Awards & Recognition
2021 Advance Awards Asia Impact Winner
The Advance Award finalists and winners are global Australians and alumni of Australian universities who exhibit remarkable talent, exceptional vision and ambition are Game Changers. Jimmy Pham was the winner of the 2021 Advance Asia Impact Award.
Waislitz Global Citizens' Choice Award for 2021
The winner of the Waislitz Global Citizens' Choice Award for 2021 was Jimmy Pham. The Waislitz Foundation exists to create a positive social impact, locally and globally, through innovative projects that empower individuals to meet their full potential.
2017: POSCO TJ Park Prize (Korea) for Community Development & Philanthropy
The POSCO TJ Park Prize was established in 2006 to promote the company's founding principles to respect creativity, nurture talent, and practice philanthropy with the hope that this will encourage the public to make even greater contributions to national progress in the future. Jimmy was awarded the 2017 A POSCO TJ Park Prize for Community Development & Philanthropy.
2013: Jimmy Pham is appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
The Order of Australia (AM) is the pre-eminent means by which Australia recognises the outstanding and meritorious service of its citizens. Jimmy Pham has been honoured for ‘Significant service to the community, particularly children in Vietnam, through KOTO International’. The Order of Australia confer the highest recognition for outstanding achievement and service.
2011: Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has officially recognised Vietnamese-Australian Jimmy Pham for his role in lifting Vietnamese youth out of poverty. In 2011, Jimmy was awarded the Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
2009: Finalist, Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year
For twenty years now, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship has supported the world’s leading social entrepreneurs in their efforts to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable world.
2013: UNICEF ZERO award for Social innovation
The ZEROawards is an initiative of Believe in ZERO, a global UNICEF campaign launched in Viet Nam. Under its Believe in ZERO programme, UNICEF aims to reduce the number of preventable child deaths to zero, the number of exploited or abused children to zero, and the number of children deprived of clean water or denied access to school to zero. The award for Social Innovation went to KOTO, a not-for-profit social enterprise.
2017: Blue Swallow Award by the Center for Social Initiatives Promotion (CSIP)
With the vision of the sustainable development in three pillars in Viet Nam: Prosperous Economy, Fair and Humane Society based on Sustainable Environment, the “Blue Swallow 2019” drive large-scale change by focusing on seeking and supporting business initiatives that address challenges in the areas of Sustainable Agriculture, Environment and Climate Change, Sustainable Tourism, Women empowerment, and Inclusive Business. KOTO was awarded one of the five Blue Swallows models for social enterprises.
2020: King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to achieve SDGs
The award recognises young peoples endeavours to be effective and productive citizens, contributing to the welfare of their communities and environment, as well as institutions that improve the enabling environment and infrastructure for youth to make an impact, in all United Nations Member States. As of the 2018 Award Cycle, the King Hamad Award for Youth Empowerment to achieve the SDGs. KOTO won the award for 2020.
2020: AmCham Vietnam CSR Award
Now in its sixth year, AmCham’s CSR Recognition Award Program identifies and recognizes AmCham member companies that demonstrate an understanding of the linkages between business operations and society, and who conduct business in a way that creates both long-term economic and social value. In 2020, KOTO received the CSR Recognition Award for understanding the linkages between business operations and society, and conducting business in a way that creates both long-term economic and social value.
2021 Kindness & Leadership Award
In 1999, Jimmy founded KOTO to create a better life for others and for the past 22 years, he’s dedicated his life to KOTO and this has been the guiding principle of his leadership and everyone who works at KOTO.
More often than not, the business world celebrates profits and tightening the bottom line. A kind leader is defined not just by what they say and do, but by how what they say and do effects those around them.
“I believe in an open door policy as it's important to remain grounded –don’t let your head get lost in accolades and accomplishments. Your staff are the heart of the organisation and cause”.
Read on to find out Jimmy take on creating a culture of kindness at work.