As part of its 55th anniversary celebration in Thailand, global science company 3M reaffirmed its commitments to applying science, technology and innovation to help enhance the quality of life for the local community and accelerating its ambitions in environment, social and governance (ESG).
Throughout the past 55 years, 3M’s operations in Thailand has seen great success thanks to its application of science that continuously push the boundaries of innovation with the goal of improving lives through enhanced convenience and safety. Additionally, 3M is determined to build and maintain an organisation that is diverse, inclusive and equitable. Through these values, 3M believes that it will live up to the company’s purpose of unlocking the power of people, ideas, and science to reimagine what’s possible.
Mrs. Wiyada Srinaganand, Country Leader, 3M Thailand, said, “Applying science to improve every life has long been 3M’s goal. Over the years, we have developed and offered an extensive portfolio of products for a vast number of sectors through our four business groups, which are Safety & Industrial, Transportation & Electronics, Health Care, and Consumer. This enabled 3M products to be a part of everyone’s life and our products can be seen everywhere around you. As 3Mers, we take pride in playing a role to make life better for people across various dimensions.”
3M has a strong culture that puts “Customer at Our Core” and this encourages 3M employees to work closely with customers to understand the challenges they face. In doing so, employees are able to integrate the best of 3M’s technologies, capabilities, and solutions to solve the seemingly impossible and help people, businesses and communities achieve extraordinary outcomes.
Playing on its strengths, 3M has innovated over 60,000 quality products worldwide – 20,000 of which are offered in Thailand. More than five decades of operating with uncompromising integrity has earned 3M trust from customers while its products continue to meet the demands of consumers in Thailand.
Accelerating its ESG commitments
In tandem with business expansion, 3M proactively take steps to advance its ambitions in environment, social and governance (ESG). This includes several key projects in Thailand which contributes to 3M’s ambitious global goals to bend the curve.
As part of its strategic focus on empowering Science for Climate, solar panels were installed at the roof of the 3M plant in Lat Krabang Industrial Estate to generate clean energy from solar power and help reduce carbon dioxide emissions of over 1,041 tons per year. Thanks to this effort, 3M received an award for outstanding energy-saving building at the Thailand Energy Awards 2021. Additionally, waste from the production plant in Thailand is also properly managed as part of the company’s goal to achieving zero landfill status.
Since 2019, 3M has imposed a formal requirement for every new product being commercialised to demonstrate how they drive impact for the greater good. Examples include recyclability, energy and water savings, responsible sourcing, renewable materials, and appropriate reuse of products, or products whose core purpose is helping to solve an environmental and/or social concern.
3M continues to take actions and provide meaningful investments that will enable the company to build a strong foundation for equitable outcomes in the future. One such example is the 3M Moves campaign in Thailand. Besides encouraging the Thai community to exercise and stay fit, the cumulative steps of participants were translated into donations of 3M products to be distributed to people in need.
This year, 3M made a donation to equip Khun Yuam Hospital in Mae Hong Son with solar panels to promote the use of renewable energy and help minimise the hospital’s environmental footprint. 3M also contributed financially to the Ranong Recycle for Environment Social Enterprise (RRE) through a grant of $25,000, provided by 3Mgives, 3M’s global social investment arm. The grant will support RRE’s effort to purchase plastic waste collected from beaches, seas and islands from locals including the Moken to be sent for recycling which helps generate income for community development.
In addition, 3M carried out a variety of community services that included product donations and financial support to help vulnerable groups in the society; for example, the donation of 3M products, including necessities and cleaning products, to Mercy Center, and the delivery of survival bags in collaboration with ASEAN Foundation to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a company guided by sound science, 3M recognises the importance of equal access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. In line with its global commitment of creating 5 million STEM and skilled trades learning experiences by 2025, 3M Thailand organised a “Tech Talk” program for university students.
Besides using its 3M Innovation Center which acts as a learning hub for customers and business partners, 3M Thailand recently founded the 3M Safety and Industrial Park (SI Park) which includes a Customer Technical Center with Application Rooms where customers and the general public can learn about worker safety.
Creating a culture of inclusion and belonging
Employees are considered the most valuable asset that drives 3M toward continuous growth. Therefore, 3M has a firm belief that equality, diversity and inclusion for employees of all functions are the bedrock of a happy and healthy workplace suitable for learning and growth. Furthermore, by investing in volunteer programs that create a more positive world through science, 3M inspires and empowers its employees to play an essential role in driving change.
Reflecting lessons learned from pandemic remote work and employee feedback, 3M has implemented “Work Your Way”, a trust-based and flexible work model offering 3 work options for employees, namely on-site, hybrid and remote work that gives individuals the flexibility to work when and where they work best.
3M’s vision for the next few decades in Thailand and globally
Mrs. Wiyada Srinaganand, Country Leader, 3M Thailand added “We believe that science improves lives. As such, we will continue to apply our scientific expertise to create high-performance products and solutions with rigor and precision for the Thai community, for many more years to come.”
