliance and achieve operational excellence, consistently fostering a culture of integrity and accountability.

Overview

25
25
years of professional experience

Work History

Social Compliance Consultant

Self Employed Services
06.2025 - Current
  • Stayed current with latest changes to applicable regulatory standards and company procedures.
  • Reviewed audit and monitoring reports related to consumer and client activities.
  • Prepared documentation and records for upcoming audits and inspections.
  • Supported and trained customers on compliance-related issues.

Technical Expert and Trainer, Consultant

Social Accountability International, SAI, USA
02.2024 - 05.2025
  • Company Overview: MY Voice Project,(To reduce forced labor and/or child labor in the production of Malaysian palm oil and garments) funded by USDOL
  • Conducted stakeholder identification and mapping for Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.
  • Led the end-to-end training process, from training needs assessments and curriculum design to delivery, monitoring, and follow-up across key themes such as child labor, forced labor, social compliance, OSH, and gender-based violence.
  • Designed interactive training methodologies using adult learning principles, incorporating group work, case studies, simulations, and real-life scenarios to ensure relevance and participant engagement.
  • Delivered capacity-building workshops for diverse target groups, workers, community leaders, CSOs, and union representatives, enhancing their ability to identify, report, and prevent labor violations.
  • Mentored and coached training participants post-workshop, supporting them in designing and implementing actionable plans to mitigate forced and child labor risks in their organizations and communities.
  • Conducted Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions to build a pool of local trainers, ensuring sustainability and local ownership of capacity-building efforts.
  • Designed and developed training modules on labour rights, communication, organisational development, and project and grant management.
  • Integrated cross-cutting themes such as gender equity, worker voice, and human rights into all training content.
  • Offered assistance in implementing and developing training programs.
  • Generated reports to track performance and analyze trends.

Trainer & Consultant

Social Compliance Consultant and Trainer
01.2023 - 05.2024
  • Developed and delivered comprehensive training modules and toolkits for civil society organizations (CSOs) addressing child labor, forced labor, gender-based violence (GBV), social compliance, and occupational safety and health (OSH), with a particular focus on the palm oil sector. These programs strengthened institutional awareness, response mechanisms, and capacity for field-level implementation.
  • Led a full-scale social compliance assessment for Wise World Food (UK), evaluating labor practices at a Malaysian supplier site. Responsibilities included:
  • Conducting worker interviews and in-depth on-site evaluations.
  • Drafting and implementing Anti-Sexual Harassment (ASH) and Gender Equality policies in line with ILO standards and communication plan.
  • Designing and facilitating training for staff on the new policies.
  • Establishing and mentoring a Gender Committee and a Worksite Compliance Committee to oversee implementation and ongoing improvements.
  • Collaborated with Impactt Limited (UK) on ethical trade and labor audits in Malaysian manufacturing facilities, supporting due diligence efforts and contributing to corrective action planning and stakeholder engagement.
  • Served as a national consultant to the International Labour Organization (ILO) for the Malaysia National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAPBHR), specifically contributing to the Labor Pillar. Provided policy and field-level input on decent work, supply chain accountability, and stakeholder coordination.

Programme Manager/Social Compliance Assessor

01.2012 - 01.2023
  • 2012-2014: Program Officer
  • Project: Trust Fund-Health Access and Intervention Through One Stop Crisis Centre For Migrant and Refugee Women.
  • 2014-2016 - Project Manager
  • 1)Project by ILO- Protecting the Rights of Migrant Workers through Empowerment and Advocacy, MWEA-Decent Work.
  • 2)Project by Johns Hopkins University (JHU)- Building the evidence base and Local Capacity To Remedy Labour Rights Violations in Malaysia (Produced Training manual for migrant Case Management officers).
  • 2017-2020 - Project Lead
  • 1) Project by Open Society Institute- Increase access to justice for exploited and abused migrant workers and ensure Decent Work for migrants.
  • 2) Project by Coordination of Action Research on Aids and Mobility (CARAM ASIA)- Decent Work for Domestic Workers and Organizing.
  • 3) Project Lead- ILO -UN project- Support Services to Women Migrant Workers(Safe and Fair) in Kuala Lumpur/Selangor and Penang.
  • 4) Project Lead- ILO- Labour rights for plantation workers
  • 5) Project Lead- The Asia Foundation- Promoting 21st Century Gender-Related Labor Reforms in Malaysia- Migrant and plantation workers.
  • 6) Project by Ressources Humaines Sans Frontieres (RHSF)- Ethical recruitment and elimination of child labour. Developed Communication Plan for workers.

Programme Manager/Social Compliance Assessor

01.2012 - 01.2023
  • 1) Project by Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)- Feminist Participatory Action Research Project.
  • 2) Training for FGV for plantation workers. (Developed training manual for FGV Human Rights initiatives)
  • 3) Project by Pesticide Action Network and Asia Pacific (PANAP)- Improved Social Protection and Labour Rights for Plantation Women Workers.
  • 4) Project by Solidarity Centre- Advancing International Labor Rights, organising workers, and Assessment. Monitoring and Evaluation- Implement systems for monitoring and evaluating program activities, collecting and analyzing data to measure impact and make data-driven decisions.
  • 5) Project by Electronic Watch Foundation- Improving Access to Remedy for Electronic Workers in Malaysia (Monitoring 5 electronic companies in Malaysia)
  • 6) BAR Council- Legal Aid - Supervisor for young lawyers programme under the BAR Council. Trained almost 800 pupils before they were called to the BAR.
  • 7)Organized migrant communities- 1500 communities throughout Malaysia.
  • 8) Represented Tenaganita at the National, Regional, and International level in various meetings, seminars, and Forums.
  • 9)Resource person for National, Regional and International programmes, mainly on issues related to Forced Labour and Human Trafficking.
  • 10) Case officer representative in Malaysian Anti-Human Trafficking Council - MAPO- active collaboration with Police D3, Human trafficking Department.
  • 11) PR officer- Government (MOHR), Immigration, Women Ministry, D3, PDRM, Media, CSOs Partners, Hospitals, UN agencies, Donors and Embassies.

Community Development Programme Manager

Selangor State Government(SUK)
01.2010 - 01.2012
  • Training Needs Identification- identified training and development needs within the staff, contributing to professional growth and organizational effectiveness.
  • Government Training Coordination- Coordinated training initiatives proposed by the Selangor Government, aligning them with community requirements.
  • Community Program Development- Developed and implemented programs for the public, targeting diverse groups, including women, teenagers, students, single mothers, and young working adults.

Training Assistant Manager

F&N Coca Cola (M) Sdn Bhd
01.2008 - 01.2010
  • Identifying Training and Development Needs- Proficiently assessing the organization's training and development needs through comprehensive job analysis, performance appraisal schemes, and regular consultations with Human Capital and General managers and human resources departments.
  • Program Design and Development- Demonstrated expertise in designing and developing training and development programs, aligning them with both organizational and individual requirements.
  • Budget Allocation and Management- Skillfully allocated and managed budgets for training, ensuring fiscal responsibility and assessing the return on investment for training and development programs.
  • In-House Training- Skillfully conducted in-house training sessions, fostering the professional growth and development of employees within the organization.

National Project Manager -OSH, Malaysia

LO-FTF Denmark-MTUC
01.2001 - 01.2008
  • Project Management- Overseeing day-to-day operations and supervision of the project.
  • Financial Reporting- Prepared quarterly reports and financial statements for LO-FTF.
  • Provided OSH expertise to workers and the project team.
  • Supervised the project's staff.
  • Conducted OSH training and contributed to the development of training materials and manuals.
  • Resource Center Establishment- Established an OSH resource center with a library and audio-visual materials.
  • Produced reference materials and publications for the electronics and construction industry.
  • Government Relations- Cultivated relationships with government bodies, particularly DOSH, MOHR, and SOCSO.
  • Campaign Materials-Created campaign materials, including leaflets, posters, and newsletters.

Education

Master of Corporate Communication -

University of Putra Malaysia

Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) - Communication

University of Malaysia Sabah

Certified Trainer - undefined

HRDF

No Degree - Sustainability Studies

Social Accountability International
USA
05-2025

No Degree - SUSTAINABILITY ESG REPORTING FRAMEWORK

National Institute of Occupational Safety And Health
Bangi, Selangor
08-2025

Skills

  • Project execution management
  • Documentation review
  • Compliance reporting
  • Legal research
  • Training and development
  • Strategic thinking
  • Strategic communication skills
  • Strategic resource management
  • Compliance auditing
  • Technical writing
  • Facilitating team organization
  • Monitoring and performance assessment

OTHER WORK EXPERIENCES

  • Advocacy and Policy Influence: Advocate for policies that protect and support migrants and refugees, working to influence positive change at local, national, and international levels- media advocacy and community events.
  • Initiatives to build the capacity of program staff, partners, and beneficiaries.
  • Community Engagement - Promote community involvement and empowerment, ensuring that program initiatives are culturally sensitive and meet the community's needs.
  • Legal Compliance and Legal Support- Ensure adherence to relevant legal requirements and regulations, particularly those related to migration and refugee rights. provided legal support for people in need.
  • Trauma-Informed Care- Implement trauma-informed approaches to support individuals who have experienced trauma in their migration journey.

OTHER EXPERTISE

  • Auditing- Conducted comprehensive audits across various industries, assessing compliance with global frameworks such as ILO Conventions, SA8000, and local labor laws.
  • Exceled in developing detailed audit reports, offering actionable recommendations, and supporting the implementation of corrective action plans to drive sustainable improvements.
  • Interactive learning methods within modules to enhance engagement and knowledge retention.
  • Conducted thorough research to include in-depth analysis and case studies of various labor violations within the modules.
  • Integrated multimedia elements into the modules, such as videos and infographics, to enhance the learning experience.
  • Empowered stakeholders with the knowledge and tools needed to identify, address, and prevent labor Rights effectively.
  • Demonstrated a positive impact on labor compliance rates through the implementation of the developed modules.
  • Documented success stories where the implementation of the modules resulted in notable improvements in labor practices and book publication.
  • Collaborated with industry experts and organizations to ensure the modules remain relevant and effective.
  • Delivered paralegal support for labour dispute cases through collaboration with key enforcement agencies, including the Labour Department, Immigration Department, and the Royal Malaysia Police.

PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT

  • 1) Co- Founder and Deputy Chair of HOPES (Pertubuhan Pembangunan Harapan Selangor)
  • FB: Hope Selangor
  • Driven by a deep passion for social justice and over 25 years of experience in training, advocacy, and community empowerment. Dedicated to uplifting the voices of marginalized communities, particularly Indian women, and committed to creating inclusive spaces for meaningful change.
  • Experienced Empowerment Trainer with a strong track record in designing and facilitating transformative training programs for vulnerable communities.
  • Successfully empowered and mentored individuals from marginalized backgrounds to overcome adversity, build self-confidence, and realize their full potential through targeted capacity-building initiatives and motivational facilitation.
  • Developed initiatives that have helped individuals build confidence, advocate for their rights, and contribute positively to their communities.
  • Recognized for leadership and dedication to community empowerment through inclusive and rights-based approaches.
  • Poverty Alleviator Award - Featured in Wiki Impact 100 for impactful work with marginalized communities.
  • IVY Award, Rotary Club, District 3300 - Certificate of appreciation for contribution, leadership, and commitment to community service.
  • Played a key role in leading advocacy campaigns and initiatives focused on promoting equity, dignity, and rights-based approaches.
  • Rescued many school dropouts and provided access to education and a decent life.
  • Some interviews:
  • Https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2020/11/06/hope-selangor-shines-a-light-on-the-needy-this-deepavali
  • Https://www.dropee.com/event/Hope-Selangor
  • Https://www.bfm.my/podcast/the-bigger-picture/live-learn/spreading-hope-to-the-marginalized
  • Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3tjjLvkDPc - Flood Victims aid at Pahang
  • 2) Residential Association Chairman
  • 3) The Best Public Speaker/Trainer Award - Ammodago International

WORK EXPERIENCE DURATION

26 years

Timeline

Social Compliance Consultant

Self Employed Services
06.2025 - Current

Technical Expert and Trainer, Consultant

Social Accountability International, SAI, USA
02.2024 - 05.2025

Trainer & Consultant

Social Compliance Consultant and Trainer
01.2023 - 05.2024

Programme Manager/Social Compliance Assessor

01.2012 - 01.2023

Programme Manager/Social Compliance Assessor

01.2012 - 01.2023

Community Development Programme Manager

Selangor State Government(SUK)
01.2010 - 01.2012

Training Assistant Manager

F&N Coca Cola (M) Sdn Bhd
01.2008 - 01.2010

National Project Manager -OSH, Malaysia

LO-FTF Denmark-MTUC
01.2001 - 01.2008

Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) - Communication

University of Malaysia Sabah

Certified Trainer - undefined

HRDF

Master of Corporate Communication -

University of Putra Malaysia

No Degree - Sustainability Studies

Social Accountability International

No Degree - SUSTAINABILITY ESG REPORTING FRAMEWORK

National Institute of Occupational Safety And Health
PREMA ARASAN