ThaiBev Sustainability 2021

Home / ThaiBev's Sustainability

Message from the CEO

The year 2021 was once again defined by the global COVID-19 pandemic and alarming reports about our changing climate. These two pressing challenges have defined and disrupted businesses across the world in unprecedented ways and affected the fabric of all our lives. At ThaiBev, these hurdles have inspired renewed passion and fresh business strategies, as well as provided us with an opportunity to carefully consider how we can contribute to a better future for everyone.

At the heart of ThaiBev’s plan to meet these important challenges and emerge stronger than ever is our unwavering commitment to be a “Stable and Sustainable ASEAN leader”, a regional leader in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters. Constant assessment and improvement in these three areas have allowed ThaiBev to not only become a more responsible, efficient, and resilient business, but also reaffirmed our mission to “Create and Share the Value of Growth”. In this past year, as corporations moved beyond assuming “responsibility” by taking on “leadership” roles on key sustainability issues, ThaiBev has found itself in an outstanding position to continue and expand its own ESG activities.

All of these strategies are driven by our continued commitment to take the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy of our late King, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great, as our guiding principle, and further guided by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua’s first royal command to continue, sustain, and develop this legacy for the benefit and happiness of the people. This approach means our decisions must be carefully considered and have a measurable positive impact on the planet and society.

As one of ASEAN’s largest food and beverage businesses, ThaiBev takes its leadership role on these global issues seriously, and in the past year we have marked several milestones in ThaiBev’s sustainability journey. For example, ThaiBev launched its Climate Strategy, which consists of three pillars: Climate Change Adaptation, to ensure ThaiBev is resilient in the face of ongoing climate change and shifts that will occur in the medium to long term; Climate Change Mitigation, comprising ThaiBev’s efforts to minimize the effects of climate change and ensure a smooth transition to a low carbon economy; and Communities, which encapsulates ThaiBev’s determination to support local communities and conserve the environment in areas near its production sites.

In addition, we have stepped up our own internal monitoring and assessments of ESG issues. Two actions stand out in particular. First, ThaiBev publicly released its inaugural Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) compliant report; and second, ThaiBev screened and disclosed Scope 3 emissions for the first time, revealing key areas of focus for emission reduction opportunities in the coming years, as well as the success of initiatives ThaiBev has already implemented. This year’s Sustainability Report also includes new commitments to manage our water footprint, reduce food loss and waste, and protect biodiversity.

As ThaiBev joins the world in addressing the climate challenge, the COVID-19 global pandemic continues to add stress to systems, transform traditional business models, and challenge how we conduct our lives. In ASEAN, no one has been left unaffected as the severity of the outbreak increased in 2021. To support our employees, suppliers, partners, and the public health of the wider community, ThaiBev established a COVID-19 Situation Room to ensure direct engagement and extensive, active outreach on the many challenges raised by the pandemic, from maintaining supply chain continuity to extending assistance on vaccination drives. Despite the negative impact of the pandemic, various opportunities were also identified, leading to the development of new technology innovations, logistics improvements, and an increased focus on the well-being, good health, and safety practices of our team.

Overall, ThaiBev looks ahead to this challenging decade with a clear sense of purpose. Sustainability, innovation, and ESG responsibility are essential to both ThaiBev’s and the world’s future success. As the climate challenge and the COVID-19 pandemic have illustrated, business, society, and the environment are more interconnected than ever. That is why ThaiBev stands ready and poised to contribute on all aspects of ESG and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as an employer, a corporate citizen, and a business leader in the region. I wish to personally thank all of our employees, suppliers, partners, and stakeholders for your unified sense of leadership and dedication to this mission.

Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi
President and CEO