CPF Unveils Food Security Plan, “Sustainability in Action, Sustainability in Our Hands”

Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF) recently launched the “Sustainability in Action, Sustainability in Our Hands” Project to mobilize employees’ support in environmental conservation. In a bid to reduce climate change impacts and ensure the company is on the path towards sustainable food security. 

Under the initiative, “Forest in the City” and “Empty Plate…Save the Planet” will be kicked off as the first activities, to encourage CPF employees across Thailand to grow trees at their homes and empty their plate to promote zero food waste.  

Mr. Prasit Boondoungprasert, Chief Executive Officer of CPF, said that as an integrated agro-industrial and food business company, CPF has tasked itself in ensuring national food security and sustainable development. Having emphasized environmentally-friendly operations, CPF today kicked off the “Sustainability in Action, Sustainability in Our Hands” Project, to encourage all employees’ participation in the path towards sustainability. All are urged to individually get their hands on the company’s activities: to grow trees at home under “Forest in the City ” ; and to achieve zero waste by emptying one’s plate under “Empty Plate…Save the Planet”. Both projects are aligned with Charoen Pokphand Group’s policies to cut down carbon emissions and support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

“CPF hopes that our employees’ contribution will inspire the outside world in adopting positive initiatives. These initiatives can be exercised by all individuals as contribution from all is necessary for sustainable development at the national level,” Mr. Prasit said. 

“Forest in the City” is a 5-year project (2021-2025). The project aims to mobilize employees’ help in planting 100,000 trees. Encouraged to take part in forest protection, communities are contracted to grow seedlings for the project, hence creating jobs for community members. The project will be implemented along with CPF’s forest conservation and restoration projects which are CPF Rak Ni-Ves, Pasak Watershed, Khao Phraya Doen Thong; and Grow-Share-Protect Mangrove Forestation. To be grown are economic trees like rosewood, Yang Naa, white meranti, black rosewood, red wood, iron wood, and Indian walnut as well as small plants that help trap PM2.5 particles like snake plant, gold dust croton, King of Heart and fiddle fig.

“Empty Plate…Save the Planet” is a 5-year project, designed to reduce 7,200kg of food waste from 100,000 dishes. By that volume, emissions can be reduced by 18,200 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent. An Empty Plate…Save the Planet Facebook Page  has been created as the center to disseminate the project’s information and activities relating to food waste and proper methods to tackle food waste, to engage employees in reducing food waste and waste to landfill. 

Mr. Prasit added that CPF has realized a good corporate citizen’s role and adhered to socially- and environmentally-friendly operations. CPF has adopted the Circular Economy Concept to maximize resources management. The company has declared its commitments to avoid tree cutting and deforestation and to achieve the low-carbon organization status in support of the 2030 sustainability strategy and 17 SDGs.