Bangkok, July 22, 2015 – Six leading firms join “Philanthropic Investment” Initiative, raising the start-up fund of well over Bt120 million. The initiative will invest in listed securities that have outstanding Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance so as to generate profits for sustainable social welfare/social development.
BTS Group Holdings, Minor Group, LPN Development, Khon Kaen Sugar Industry, Nam Seng Insurance, and Tisco Financial Group announce at a press conference today (22 July) that they have jointly started a fund for philanthropic investments. The fund is now set to invest in listed securities that are on THAIPAT Institute’s ESG100 list. Profits will be expected no lower than what are offered by traditional investments. This mean the investors shall thus earn regular returns for their choices of CSR activities or policies.
Dr. Anat Arbhabhirama, executive director of BTS Group Holdings, says, “BTS Group is pleased to have been a founding member of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative. We always wish to promote sustainable investments in the Thai capital market. We have also recognized that ESG investments have been growing significantly across the world”.
BTS Holding has agreed to provide Bt20 million for long-term investments under the initiative. Profits will be used to fund the “Happiness Station by BTS Group Members” program, a core part of the firm’s CSR activities. This program seeks to deliver happiness and assistance to children and communities in remote areas that have never received any help before. Surveys are conducted ahead of the delivery to check what intended recipients lack, so that help can respond best to their needs. In addition to general supplies and medicines, the program also brings along mobile medical units since April 2015. BTS Holding also hopes that profits from its philanthropic investments will support its various other CSR projects, which kicked off since 2007. Among them are “Sky Clinics” project, the “Vegetarian Food Promotion” project, and the project to educate youth about energy saving via educational tours around transportation facilities. BTS Holding has also handed out scholarships to good but cash-strapped students at various schools across the country on a regular basis. It has organized merit-making events in support of Buddhism too.
Moreover, the firm has implemented the “BTS Group for Conservation of Thai Elephants” project that provides medical supplies and medicines to the Elephant Hospital in Lampang province and funds the construction of the National Elephant Institute’s elephant hospital in Krabi province. The institute is under the patronage of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana.
Mr. Dillipraj Rajakarier, COO of Minor International Public Company Limited and CEO of Minor Hotel Group, says, “I am very pleased to see such initiative materializing in Thailand. It is going to ensure the sustainable delivery of help to the underprivileged as well as charity organizations. Minor Group intends to use the profits from its philanthropic investments for the society. Money will be donated to the many foundations that Minor Group has been supporting. For example, we have supported the Heinecke Foundation, which extends help to good students from poor families, the Golden Triangle Elephant Foundation, which seeks to reduce roaming elephants in town, promote elephant conservation, and distribute knowledge and research findings that are related to elephants, and also the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation. In addition, we will use the profits for the Minor Foundation that is now being established”.
Mr. Tikhamporn Plengsrisuk, president of LPN Development Public Company Limited, says, “Philanthropic Investments are innovations that respond well to LPN needs. Through such investments, we will earn profits that can be used to support our subsidiary’s CSR activities. The subsidiary, Lumpini Property Service and Care Company Limited (LPC), has the policy to empower underprivileged women by turning them into community-service workers. As LPC has effectively bolstered the dignity and quality of life of these women, LPN has set its sight on turning LPC into a social enterprise”.
LPN Development, and some of its executive directors led by Tikhamporn have already raised Bt20 million for the Philanthropic Investment Initiative. They also plan to increase their philanthropic investments in the future for the purpose of supporting LPC policy.
Mr. Chamroon Chinthammit, CEO and president of Khon Kaen Sugar Industry Public Company Limited in KSL Group, says, “Our businesses have been successful throughout the past 70 years because our vision and missions focus on the creation of benefits for all stakeholders and on the sustainable development, which is rooted in the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. Our part in the launch of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative gives us an opportunity to increase our role in the delivery of benefits to all stakeholders and the society under the sustainable-development framework”.
KSL Group has given Bt20 million to the Philanthropic Investment Initiative in the hope that profits from the investments will go to its charity causes. At present, KSL Group has promoted the better healthcare through donations to hospitals. It has also planned to use profits for educational projects and underprivileged people.
Mr. Somboon Fusriboon, managing director of Nam Seng Insurance Public Company Limited, a co-founder of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative, says he is happy to see such initiative in Thailand. According to him, his firm has always sought to create security and sustainability for the Thai society. Via its insurance options, Nam Seng Insurance has managed risks about Thais’ lives and properties for 68 years already. Throughout its operation, the firm has encouraged both its executive and its staff to join internal and external CSR activities. Nam Seng Insurance has also built its CSR networks so as to facilitate co-operation for its CSR activities in a relevant and sustainable way. The firm has offered Bt20 million for the Philanthropic Investment Initiative now, as it hopes to earn profits for its various CSR activities. Nam Seng Insurance has conducted activities for the promotion of good healthcare and public safety, implemented projects that give educational opportunities to underprivileged children/youth, and supported environmental protection as well as sustainable social development.
Mrs. Oranuch Apisaksirikul, president of Tisco Group, says her firm is not just a co-founder of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative but also the manager of its investment fund. She adds that, “Philanthropic investments have been going on in foreign countries for quite a long time already. So, it’s really good that such concept now materializes in a tangible form in Thailand too. Tisco Group is pleased to have been a co-founder of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative and the manager of its fund. I believe that Tisco Group, as a financial institute that has provided both financial and investment services, will be able to put its expertise to good use here and allow the philanthropic investment fund to reap good returns. The profits can then go to various useful causes in line with the initiative’s goal. Tisco Group, after all, has played an active role in establishing and developing the Thai capital market for a very long time already”.
Tisco Group has provided Bt20 million for the Philanthropic Investment Initiative. Profits from the investments, it says, will go to its CSR activities. Tisco Group has usually focused these activities on the promotion of financial literacy because Thais in general have still had a low level of financial knowledge. If the financial literacy improves, Thais should be able to better manage their financial matters in their everyday’s life, develop financial discipline, and learn to accumulate savings well. Such habits promise a good quality of life on a sustainable basis. In a bid to increase financial literacy in the Thai society, Tisco Group has organized financial camps for youth and provided training to various communities across the country. In addition, Tisco Group has offered educational opportunities to needy students via the Tisco Foundation, along with the ESG promotion in regard to corporate governance, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability.
The Philanthropic Investment Initiative is born out of THAIPAT Institute’s idea that one should put money in investments so that one can get profits for use in one’s efforts to help the society on education, public health, occupational development and environmental protection front. Through the investments, help can be delivered while the start-up capital remains intact. This idea is proposed for companies, corporate foundations, family offices, and individuals to consider. Philanthropic investments ensures that help or resources can be provided until real changes happen or the charity goals are really fulfilled.
An enterprise or an organization that is interested in joining the Philanthropic Investment Project can get more information from http://thaipat.org.
[Source]
BTS Group Holdings, Minor Group, LPN Development, Khon Kaen Sugar Industry, Nam Seng Insurance, and Tisco Financial Group announce at a press conference today (22 July) that they have jointly started a fund for philanthropic investments. The fund is now set to invest in listed securities that are on THAIPAT Institute’s ESG100 list. Profits will be expected no lower than what are offered by traditional investments. This mean the investors shall thus earn regular returns for their choices of CSR activities or policies.
Dr. Anat Arbhabhirama, executive director of BTS Group Holdings, says, “BTS Group is pleased to have been a founding member of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative. We always wish to promote sustainable investments in the Thai capital market. We have also recognized that ESG investments have been growing significantly across the world”.
BTS Holding has agreed to provide Bt20 million for long-term investments under the initiative. Profits will be used to fund the “Happiness Station by BTS Group Members” program, a core part of the firm’s CSR activities. This program seeks to deliver happiness and assistance to children and communities in remote areas that have never received any help before. Surveys are conducted ahead of the delivery to check what intended recipients lack, so that help can respond best to their needs. In addition to general supplies and medicines, the program also brings along mobile medical units since April 2015. BTS Holding also hopes that profits from its philanthropic investments will support its various other CSR projects, which kicked off since 2007. Among them are “Sky Clinics” project, the “Vegetarian Food Promotion” project, and the project to educate youth about energy saving via educational tours around transportation facilities. BTS Holding has also handed out scholarships to good but cash-strapped students at various schools across the country on a regular basis. It has organized merit-making events in support of Buddhism too.
Moreover, the firm has implemented the “BTS Group for Conservation of Thai Elephants” project that provides medical supplies and medicines to the Elephant Hospital in Lampang province and funds the construction of the National Elephant Institute’s elephant hospital in Krabi province. The institute is under the patronage of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana.
Mr. Dillipraj Rajakarier, COO of Minor International Public Company Limited and CEO of Minor Hotel Group, says, “I am very pleased to see such initiative materializing in Thailand. It is going to ensure the sustainable delivery of help to the underprivileged as well as charity organizations. Minor Group intends to use the profits from its philanthropic investments for the society. Money will be donated to the many foundations that Minor Group has been supporting. For example, we have supported the Heinecke Foundation, which extends help to good students from poor families, the Golden Triangle Elephant Foundation, which seeks to reduce roaming elephants in town, promote elephant conservation, and distribute knowledge and research findings that are related to elephants, and also the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation. In addition, we will use the profits for the Minor Foundation that is now being established”.
Mr. Tikhamporn Plengsrisuk, president of LPN Development Public Company Limited, says, “Philanthropic Investments are innovations that respond well to LPN needs. Through such investments, we will earn profits that can be used to support our subsidiary’s CSR activities. The subsidiary, Lumpini Property Service and Care Company Limited (LPC), has the policy to empower underprivileged women by turning them into community-service workers. As LPC has effectively bolstered the dignity and quality of life of these women, LPN has set its sight on turning LPC into a social enterprise”.
LPN Development, and some of its executive directors led by Tikhamporn have already raised Bt20 million for the Philanthropic Investment Initiative. They also plan to increase their philanthropic investments in the future for the purpose of supporting LPC policy.
Mr. Chamroon Chinthammit, CEO and president of Khon Kaen Sugar Industry Public Company Limited in KSL Group, says, “Our businesses have been successful throughout the past 70 years because our vision and missions focus on the creation of benefits for all stakeholders and on the sustainable development, which is rooted in the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. Our part in the launch of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative gives us an opportunity to increase our role in the delivery of benefits to all stakeholders and the society under the sustainable-development framework”.
KSL Group has given Bt20 million to the Philanthropic Investment Initiative in the hope that profits from the investments will go to its charity causes. At present, KSL Group has promoted the better healthcare through donations to hospitals. It has also planned to use profits for educational projects and underprivileged people.
Mr. Somboon Fusriboon, managing director of Nam Seng Insurance Public Company Limited, a co-founder of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative, says he is happy to see such initiative in Thailand. According to him, his firm has always sought to create security and sustainability for the Thai society. Via its insurance options, Nam Seng Insurance has managed risks about Thais’ lives and properties for 68 years already. Throughout its operation, the firm has encouraged both its executive and its staff to join internal and external CSR activities. Nam Seng Insurance has also built its CSR networks so as to facilitate co-operation for its CSR activities in a relevant and sustainable way. The firm has offered Bt20 million for the Philanthropic Investment Initiative now, as it hopes to earn profits for its various CSR activities. Nam Seng Insurance has conducted activities for the promotion of good healthcare and public safety, implemented projects that give educational opportunities to underprivileged children/youth, and supported environmental protection as well as sustainable social development.
Mrs. Oranuch Apisaksirikul, president of Tisco Group, says her firm is not just a co-founder of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative but also the manager of its investment fund. She adds that, “Philanthropic investments have been going on in foreign countries for quite a long time already. So, it’s really good that such concept now materializes in a tangible form in Thailand too. Tisco Group is pleased to have been a co-founder of the Philanthropic Investment Initiative and the manager of its fund. I believe that Tisco Group, as a financial institute that has provided both financial and investment services, will be able to put its expertise to good use here and allow the philanthropic investment fund to reap good returns. The profits can then go to various useful causes in line with the initiative’s goal. Tisco Group, after all, has played an active role in establishing and developing the Thai capital market for a very long time already”.
Tisco Group has provided Bt20 million for the Philanthropic Investment Initiative. Profits from the investments, it says, will go to its CSR activities. Tisco Group has usually focused these activities on the promotion of financial literacy because Thais in general have still had a low level of financial knowledge. If the financial literacy improves, Thais should be able to better manage their financial matters in their everyday’s life, develop financial discipline, and learn to accumulate savings well. Such habits promise a good quality of life on a sustainable basis. In a bid to increase financial literacy in the Thai society, Tisco Group has organized financial camps for youth and provided training to various communities across the country. In addition, Tisco Group has offered educational opportunities to needy students via the Tisco Foundation, along with the ESG promotion in regard to corporate governance, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability.
The Philanthropic Investment Initiative is born out of THAIPAT Institute’s idea that one should put money in investments so that one can get profits for use in one’s efforts to help the society on education, public health, occupational development and environmental protection front. Through the investments, help can be delivered while the start-up capital remains intact. This idea is proposed for companies, corporate foundations, family offices, and individuals to consider. Philanthropic investments ensures that help or resources can be provided until real changes happen or the charity goals are really fulfilled.
An enterprise or an organization that is interested in joining the Philanthropic Investment Project can get more information from http://thaipat.org.
[Source]