C asean and Thailand Supply Chain Network (TSCN), in collaboration with the Department of ASEAN Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ASEAN Association - Thailand, and ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD), presented C asean Forum, "Pioneering the Future of ASEAN Green Procurement", as part of ASEAN Weeks 2024, on the occasion of the 57th anniversary of ASEAN's founding under the theme "Shaping the Future of Sustainable ASEAN".
Bangkok, 6 Aug 2024 - C asean remains a strong dedication in enhancing ASEAN region’s connectivity in sustainable areas. With the objective to strengthen business collaboration among different sectors leading to sustainable opportunities and future initiatives in ASEAN, C asean Forum intends to raise awareness on Green Procurement and to promote its implementation throughout the supply chain process of businesses in Thailand.
During the opening remarks, Ambassador Pisanu Suvanajata, Vice Chairman of C asean talked about how the CaF aims to introduce Green Procurement and encourage issues of procurement for businesses in ASEAN to strive for balance in their business growth and to help finding solutions for global problems.
Continued by the speech of Mr. Suwit Mangkhala, Deputy Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Affairs who highlighted Green Procurement as an evolution that calls for not only sustainable products and services but also to rethink procurement systems around the world, creating positive and constructive choice of suppliers.
Mr. Hari Ramalu Ragavan, Principal Consultant of AKAR ASIA Consulting and the Board Member of Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP), introduced the audience with a successful program in Malaysia called My Hijau program which is working hand in hand with ministries on a wider sustainability agenda, being inclusive on an international level.
Followed by Dr. Chuttree Phurat’s session, she discussed how the Green Public Procurement and Ecolabeling support Thailand as a mechanism of development and enhances the green supply chain while delivering trust, reliability and transparency, helping customers make good decisions for purchasing green products.
In the afternoon session, Mr. Timotheus Lesmana Wanadjaja, the Executive Director of Indonesia Cleaner Production Center (ICPC), shared his work on how ICPC identifies commonly purchased government products, assessing the environmental impact and identifies producers as an initiative of Green Public Procurement implementation in Indonesia.
Dr. Lunchakorn Prathumratana, Thailand Branch Office Director, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component SWITCH-Asia, shared her insights on the lack of Green Procurement Implementation as in how it can have major impacts on government and business sectors, such environmental, health and economic aspects. If governments do not implement Green Procurement, and for businesses, they could encounter financial, regulatory and operational risks in the absence of Green Procurement adoption.
Mr. Chitoshi Izumi, Senior Procurement Specialist, Regional Procurement Head for Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand, Asian Development Bank, shared educational and insightful approach of ADB in building essential infrastructure that adapts with climate change and carried out surveys to gain insights into sustainable construction materials that emit less carbon, and foster the resource efficiency of those materials.
The afternoon session concluded with a panel discussion hosted by Dr. Sirasa Kantaratanakul, School of Global Studies, Thammasat University, with Mr. Timotheus Lesmana Wanadjaja, Indonesia Cleaner Production Center (ICPC), Dr. Lunchakorn Prathumratana, SWITCH-Asia and Mr. Chitoshi Izumi, Asian Development Bank, on The Role of ASEAN in Driving Green Business.
The C asean Forum was sponsored by Thai Beverage Public Company Limited and West Rock (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
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