Nestlé Launches New Sustainability Course: “Sustainability Beyond Business: Insight-Action-Solution” Partners with Chiang Mai University for its First Rollout in Thailand to Supports Youth to Become Changemakers for a Sustainable World.
Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, is moving forward to drive sustainability and empower Thai youth to become agents of change for the future with the launch of a new sustainability course, “Sustainability Beyond Business: Insight-Action-Solution.” It’s a new model that is designed for young people to learn from real-world experts and turn insights into actions paving the way for future solutions for Thailand’s sustainability challenges. Nestlé has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Chiang Mai University to roll out the course for the first time in Thailand.
Mr. Victor Seah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Indochina, said, “Nestlé Thailand operates our business by emphasizing sustainability throughout the value chain, from farm to fork, to achieve our Net Zero 2050 goal. We are also committed to creating positive changes along with consumers. Based on our belief in the power of Thai youth, we prioritize empowering the new generation who will be future changemakers. I am delighted to embark on this collaboration with Chiang Mai University to launch this new sustainability course, ‘Sustainability Beyond Business: Insight-Action-Solution,’ for the first time in Thailand. The course will serve as a gateway, offering youth the chance to learn from experienced professionals and understand how to integrate sustainability into the business sector. It will also establish a community of sustainability that can collaborate, and exchange knowledge and experience, forming a foundation for Thailand’s sustainability future.”
Prof. Dr. Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, President of Chiang Mai University, said, “Chiang Mai University is ready to be a sustainable university driven by the power of everyone, as shown by our national and global sustainability awards. This reinforces our vision of becoming a Carbon Neutral University, including collaborations with leading businesses to achieve the country’s carbon neutrality and net zero emissions goals.”
“The collaboration with Nestlé will provide students with the opportunity to learn how to adapt sustainability practices within various organizations, inspiring them to develop systematic solutions to implement carbon neutrality plans, while also offering internship opportunities.”
Nestlé Needs YOUth: A Global Mission for Youth
The Sustainability Beyond Business: Insight-Action-Solution course is part of Nestlé Needs YOUth, a global program that aims to help 10 million youth worldwide gain access to economic opportunities by 2030. The program supports employment, entrepreneurship, and agripreneurship to help young people prepare for the rapidly changing world of work. In Thailand, Nestlé has localized this approach to actively empower over 8,000 young individuals annually to access economic opportunities through knowledge, entrepreneurial skills, and internship opportunities.
The Sustainability Beyond Business: Insight-Action-Solution, Empowering Youth as Changemakers
The Sustainability Beyond Business: Insight-Action-Solution course now offered at Chiang Mai University is open to third- and fourth-year bachelor’s degree students from all faculties. The students will learn key sustainability concepts and their application in business, drawing from Nestlé’s case studies and direct experience. They will also exchange knowledge with sustainability experts and learn how to apply this knowledge and various tools to create practical solutions to address present challenges. Students will collaborate to present their ideas before concluding the program with a Hackathon under the theme “My Sustainable Business Idea for Thailand.” The most outstanding students will receive scholarships and be selected for internships at Nestlé after completing the program.
The course structure covers the following key themes:
- Understanding the Landscape: Understanding national challenges and the role of business in delivering value aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Rethinking the Supply Chain: Learning how business embeds sustainability across its supply chain, covering agriculture, production processes, packaging design and renewable energy use.
- People, Brands, & Communication: Exploring brand communication strategies, current consumer behavior, behavioral change, youth voices, and transparency in communicating sustainability progress in order to inspire consumers.
- Innovation & Your Role in the Future: Applying practical insights to real-world challenges, emphasizing the importance of innovation, progress tracking and applying creativity to build a sustainable future.
Building Sustainability for Net Zero 2050
In 2021, Nestlé Thailand announced its local roadmap for achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The company’s sustainability efforts are focused on four key areas from farm to fork: Sustainable Sourcing, Water Stewardship, Packaging Sustainability, and Carbon Reduction. Progress remains on track for the 2025 milestones, showing significant advancement towards the commitments in the roadmap.
A strong foundation for sustainability can only be achieved through the participation of all stakeholders. This collaborative effort to create a sustainability course involving the business sector, academia, and industry experts serves as a model for cooperation that will lead to tangible and sustainable outcomes.
