Mr. Ashish Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Co., Ltd., announced that the One Suntory Mizuiku Program 2024 aims to amplify the impact of water conservation programs in Thailand led by the two companies. The program focuses on educating and instilling an understanding of the importance of water and the environment among the youth. As part of the program, the 'Mizuiku Water Hero Camp' is designed to foster learning about water and environmental conservation through hands-on activities in youth camps and the 'Nature Classroom' for students from Rayong and Chonburi. We also provide financial support to schools for integrating water conservation practices and environmental projects in their schools and surrounding communities through the 'Mizuiku Water Model School 2024' Contest. Moreover, we will conduct watershed conservation activities to raise awareness and create positive changes in local communities while offering employee engagement opportunities in water conservation. This comprehensive approach aims for sustainable development in both environmental and social dimensions in a concreate way, reaffirming our corporate value of 'Growing for Good', a commitment to operating a business while taking care of society and the environment, that are strongly upheld by both companies."
Mr. Omer Malik, Chief Executive Officer, Suntory Beverage & Food Thailand Co., Ltd., shared that "our strong commitment and the combined expertise of the two companies providing knowledge and hands-on experiences in environmental protection will lead to the success of One Suntory Mizuiku Program this year. Looking ahead, we must recognize that water management challenges are real and becoming more serious. As these challenges, whether water pollution or natural disasters resulting from global warming, are man-made, instilling water protection awareness in youth is crucial. Suntory Group has set a roadmap for water conservation education programs to reach more children in each country that implements the Mizuiku program. To support this roadmap, the Mizuiku program in Thailand will expand to more locations and scale up activities to reach more children. We are confident that the shared commitment of both companies, along with the strong support from our partners, will lead us to success in achieving our goals for water and environmental protection."
This year, the main activities of the "One Suntory Mizuiku Program" comprise the "Mizuiku Water Hero Camp" and the "Mizuiku Water Model School" Contest, featuring 30 selected primary schools in target provinces, including Rayong and Chonburi. Altogether, more than 500 students, teachers and volunteers from both companies are joining the activities. The activity aims to educate Thai youth about the importance of water resources and to enhance their understanding of the water cycle and local water-related challenges. It encourages their involvement in daily water and environmental conservation through various learning approaches, including activity-based learning, recreational games, and learning stations. The activities allow them to gain hands-on experiences from 'Nature Classrooms' such as the Rayong Botanic Garden, Thung Prong Thong, the Museum of Natural History, Marine Plants and Animals, and Laem Son Beach. Furthermore, students and teachers are provided opportunities to exchange knowledge, as well as to receive advice from distinguished environmental experts on developing a "Mizuiku Water Model School" tailored to each school's context. This model integrates four aspects of water conservation, including policy, stakeholder participation, infrastructure, and community engagement. Upon the completion of Mizuiku Water Hero Camp, each school will receive financial support of 10,000 baht to create a framework, implement a water conservation project in the school, and form the "Mizuiku Club" to drive the project sustainably. Students from the winning "Mizuiku Water Model School" in each province will join an educational trip to Japan to learn about the origin of the "Mizuiku" program. Moreover, watershed conservation activities will be held to educate about water conservation and create positive changes in local communities. It also provides the opportunity for employees of the two companies to participate in these activities.
Mr. Alexander Simon Rendell, Chief Executive Officer, Environmental Education Centre: EEC, mentioned, "I believe education is the answer and the approach to sustainability in natural resources protection efforts. We must build a foundation for sustainability by instilling love, a sense of ownership, and the need for environmental protection. This belief is the origin of EEC, which continues to this day. In line with EEC's philosophy of 'Let Nature be Our Classroom', the Mizuiku Water Hero Camp activities are designed with the concept 'No water. No us.' This aims to create awareness about the benefits of water in all dimensions and use education to cultivate a sense of commitment to water conservation. By understanding causes and effects and through practical experiences, observation, data collection, and analytical thinking, participants can develop a clear concept for a water conservation project that suits each school and community. At the camp, we will not only facilitate fun activities and comprehensible content but also provide knowledge by environmental specialists from the public and academic sectors. This will enable young students to appreciate the importance of water in all aspects of life. Everyone plays a vital role in water conservation and must take part in saving water resources before it's too late."
The "Mizuiku" program has been established since 2004 in Japan by Suntory Holdings Limited. The program name is derived from the Japanese words "Mizu", meaning water, and "Iku", meaning education. It aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of water conservation, ranging from upstream, midstream, to downstream, as well as natural resources and the environment in communities. In addition, the program seeks to cultivate a strong commitment to water conservation among youth, which is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 6 on the assurance of availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. More importantly, this year marks a special milestone as the "Mizuiku" program in Japan celebrates its 20th anniversary. The Japanese "Mizuiku" is the model program that has expanded to eight countries globally, including Thailand. The program has successfully benefited more than 580,000 participants, reflecting Suntory Group's strong determination to make positive and sustainable changes in our society and environment, ensuring these precious natural resources availability for future generations.
Updates on the "One Suntory Mizuiku Program" can be found on Facebook: One Suntory Mizuiku Program Thailand (https://www.facebook.com/OneSuntoryMizuikuProgram)
Source: SOLISTER PR
