At the 2022 APEC in Bangkok, Thailand on November 18-19, regional leaders discussed global challenges and opportunities for sustainable economic recovery. Among the discussions, the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) landscape was continuously the key highlight. As part of the APEC exhibition, SCG proudly showcased how they have translated those principles into their latest innovative products and services.
Emerging tools toward economic recovery
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is the framework of holistic targets that guide today businesses’ investment and operation beyond ordinary profits. According to a recently issued report “Asia Pacific’s Time: Responding to the New Reality” chaired by ABAC (APEC Business Advisory Council), the evolving ESG landscape was listed amongst five factors reinforcing success for businesses, along with supply chains, enterprise growth, digital economy, and workforce. Accordingly, ESG is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ for businesses. Instead, companies need to look into “a more focused, transformative mindset around Value Creation — combining ESG and innovating the portfolio of products and services”.
In that context, SCG’s exhibition booth at APEC 2022 Thailand offered highlighted case studies from the company’s sustainable operations, aiming to inspire further discussion and collaboration between business leaders in the region. Having a wide range of industry activities in construction material, chemicals, as well as packaging, SCG has made ESG targets as their official guideline for development. The so-called ESG 4Plus strategy is based on four main approaches: Set Net Zero 2050, Go Green, Reduce Inequality, Embrace Collaboration and Plus Trust through Transparency in all operations. Progressively, SCG has facilitated those concepts into substantial innovations, transformative business models and services, as well as added values for their customers.
For the ongoing worldwide energy transformation, the SCG booth featured SCG Cleanergy – clean energy services in the form of Smart Grid. Nowadays, organizations have high demands to restructure their operations in order to achieve their NET ZERO emission goal and solve the global warming crisis. However, adopting clean energy finds limitations of space, cost and efficiency to install solar or wind energy generators within the owner’s estate. To solve this bottle neck, SCG Cleanergy platform allows customers to sell and buy clean energy on demand, and along the way can help save electricity expense by up to 5-10%.
Another environmental focus that SCG introduced was SCGC GREEN POLYMER™. The brand by SCG Chemicals or SCGC offers green polymer solutions that enhance recycling and reusing resources, while maintaining the materials’ properties for a wide range of applications. Besides, SCGC also partnered with Braskem, the world’s largest biopolymer manufacturer from Brazil, to satisfy growing demand for bioplastic products and drive a greener plastic industry. Those strategies aim to tackle the challenges of resource scarcity in fast developing economies,
SCG’s market-ready solutions are also proven examples of the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model that is promoted by the host country Thailand at APEC this time.
Amplifying sustainable and ESG ideas
Besides practical approaches to innovate their businesses, SCG also reached out for collaborative opportunities with other stakeholders to accelerate green transformation and economic recovery.
Mr. Nithi Patarachoke, President of Cement-Building Materials Business at SCG, shared, “Aside from being an APEC Communication Partner for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, SCG is proud to collaborate with all regional stakeholders to share our initiatives and innovations to tackle the global challenges, especially economic recovery, leading to a common welfare for the regional communities.”
Perhaps the most convincing way to showcase SCG’s vision is their approach to set up the APEC 2022 summit under the “Green Meeting” concept. Leveraging SCG’s own expertise in recycled paper innovations were utilised to develop the furniture and decoration in the summit throughout the year. The materials were designed with aesthetics, durability, reusability, lightweight, portability, and after-use recycling in mind.
Embracing the ESG’s concepts, SCG has presented to the world their vision for a better world in the post-Covid recovery. With the positive reception and constructive feedback from APEC 2022 Thailand, SCG is expected to continuously advocate innovative practices and discussions in the region, aiming toward a more unified and sustainable APEC in the years to come.
