The ASEAN Socio Cultural Community is all about realizing the full potential of ASEAN citizens.  The ASCC Blueprint 2025 was adopted by the ASEAN Leaders at the 27th ASEAN Summit on 22 November 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

ACSS is working towards:

• A committed, participative, and socially responsible community for the benefit of ASEAN people
• An inclusive community that promotes high quality of life, equitable access to opportunities for all, and promotes and protects human rights.
• A sustainable community that promotes social development and environmental protection
• A resilient community with enhanced capacity and capability to adapt and respond to social and economic vulnerabilities, disasters, climate change, and other new challenges, and
• A dynamic and harmonious community that is aware and proud of its identity, culture and heritage.

To achieve this, Member States are cooperating on a wide range of areas, including: Culture and Arts, Information and Media, Education, Youth, Sports, Social Welfare and Development, Gender, Rights of Women and Children, Rural Development and Poverty Eradication, Labour, Civil Service, Environment, Haze, Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance and Health. 

Many of these issues, such as human capital development, social protection, pandemic response, humanitarian assistance, green jobs and circular economy, are cross-sectoral in nature. To manage both the cohesiveness of the pillar and also cross-sectoral issues, two platforms have been developed:  (1) the ASCC Council, supported by the Senior Officials Meeting on the ASCC (SOCA), and (2) the Coordinating Conference on the ASCC (SOC-COM). 

The ASCC Council ensures that relevant decisions of the ASEAN Summit pertaining to the ASCC pillar are implemented.  It also serves to enhance coherence and consistency in ASCC policies and oversees the implementation of the ASCC Blueprint. The ASCC Council meets twice a year, with its first meeting held on 24 August 2009.  

SOCA supports the work of the ASCC Council. It identifies, considers and provides recommendations to the ASCC Council on issues requiring a cross-sectoral approach, and also supports collaboration between ASCC Sectoral Bodies. Relevant working groups to address particular issues are formed as needed. 

A Working Group on the Culture of Prevention (CoP) was established to ensure the implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on Culture of Prevention (CoP) for a Peaceful, Inclusive, Resilient, Healthy and Harmonious Society, adopted by the ASEAN Leaders at the 31st ASEAN Summit in Manila on 13 November 2017.  This includes developing an ASEAN plan of action to promoting six thrusts as contained in the declaration, which are (i) a culture of peace and intercultural understanding; (ii) a culture of respect for all; (iii) a culture of good governance at all levels; (iv) a culture of resilience and care for the environment; (v) a culture of healthy lifestyle; and (vi) a culture supporting the values of moderation.