20/11/2020
20 November 2020, BANGKOK – Today is World Children’s Day, and Thai Union Group PCL pledges its ongoing commitment to supporting quality educational opportunities for children, recognizing its importance as a foundation for a better life.
Thai Union has a long history of supporting educational opportunities for children, from building schools in local communities where the company operates, to facilitating numerous educational workshops. Together, these are part of Thai Union’s commitment to deliver against United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth.
“We know that education from a young age is so important in giving children the platform for a life which is not only more fulfilling, but also more successful,” said Thiraphong Chansiri, President and CEO of Thai Union Group. “We are passionate about giving back to our local communities and part of that passion involves providing opportunities for the next generation so they can not only have a brighter future, but so they can contribute to making the world a better place.”
Since 2013, Thai Union, together with the Labour Protection Network (LPN), has built five preschools in Thailand’s Samut Sakhon province to provide education for the children of migrant workers. The fifth preschool was opened earlier this month and, to date, some 400 students have attended these schools, which prepare them to enter the Thai education system and progress to primary school.
Thai Union has also provided science scholarships to international graduate students in association with Mahidol University, with scholarships awarded to graduate students from six countries to help them study biochemistry, biotechnology, environmental biology, exercise physiology, forensic science, material science and engineering, microbiology and immunology, plant science and toxicology.
The company is also a major partner in CONNEXT ED, a partnership between the Thai Ministry of Education and private companies, which aims to minimize inequality in society, develop people’s potential, and increase the competitiveness of students in public schools. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Thai Union has also donated personal protective equipment to 38 schools in Thailand under CONNEXT ED.
Thai Union continues to support activities like Career Day, designed to inspire students to continue their studies; on-line English learning and English camp to improve their English language capabilities; and educational materials such as math and science kits.
The company also provides equipment for extra curriculum activities, including music instruments, ovens and utensils for baking, barber sets and hydroponics houses.
In Europe, John West Ireland has worked with the Ireland Gaelic Athletics Association for the past five years, sponsoring the Feile competition for 14-year-olds, encouraging them to take up sports and focus on nutrition and training. While this year’s competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, John West Ireland donated funds to four clubs to help with kits and training.
In Poland, King Oscar supports KS Stolem, a children’s football team in the village of Gniewino, to help finance equipment and training. In Thailand, Thai Union donated Fisho products to 39 schools in Samut Sakhon, while Thai Union’s Indian Ocean Tuna (IOT) Seychelles facility provided 10 cases of John West Fridge Pots to the Association of People With Hearing Impairment, with cans of tuna also donated to the President’s Village Orphanages.
“Today we celebrate the future of all children across the globe, and Thai Union’s continued commitment to doing our small part to ensure they are able to exercise their full potential through educational and other growth opportunities,” Chansiri concluded.
About Thai Union Group
Thai Union Group PCL is the world’s seafood leader bringing high quality, healthy, tasty and innovative seafood products to customers across the world for more than 40 years.
Today, Thai Union is regarded as one of the world’s leading seafood producers and is one of the largest producer of shelf-stable tuna products with annual sales exceeding THB 126.3 billion (US$ 4.1 billion) and a global workforce of over 44,000 people who are dedicated to pioneering sustainable, innovative seafood products.
The company’s global brand portfolio includes market-leading international brands such as Chicken of the Sea, John West, Petit Navire, Parmentier, Mareblu, King Oscar, and Rügen Fisch and Thai-leading brands SEALECT, Fisho, Qfresh, Monori, Bellotta and Marvo.
As a company committed to innovation and globally responsible behavior, Thai Union is proud to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact, and a founding member of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). In 2015, Thai Union introduced its SeaChange® sustainability strategy. Find out more at seachangesustainability.org. Thai Union’s on-going work on sustainability issues was recognized in 2018 and 2019 by being ranked number one in the world in the Food Products Industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, achieving a 100th percentile ranking for total sustainability score. Thai Union has now been named to the DJSI for seven consecutive years. Thai Union was also named to the FTSE4Good Emerging Index for the fifth straight year in 2020.