Green Factory and Community
The cornerstone of a successful operation of a factory lies in the meticulous provision of occupational health and safety for its associates and business partners. In the “Green Factory and Community” Pillar, Thai Wah places a high priority on consistently organizing associate training sessions to ensure that its associates are kept up-to-date and well-versed in the latest occupational health and safety standards. Furthermore, we are dedicated to upholding the industry-standard compliance of our factory environments and establishing meaningful relationships with the communities around us to promote sustainable development, with a focus being placed on protecting both society and the environment.
Safety, Occupational Health, and Working Environment (SHE)
Thai Wah is unwavering in its commitment to the safety, health, and well-being of its associates and business partners. We understand that a safe and healthy working environment is a prerequisite for our associates and business partners to perform their duties at their utmost capacity. To this end, we have implemented stringent Safety, Occupational Health, and Working Environment, or SHE, regulations and have made sure that they are closely adhered to by anyone entering the factory area. Additionally, we have been steadfast to our dedication to upholding strict compliance with all relevant laws and standards pertaining to safety management, such as TIS 18001, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001. By following these guidelines, we can guarantee our associates and business partners a secure and pleasant working environment.
Thai Wah is keenly aware that sustainable economic and social development starts with the effective management of natural resources. To ensure we remain compliant with environmental laws, standards, and regulations, we have established environmentally-conscious water and energy management guidelines. Most notably, we have implemented a state-of-the-art factory management system to make best use of limited resources and minimize environmental impacts. This system enables close monitoring of water and energy usage, waste disposal, and pollution control during production, as well as wastewater treatment and disposal following production. Meanwhile, we have put into practice energy conservation and greenhouse gas emission reduction measures, such as the adoption of renewable energy sources like solar and biogas. Through these initiatives, we are striving to ensure a sustainable future for ourselves and our society.
To move towards Net Zero emission in the long run, Thai Wah has been managed to reduce GHG emissions through 3T Strategies:
- Traceability: Being able to identify and reduce carbon emissions along on whole value chain, key factors right now include NPK source, method and fertilization at farm level, diesel oil trucks and tractors as well as global ocean freight
- Transition: Transition for all our factory production systems to be carbon-neutral by 2030 with the implementation of renewable energy: solar energy (solar rooftop), biogas (biogas power plant from production waste), minimize coal and diesel oil, and also try to be carbon negative by planting more trees, or regenerative agriculture
- Transformation: Putting our customers at the core of our sustainability and innovation strategy and building the SEA Agri biotech platform with innovative solutions including soil health improvement solutions and waste upcycling, also scaling SEA B2B plant-based ingredient solutions production platform.
Thai Wah is unwavering in its determination to employ more renewable energy sources, leading the way in sustainable energy. Our shift to solar energy began in 2019 as we installed a 1 MW Solar Rooftop at the Bang Len factory. This is done not only to raise awareness of the importance of reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, but also to promote the use of renewable energy sources, reducing fossil fuel consumption among our factories, in the best interest of our factories and nearby communities.
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Target 2022 | 3 Years Target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity Generated by Solar Panel (MWh) | 589 | 1,405 | 1,406 | 2,400 | 2,400 | 10,000 |
| Electricity Generated by Solar Panel (million baht)* | 2.13 | 5.08 | 5.09 | 10.02 | 10.02 | 60.8 |
* Calculated at the electricity rate of 3.62 baht/kWh, from 2022, electricity rate inflated to over 4 baht/kWh
Thai Wah attaches importance to the water risk assessment with a determination to manage water sustainably (including the usage of water from water resources, recycling water, and reusing water) through the water management policies and strategies, which complies with the law and environmental regulations. There is regular communication/coordination with local regulators/water suppliers to monitor the situation and mitigation measures, as well as using water responsibly. This also includes monitoring the water consumption, measuring the amount and our water discharge regularly while considering the impacts that might occur towards the surrounding environment with the aim to improve efficiency, which has the annual assessment. Due to a large amount of water used in the production process, Thai Wah is aware of the necessity of deciding the necessary infrastructure risk management measures along with promoting the reduction of water usage and the development of efficient water consumption.
As an agri-food producer, Thai Wah requires huge quantities of water for its operations — a resource that is becoming increasingly precious in the face of a changing climate. We are committed to managing water sustainably and in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. We have implemented the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle principles to improve water management effectiveness, with an aim to reduce water consumption by at least 5% every year by utilizing treated water. Our wastewater treatment system is equipped with an aeration system to ensure that the discharged water meets all necessary public wastewater standards. Now, 100% of our wastewater meets the public wastewater standards as required by the laws.
Thai Wah is dedicated to reducing waste and making the most of our resources. We have implemented a strategic goal to optimize the use of raw materials and existing resources while minimizing waste throughout the production process. We have been repurposing and recycling waste into new products, such as cassava pulps for producing animal feeds, organic fertilizers, and biogas for generating heat and electricity. To reduce pollution to the standard level set forth by the Ministry of Industry, Thailand, we have also installed a range of advanced production waste treatment systems, such as Activated Sludge System, an air treatment system with wet and cyclone scrubbers to trap dust and exhaust before it is ventilated out of the factories. Our dedicated engineers and experts are monitoring and maintaining the waste treatment systems, ensuring that the environment remains clean and healthy.