The world stands at a critical juncture. From the volatility of climate change impacting vital agricultural output to the stark paradox of widespread hunger existing alongside massive global food waste, the necessity for profound, immediate action has never been clearer. Even the booming age of technology, driven by innovations like AI, consumes enormous amounts of electricity, creating new critical energy issues.
In response to this global pressure, and to spearhead Thailand’s transition into a sustainable, technology-driven future, CP Group has made a strategic pivot, charting the “CP Sustainability Center of Excellence” (COE). This isn’t business as usual; this is the conglomerate embracing its role as a leader to shape a better world, prioritizing impactful change over simple quarterly profits.
The COE: Transforming Sustainability from Cost to Value
The CP Sustainability Center of Excellence is designed as a dynamic platform intended to define the future direction of sustainability across CP Group’s entire value chain. Operating across 22 countries, CP Group recognizes that its efforts must move beyond basic compliance and mere reporting.
As Dr. Teerapon Tanomsakyut, Chief of Strategic Intelligence and Sustainability of CP Group, emphasized, the core mission is to transform sustainability teams from functioning as a cost center (focused on standards compliance) into a profit center, driving innovation and business value. This means actively leading change and undertaking projects that transform traditional sectors—such as agriculture, retail, and media—into cutting-edge, technology-driven models, including Precision Agriculture and Smart Retail, aligning with the vision to become a “leading tech and innovative conglomerate.”
Leading the Trend Across the Supply Chain
CP Group understands that making a true impact requires addressing the total operational ecosystem, not just internal efforts. For its vast agricultural businesses, a massive 90% of total emissions stem outside the company (Scope 3 emissions). The COE necessitates profound collaboration with external partners to tackle this immense challenge.
The Group is committed to ambitious environmental goals: the Twin Goals of Carbon Neutrality by 2030 and Net Zero Carbon by 2050.
Business Beyond Profit: The Social Mandate
For CP Group, leadership extends far beyond environmental stewardship; it encompasses social equity and human rights across its supply chain of 452,000 employees. Public expectations now demand large corporations use their structures for public benefit.
Through initiatives focused on Inclusive Business, CP is actively working to bridge societal gaps, such as lack of education and digital access. This includes platforms like True’s “Plook Panya,” which provides education to approximately 15 million people annually, and explorations into concepts like transforming 7-Eleven stores into “convenience knowledge stores.”
The shift to the Center of Excellence model places CP Group firmly at the forefront of a “golden age of sustainability,” leveraging commitment from global Green Funds, suppliers, and customers to create immense commercial opportunities alongside societal benefit. By transforming its operations into an engine for positive, technology-driven innovation, CP Group is setting the precedent that true success lies in the synergy of profitability and planetary health.
