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Published on November 30, 2007

Recently the Finance Ministry revised upward its estimate of economic growth to 4.5 per cent for this year. Meanwhile, Dow Chemical Thailand posted more than US$1 billion (Bt33.84 billion) in revenue last year.

After doing business in Thailand for 40 years, the science and technology firm's Thai unit yesterday announced it had implemented what it called the "Human Element'' campaign to drive its sustainable-development strategy.

The campaign was initiated in the United States, followed by the European Union at the beginning of this year. China will be next and this is scheduled for the third quarter of next year.

Vorapong Vorasun-tharosoth, Dow Chemical's public-affairs chief for Australia and Southeast Asia, said the company had set another 10-year goal - "2015 sustainability'', running from 2006 - after achieving its 1996-2005 target for concern over the environment.

He added that the old target was about limiting the environmental impact of the company's activities, while the new goal is designed to help solve the world's problems.

Vorapong said that according to the company's measurements, Dow had reduced chemical emissions by 56 per cent while increasing production by 31 per cent. It has reduced solid wastes by 726,000 tonnes and wastewater by 83 million tonnes. It has also saved 900 trillion British thermal units of energy, he said.

However, Vorapong declined to disclose the budget to promote the Human Element campaign this year. He said that in Thailand the company had conducted its campaign through, for example, public relations and Dow-employee communication. Next year, it might consider advertising channels.

"Under the concept of the Human Element, the company has tried to bring chemistry and humanity together for the betterment of the world," he said. He added that Dow Chemical in Thailand had supported a large number of activities to help Thai communities for more than 10 years.

Liu said the firm had started in Thailand in 1967 with a chemical-product trading business and now comprises two wholly owned subsidiaries - Dow Chemical Thailand and Dow AgriScience (Thailand) - and two affiliates: Carbide Chemical Thailand and the SCG-Dow Group.

"The trend for the petrochemicals business next year is difficult to predict because of the volatility of world oil prices," said Liu.

Dow Chemical posted annual sales last year of $49 billion with more than 3,300 products from 156 manufacturers in 37 countries. The group has 43,000 employees globally.

Sasithorn Ongdee

 The Nation