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Procter & Gamble has announced a new goal to reduce absolute greenhouse-gas emissions from its facilities by 30 per cent by 2020. The goal was developed in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The company has manufacturing facilities worldwide, including Thailand.

P&G selected a stretching target of 30 per cent, believing this would ensure that P&G supports efforts to prevent global temperatures from rising by more than 2 degrees Celsius.

The new goal is also consistent with science-based methodologies that are helping companies align targets with climate science.

“Climate change is a global issue and we believe everyone – companies, governments, and individuals – all have a role to play,” said Len Sauers, vice president for global sustainability at P&G.

“We felt it was important to come forward with an ambitious, science-based goal to help do our part to address the challenges that climate change poses.”

Suzanne Apple, senior vice president for private-sector engagement at WWF, said this was a significant commitment that would lead to measurable reductions in P&G’s greenhouse-gas emissions while inspiring other companies to step up and take action.

P&G plans to achieve its new goal by maintaining a focus on energy conservation and increasing its use of renewable energy.

“We set this goal with the firm belief that it will be good for the environment and good for our business,” said Martin Riant, group president of P&G and executive sponsor for global sustainability.

“Energy conservation and increasing renewable energy will not only drive emission reductions, but will decrease costs and help create innovative solutions that will help our brands win with consumers.”

Asean launches search for future leaders

Starting this year, four KPMG offices in Asean have initiated a regional scholarship programme for first-year students.

In Thailand, five students – so-called Asean scholars – were selected for the KPMG Asean Scholarship Programme, launched to identify and develop future leaders within the region. Other offices supporting this programme are those in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Under the programme, the students are awarded continuous leadership development programmes, internships and career opportunities, as well as financial support for their undergraduate studies.

The scholarship provides students with a personalised leadership development programme, internships and full-time career opportunities with KPMG in Asean, and financial support until they complete the undergraduate studies.

Volunteer spirit continues 12 years after tsunami

Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) employees recently travelled South to extend additional support to Yaowawit School, the school in Phang Nga that the company has helped for almost 12 years since its establishment in the wake of the 2004 tsunami.

Under the “Star Volunteer Spirit” activity, it has donated 30 sets of computers and a servers as learning materials and hosted an expedition at the assembly plant in Samut Prakhan to broaden the students’ knowledge.

The school educates children to enhance and practice their creativity and life skills, including training of hotel personnel, vegetable growing, dance classes and teaching of performing arts and photography, as well as engineering.

Michael Grewe, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand), said the activity was in line with the commitment to deliver “the best” to its customers. In doing so, the company also comes up with creative activities to return benefits to Thai society.

“All activities are for the students’ valuable life experiences in the future and we are proud to be a part of the school’s transitions after the tsunami. The school is now recognised as a leader in providing opportunities and care for less privileged children in the community,” he said.

“Mercedes-Benz is not just a sponsor of the school, but also a long-term partner in our ongoing success,” said Kanyapak Boonkaew, project manager of the Yaowawit School’s charitable activities.

“Through our partnership with Mercedes-Benz Thailand, we are able to provide underprivileged children with the opportunity for education and future careers.”

Five of Dow Thailand’s plants win Eco Factory Certificates

Dow Thailand Group led by Yukultorn Panichayapichet (second from right), receives Eco Factory Certificates at Eco Innovation and Solution 2015, an annual seminar hosted by the Industrial Environmental Institute and the Federation of Thai Industries.

The certificates were presented by Industry Minister Dr Atchaka Sriboonruang to five of Dow Thailand Group’s plants – the propylene oxide plant (MTP HPPO Manufacturing Co, Ltd), propylene glycol plant and polyol plant (Dow Chemical Thailand Ltd), specialty elastomers plant (Siam Synthetic Latex Co Ltd) and polyethylene plant (Siam Polyethylene Co Ltd) at Bitec Bangna recently.

The Eco Factory Certificate is granted to manufacturing facilities that display a strong commitment to responsible operations for sustainable development with a focus on the continuous development and improvement of manufacturing process and environmental management on the basis of social responsibility within and outside the organisation throughout the whole supply chain.

 

Vietnam environment programme seeks $30 bn

Vietnam needs around US$30 billion (Bt1.09 trillion) to carry out its national strategy for green growth by 2020. Pham Hoang Mai, director of the department of science, education, natural resources and environment, said 70 per cent of the sum needed would come from non-government resources.

The national strategy on green growth until 2050 identifies three key tasks: reducing greenhouse gas emission, promoting clean and renewable energy and practising environmentally-friendly production, lifestyles and consumption. It was approved in 2012 by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

At a workshop in Hanoi last month, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said that green growth was important for Vietnam’s economy despite difficulties with institutional reform and limited resources.

Legal frameworks and policies for green growth must be in line with the country’s economic restructuring, Hai said, adding that institutional reform must include support policies to encourage innovative technology.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, sixteen provinces and cities launched green growth action plans in the last three years. Enterprises started restructuring, innovating technology and eyeing green projects or large-scale organic agriculture projects.

Reports showed that Vietnam’s major environmental problems include 7.5 million ha of land affected by desertification, 30,000ha of land affected by salinity, and 300,000ha of land suffering from severe drought each year, among others.

A quarter of economic zones and export processing zones nationwide don’t have concentrated waste-water treatment systems. Solid waste in almost 60 per cent of communes in rural areas is dumped instead of being systematically collected and treated.

Pollution sources are increasing in terms of number, scale and negative impacts on the environment.