SCG 11th Sustainable Development Symposium proposes circular economy to fix global ails

At the Sustainable Development Symposium 2020 held on November 9 in Bangkok, Thailand themed “Circular Economy: Actions for Sustainable Future”, SCG brought along 180 partners from across the public and private sectors to discuss emerging global issues. Due to social distancing, the event was hosted online, however, it still generated a great deal of attention as well as paved the way to future collaboration to promote the circular economy worldwide.

Roongrote Rangsiyopash, SCG president and CEO (middle) and Tanawong Areeratchakul, chairman of SCG Sustainable Development Committee (right) stressed the importance of the circular economy in solving the global issues of plastic waste caused by COVID-19, among other problems such as drought, PM2.5 dust, and poverty alleviation

“Circular economy is one of the solutions for all of us to solve this global emergency. If we cannot carry out circular economy and apply it to our work, to our new lifestyle, this situation will become even more severe. As part of our community, SCG is at a place where we have an active role in forming the circular economy, collaboration, and inviting all people to join us in the circular economy effort,” shared Roongrote.

At the Symposium, Jacob Duer, president and CEO of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste shared alarming facts about plastic waste and showed opportunities for improvement with collaboration. Statistics show that 11 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into our environment each year, whereas only 9 per cent of the total plastics produced is recycled. Worldwide, there are 3 billion people who have no access to organised waste management

Following SCG’s suggestion, representatives from various sectors, including government, enterprises, and the academia discussed four fundamental factors to make a better living with circular economy principles, including building a circular water system in preparation for severe droughts in the next year; promote 100 per cent zero-burning agriculture within 2022 to minimise PM 2.5 dust; urging the government to set plastic waste management as part of the national agenda; and promoting circular economy in the construction industry

The Symposium also brought a young voice to share about practical ways to enable the circular economy in daily life, starting from waste segregation – a simple way to enhance recyclability to help solve the plastic waste problem from the root

With its consistent efforts in the past 11 years through SD Symposium, SCG has affirmed its role as the leading corporation in sustainable development who actively drives the development of the circular economy through collaboration. Especially, in just the past year, the multi-sectoral collaboration network initiated by SCG has increased from 45 members to 180 members, working together toward a common goal of sustainability

SCG is the leading sustainable enterprise in the ASEAN region. In 2020, SCG was listed as No.1 in the world in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) as Industry Leader – Construction Materials. Also, SCG ranked in the Gold Class and shared first place as Industry Group Leader in the Materials category. SCG is the first organisation in ASEAN to be assessed as a member of DJSI since 2004 and stay not the index for 17 consecutive years.

Following its effort to connect partners across the globe for circular economy action, SCG also pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lead the organisation to net zero by 2050, joining the Paris Agreement to limit the temperature increase to less than to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Moreover, SCG is well aware of the severe impacts of climate change and the waste problem, and has adopted the circular economy into its operations with concrete strategies in its three core businesses including cement-building materials, packaging, and chemicals.

For more information about the SD Symposium 2020 and access more information about the Symposium, please log on to: sdsymposium2020.com/en/