New York, USA–Mr. Suphachai Chearavanont, CEO of Charoen Pokphand Group, and executives attended a meeting with leaders of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) during 26th - 27th September 2019. At the meeting,Mr. Qu Dongyu, the latest FAO Director General from the Republic of China, gave his first talk to business representatives that includedProfessor Muhammad Yunus, a Bangladesh Nobel Peace Prize winner who promotes social business establishment, Mr. Peter Bakker, Chief Executive Officer of World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD),Mr. Emmanuel Faber, Chief Executive Officer of Danone and Mars, along with EAT Foundation executives. Mr. Suphachai spoke to attendees at the meeting that C.P. Group, as a producer of food and vital raw materials, is determined to utilize the potential of all its affiliates to promote and realize global food security as well as the group’s sustainable business goals.

Moreover, Mr. Suphachai held talks withMr. Paul Polman, Founder of Imagine Foundation, Co-President of UN Global Compact, Advisory Board President of One Young World, President of International Chamber of Commerce, Ex-CEO of Unilever Global andMs. Lise Kingo, CEO and Managing Director of UN Global Compact. Mr. Supachai, as President of the Global Compact Network Association Thailand, gave a report on the progress of the establishment and activities of the Association formed by Thai private sectors to drive sustainable business in Thailand, aligned with the universal principles of UN Global Compact in relation to human rights, labor, environment, anti-corruption and the promotion of the business sector to collectively achieve Sustainable Development Goals-SDGs). C.P. Group, as one of Thailand’s leading businesses will continue to promote and support sustainability in the business sector and through the Global Compact Thailand Network and will participate in the 20th anniversary of the UN Global Compact establishment in 2020.

Between 23rd and 24nd September 2019,Mr. Noppadol Dej-Udom, Chief Sustainability Officer of Charoen Pokphand Group, attended the 3rd Sustainable Development Impact Summit held by World Economic Forum (WEF), in which more than 800 governmental and business representatives across the globe participated in. The Summit’s issues were based on four key points: 1. Transforming markets takes into account effects on humans and environment, 2. Accelerating climate action to keep the rise in global temperatures to be no more than 1.5 Celsius, 3. Financing Sustainable Development and, 4. Mobilizing Actions for Inclusive Societies. The meeting coincided with UN Summit Meeting on the three key issues: climate, sustainable development and universal health coverage.

Mr. Noppadol remarked on his talk withProfessor Klaus Schwab, President and Founder of WEF that the majority of the attendees believe family businesses with professional executives must encourage their leadership to be aware of sustainability along with business growth. Attendance of multiple workshops also unveiled that circular economy, an attempt to make the most of products before destruction, is under the spotlight. Products may be upcycled, recycled or reused. The world is called upon to set a goal to reconstruct Circular Economy and promote more cooperation. Currently, only 9% of materials across the globe go through Circular Economy and only 10% of plastic waste from around the world are recycled. The business sector is required to work together to increase awareness among global consumers to reduce excessive consumption. Should more materials go through Circular Economy, the global economy may see its value rise to worth 4.5 trillion U.S. dollars.

Furthermore, Mr. Noppadol speculated that battery technology can be developed to reduce up to 30% of greenhouse gas emission in transportation and energy sectors within 2030, which will contribute to curbing the global temperature rise to remain under 2 Celsius. The business sector will need to ardently develop battery technology, which, if revolutionized, may create a new form of energy for more than 10 million people, add towards the global economy value by 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars and bring electricity to more than 600 million people in need. Mr. Noppadol also discussed with representatives of Grow Asia and WEF to explore ways to promote sustainable agriculture in ASEAN and support agricultural products that result less in greenhouse gas emission, an example of which is alternative meat made of plant or tissue culture in lieu of livestock.

On 25th September 2019, Mr. Noppadol attended the SDG Business Forum held by the International Chamber of Commerce, the United Nations and UN Global Compact at the United Nations in New York. The Forum was attended by more than 400 governmental and commercial representatives, especially medium-sized business, civil society and international organization representatives. Mr. Noppadol, representative of C.P. Group, on behalf of Thailand’s business sector aiming to achieve sustainability strategy goals within 2020, exchanged experience with stakeholders of SDGs goals and challenges of leveraging the strategy for operational purposes. Major topics of the year included Sustainable Financing, under which the financial sector, investors and large multinational businesses needed to understand and be aware of the importance of achieving SDGs. They also need to support small and medium-sized businesses so that SDGs could be used with their business strategies and to drive the private sector to expand and develop a broader extent of sustainable business.

On 13th September 2019, Global Compact Network Thailand and United Nations Development Programs joined hands with the Right and Liberty Protection Department, Ministry of Justice, to organize, “The 3rd National Dialogue on Business and Human Rights Sustainable Financing: What Companies Need to Know?” in Bangkok, Thailand. The event was received with great interest by more than 200 representatives from the governmental and private sectors alike.