Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC (CPF) proceeds with its forest conservation and restoration efforts that highlight legal raw material sourcing, resource optimization, awareness building among employees, as well as more green areas at farms, production plants and communities for sustainable balance of nature.
Mr. Wuthichai Sithipreedanant, Senior Vice President – Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development of CPF, said that the Company has adhered to the business principles that demand social responsibility, environmental impact mitigation and a sustainable balance of environmental and corporate development. CPF has operated under the 3 pillars to sustainability – Food Security, Self-Sufficient Society and Balance of Nature. The 3 pillars, aligned with the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), are aimed at materializing the vision of “Kitchen of the World” which demands the balance of food security and environmental protection.
CPF’s supply chain has strived to increase forest areas. Raw materials must come from sustainable sources that must hold legal land documents and do not encroach forests and partners are encouraged to honor international environmental standards, to ensure traceability. Farmers have been granted supports and knowledge for environmental-friendly farming, to safeguard biodiversity throughout the supply chain starting with farms. These efforts are expected to help mitigate climate change impacts and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as envisioned by the SDGs.
CPF has pursued employees’ participation in forest conservation and restoration, as the abundance of food for human and animals starts at forests which are also a primary source of resources. Reforestation programs have been launched in Thailand and overseas like Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, India and Turkey. In Thailand, CPF has joined hands with public departments and communities in terrestrial and mangrove forest conservation and restoration areas. The conservation and restoration under the CPF Rak Ni-Ves, Pasak Watershed, Khao Phraya Doen Thong Project in Lopburi Province encompassed 5,971 rai of forest areas in the first phase (2016-2020) while the Grow-Share-Protect Mangrove Forestation Project covered 2,388 rai in the first phase (2014-2018). CPF employees have also grown trees at premises nationwide, combining 1,720 rai, under CPF Rak Ni-ves project.
In late 2020, CPF struck a cooperation pact with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Department of Royal Forest and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation as well as Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (Public Organization), to conserve and restore about 26,000 rai of terrestrial and mangrove forest areas. The cooperation is aimed at mitigating climate change impacts, for sustainable food security and balance of nature.
CPF has thrown supports to Green Farm techniques, to create environmental-friendly farms that can coexist in communities in a sustainable way. A new pig farm business model was developed, to demonstrate sustainable social and environmental responsibility. The model calls for forest parks at pig farms, which include a community forest at a farming village in Kamphaengphet Province. Production waste and manure has been treated and turned to liquid fertilizers and fertilizers for internal use, for resource optimization. The project is being developed into a community forest learning center. At Chachoengsao Province, Nong Wa Project was created in 2016, to establish a community forest on the community’s vacant land plot. It is now a community forest learning center.
“CPF’s responsible operations have not only expanded forest areas and promoted community participation in the conservation and restoration, but also protected biodiversity and social livelihood which is our ultimate goal in striking a sustainable balance of nature,” Mr. Wuthichai said.
CPF has integrated eight SDGs in its implementations under the “Balance of Nature” pillar to sustainability, namely Goal 2: Zero Hunger, Goal 6: Clean water and Sanitation, Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy, Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production, Goal 13: Climate action, Goal 14: Life below water, Goal 15: Life on land, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals.
