Green Factory and Community

Green Factory And Community

Operations in safety, occupational health, and environmental management within the factory are crucial for promoting sustainable practices. The factories implement strict safety measures to protect employees and workers from potential hazards through regular training, safety inspections, and continuous improvements. Thai Wah recognizes the importance of efficiently and responsibly using natural resources, including raw materials, energy, and water throughout the production process, to minimize environmental and social impacts.

Thai Wah places great importance on its responsibility towards stakeholders' rights, ensuring that the company's business operations are ethical, lawful, and respectful of human rights and fair labor practices. We continuously build relationships with surrounding communities to promote mutual sustainable development. The company is committed to the health and well-being of employees and the local community, dedicating efforts to community and social development, and will continue to promote positive and sustainable change.

Safety, Occupational Health, and Working Environment

Creating a safe working environment is paramount for employees, contractors, partners within the factory premises. A safe environment reduces the risk of accidents and injuries, enabling employees to work more safely and efficiently. It also builds trust among partners and contractors in collaborative efforts. Adhering to strict Safety, Occupational Health, and Environment (SHE) policies is essential. These requirements are designed for everyone in the workplace with clear measures and guidelines to ensure everyone understands the importance of safety and strictly follows the rules. Regular inspections and continuous improvements throughout the factory, along with frequent employee training, ensure that the workplace remains safe and that employees stay informed with occupational health and safety standards.

Establishing safety, occupational health, and environmental management policies and systems

The company establishes safety, occupational health, and environmental policies and systems, including compliance with relevant laws and standards such as the Industrial Product Standards (TIS), the Occupational Health and Safety Management System ISO 45001, and the Environmental Management System ISO 14001. These certifications demonstrate our commitment to maintaining a safe workplace. Adhering to these guidelines allows us to continuously improve our safety practices.

Safety, Occupational Health and Environmental Policy

Managing safety and occupational health risks

To ensure the effectiveness of our Safety, Health, and Working Environment (SHE) management system, the company has established the SHE Committee. This committee includes representatives from each factory and subsidiary. Monthly meetings are held to review safety, occupational health, and working environment risks encountered during operations, identify potential risks, and implement preventive and mitigating measures. Additionally, the committee evaluates the effectiveness of regulations and makes necessary improvements. These steps are crucial for maintaining a safe and hygienic working environment in our factories. Safety, occupational health, and working environment risks are reported to the Audit, Risk Management, and Corporate Governance Committee (ARGC) on a quarterly basis.

Promoting safety behavior and environment

Regular training and integration of safety into operations and safety projects through training and awareness programs for employees and workers, achieving 100% coverage in 2024. This ensures safe working conditions and enables employees to respond to or report emergencies effectively. Proactive safety measures and timely monitoring are encouraged. To raise safety awareness and prevent hazards from machinery and tasks that employees must perform, the company focuses on building knowledge, skills, and participation in safety.

Safety Performance Indicators

Performance of 2024	Target
Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR): 1.96 Injury Frequency Rate: 4.80 Fatality Rate (FR): 0	Zero accident by 2025 Zero fatality rate

Natural Resources Management

Thai Wah is committed to enhancing efficiency at every stage of the production process to achieve maximum effectiveness. This involves efficient management of personnel and resources, aligning with economic, social, and environmental priorities, and the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are crucial for long-term success and sustainability.

Greenhouse Gas Management

Integrating efficient operational approaches, utilizing technology, and adopting renewable energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. This includes setting challenging targets and proactive strategies to reduce the organization's greenhouse gas emissions and raising awareness about the impacts of climate change.

To address and manage impacts on severe climate change, Thai Wah aims to enhance operational efficiency and reduce reliance on fossil fuels by using renewable energy. The company has set a goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Thai Wah manages greenhouse gas reduction through the 3T strategy:

Traceability: Identifying the sources and quantities of greenhouse gases across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 annually. Continuous data tracking helps us pinpoint emission sources and measure changes promptly.
Transition: Transforming business processes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from controllable sources, such as efficient energy use and renewable energy adoption. This includes inspecting and improving factory production systems and innovating to reduce emissions in the production process.
Transformation: Promoting sustainable behaviors and culture both within and outside the company. This involves integrating sustainability into core strategies and understanding customer needs regarding the company's sustainability operations and goals.

The company has implemented activities and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as using renewable energy from solar power and biogas, improving the efficiency of production processes for more efficient resource use, and upgrading wastewater treatment systems. These efforts have enabled the company to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 33,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, or approximately 37% from 2021. Thai Wah remains committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions every year, with a target to reduce emissions by 5% from the previous year by 2025. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Scope 1 and 2, Thai Wah is continuously researching innovations to reduce emissions throughout the supply chain.

Waste and Wastewater Management

Thai Wah is committed to reducing waste throughout the production process by creating more sustainable and environmentally friendly operations. This includes maximizing the efficiency of raw material and resource use. These approaches not only help reduce waste but also improve the overall efficiency of Thai Wah's production processes.

The wastewater treatment process at tapioca starch factories begins with an activated sludge system, a biological treatment process that uses aerobic bacteria to decompose organic matter in the wastewater. This process consists of two main parts: the aeration tank and the sedimentation tank. Wastewater is sent to the aeration tank, where air is added to allow aerobic bacteria to decompose the organic matter. The treated wastewater is then sent to the sedimentation tank to separate microbial sludge from the clear water. The treated water is sent to a biogas pond, a crucial step in producing renewable energy. The water then undergoes another round of aeration treatment to ensure it meets legal quality standards.

Renewable energy production involves generating biogas and electricity from wastewater and production waste. Currently, all of Thai Wah's tapioca starch factories produce biogas from wastewater and production waste. There are two biogas power plants that produces electricity: Thai Nam Tapioca Company Limited in Udon Thani Province and the Tha Khantho factory in Kalasin Province.

Thai Wah also utilizes sludge from aeration ponds and dredged sediment from sedimentation ponds to increase the volume of treated water storage ponds. This sludge is processed into soil conditioners and compost. The process includes drying the sludge, mixing it with microorganisms, and using it as a soil conditioner in agricultural fields.

Additionally, Thai Wah collaborates with leading universities in Thailand to develop and research "Thai Win Animal Feed" for buffaloes, beef cattle, and dairy cows. This animal feed is produced from cassava pulp, a byproduct of cassava starch production. The development and research focus on enhancing nutritional value, improving milk yield, and promoting the use of domestic raw materials to reduce production costs and increase market competitiveness.

From the wastewater and waste management process of Thai Wah, in 2024, 100% of the waste from tapioca starch production at the Tha Khan tho branch was utilized. This includes producing 73 million kilograms of electricity from biogas, selling 14 million kilograms to cassava yards for composting, and producing 1.3 million kilograms of animal feed. This reflects Thai Wah’s commitment to adding value to production waste for economic, social, and environmental benefits.

Water Management

Thai Wah aims to reduce overall water usage, improve the quality of key water sources, and promote conservation by addressing issues such as water scarcity and pollution. We continuously plan water management to ensure the most efficient use of water throughout the production process. Significant projects and initiatives are implemented to reduce water usage and promote water conservation among employees, raising awareness of water resource management.

Water Risk Assessment

Assessing and managing water risks is a crucial component that reflects the company's commitment to sustainability and enhancing the quality of life for surrounding communities. Effective water risk management requires a systematic process to identify, evaluate, and mitigate potential impacts from water use. This approach is essential for balancing business needs with environmental and community care. Proactive water risk management helps reduce the likelihood of operational disruptions and ensures the continuous and sustainable availability of water resources.

Details of Water Risk Assessment:

Identifying and Evaluating Water Risks
Preventing and Mitigating Negative Impacts
Continuous Monitoring and Improvement
Developing Action Plans and Mitigation Measures
Community Engagement and Collaboration

OTHER STRATEGIES

Farmer Development

Family and Well-being

Food and Finished Goods