Our focus – beliefs – value

Our Focus

We work to advance sustainable global trade through our trade research and education programs.

Our Beliefs

Global trade encompasses the cross-border exchange of goods and services.

Globalization refers to the increasing integration and interdependence of national, regional and local economies across the world through an intensification of cross-border movement of goods, services, capital, technologies and people.

Global supply chains are intricate networks of suppliers that contribute to the production of goods or services that are traded internationally.

At the Hinrich Foundation, we believe that for global trade to be sustainable, it must be mutually beneficial between trading partners. Trade has economic, societal, environmental, and political characteristics, all of which must be in balance for trade to be sustainable.

We believe in the transformative power of global supply chains to stimulate economic efficiency, facilitate the exchange of ideas, and nurture trust among individuals and nations. We view cross-border trade as a pivotal factor in poverty reduction, improvement of living standards and fostering self-determination.

We consider enlightened leadership to be a prerequisite for sustainable global trade. To prepare our current and future leaders, we emphasize the importance of education and lifelong learning in sustainable trade practices.

We acknowledge the essential role educators play in shaping the future of international trade. They carry the responsibility of fostering a comprehensive understanding of the diverse societal, economic, and environmental impacts of trade, and preparing successive generations to adapt to the dynamic nature of global trade. We contend that businesses involved in cross-border trade should prioritize talent development and leadership in trade by actively engaging with academia, policy makers, and civil society.

To attain broad support from communities, we argue that global trade must deliver inclusive benefits, uphold labor rights, respect cultural norms, and preserve the environment for subsequent generations. Governments have a responsibility to not only promote cross-border trade for the economic benefits it brings, but proactively forecast and manage the opportunities and domestic economy disruptions brought about by globalization.

We regard participation in multilateral trade frameworks as crucial for crafting an equitable and inclusive global trade system. However, when multilateral trade agreements fail, we believe that bilateral, regional, or plurilateral agreements become vital to sustaining and developing cross-border trade.

We consider trade restrictions such as tariffs, sanctions, and non-tariff barriers as detrimental to fostering trade and international relations.

Whilst nations have a right to consider their national security in formulating trade policy, it is unacceptable to use trade for any form of political coercion.

Trade agreements are mainly negotiated for the benefits of businesses who undertake trade. Digital trade facilitation holds the promise of greater inclusiveness and resilience in global supply chains but needs proactive business and government adoption to link all participants in all economies.

We have witnessed the significant contribution that foreign direct investment (FDI) makes to economic growth and sustainability, especially greenfield FDI for the purpose of trade. The public and private sectors play a critical role in managing the economic, environmental, and political repercussions of such investment, and their collaboration is key to positive outcomes.

Our Value to the global community

The Hinrich Foundation is an endowed not-for-profit foundation with a global perspective and an Asian emphasis. We are an independent entity unaligned with any government or corporate interests, but we collaborate and cooperate wherever possible with other like-minded bodies, public and private.

Ours is a platform that facilitates inclusive debate and discussion, absent of any form of discrimination—be it ethnic, racial, gender, age, religious, jurisdictional, economic, or cultural. We address complex global trade issues in a manner that emphasizes and fosters mutual benefit, openness, and inclusivity. In the face of shifting macroeconomic and geopolitical landscapes, we acknowledge the importance of evolving perspectives within our community. By fostering intellectual discourse and welcoming diverse viewpoints, we aim to influence trade policy to aptly respond to contemporary challenges.

By advancing the teaching and understanding of cross-border trade, we aim to develop human capital to drive mutually beneficial and sustainable global trade.

The Foundation seeks to nurture innovative solutions and strategies that can successfully navigate emerging challenges to global trade. Our goal is to effectively communicate and secure a future where trade remains a cornerstone of global prosperity, as it has in the past. Through our endeavours, we strive to ensure that the world maximizes the benefits derived from global trade.