On 15 July 2025, the APO Secretariat held a town hall session focused on the independent third-party evaluation of the APO Secretariat’s performance, management, and compliance. This evaluation, now in its third cycle, underscores the APO’s continuous commitment to transparency, accountability, integrity, and institutional effectiveness.

The session began with opening remarks from Secretary-General Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata, highlighting the importance of the evaluation process that began in 2022 as directed by the Governing Body at its 64th annual session. Secretary-General Dr. Indra stressed the significance of implementing robust internal control systems and expressed appreciation for the expert evaluation team’s ongoing support and guidance.

The evaluation team presented interim findings and progress updates from the evaluation, emphasizing strengths, areas for improvement, and recommended strategic actions. Key points highlighted included advancements in the remediation actions identified during prior evaluations, particularly in areas such as internal controls, IT security, and governance processes. While recognizing solid progress, the presentation also noted areas requiring continued attention, such as strategic planning and workplace communication.

An engaging Q&A session followed, covering the evaluation team’s evolving approach to risk assessment, addressing external challenges, and discussing the recommendation from the 67th Session of the APO Governing Body (GBM) in May 2025 to include national productivity organizations in the evaluation process to enhance objectivity and inclusiveness.

While acknowledging the complex external factors faced by the Secretariat, Secretary-General Dr. Indra underscored the importance of layered decision-making, accountability, and the Secretariat’s continued commitment to improving the work environment based on valuable staff feedback.

The town hall concluded with strong reaffirmation from Secretary-General Dr. Indra of the APO’s commitment to address the identified challenges and improve institutional practices. He expressed heartfelt appreciation to the evaluation team and APO staff members for their dedication and proactive engagement in this vital governance and improvement initiative.

A representative of the evaluation team delivering the presentation.