Shell Thailand highlights the importance of people empowerment for the 4th Industrial Revolution in ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2019
Nov 07, 2019
Bangkok, Thailand – Shell Thailand joined world and industry leaders at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2019 (ABIS) and called for greater collaboration and people empowerment as keys to thrive in the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Mr. Asada Harinsuit, Chairman, The Shell Company of Thailand Ltd.
Mr. Asada Harinsuit, Chairman, The Shell Company of Thailand Ltd., said “The human dimension is as strong as the technical dimension. The future is influenced by how these fit together and enable and drive each other. Individuals, businesses and governments alongside social, market and legal drivers will all play important role. We believe that the collaboration in all sectors and technology adoption in the most effective way will shape the quality of all our lives and support humans to thrive in the disruptive 4th Industrial revolution world and beyond.”
ASEAN countries today face a wider income distribution compared to most of the countries. Poverty remains a complex issue to solve by any government. According to the Asian Development Bank1, Thailand’s share of population below the National Poverty Line was as high as 7.9% in 2017. The underprivileged make up the largest portion of the population, lacking opportunities or access to tools that enable self-development or reskilling process for the digital transformation.
Given the challenges in today’s world, Shell Thailand sees the immediate need to empower people in the following areas;
- Income distribution - Poverty remains a complex issue. The underprivileged make up the largest portion of the population to be taken advantage of or lacking in opportunities to reskill for the digital transformation
- Technological change and impact on workforce - Technological implementation will be driving changes in the industrial sector in the forms of automated systems and AI. Some 28 million workers in the ASEAN Community are expected to be affected by these changes over the next 10 years.2
To promote people empowerment, Shell Thailand has been working with Mechai Foundation to help schools for the disadvantaged and people with disabilities to become life-long learning centers for students as well as the communities. Under this initiative, Shell customers, partners and staff worked together to raise funds to transform 12 schools into social enterprises. Students are empowered to create their own small businesses from vegetable farms to handicrafts, which allow them to become self-employed and sustainable within 2-3 years.
To date, the program has grown to now include 74 schools which benefited from the pioneers and have replicated the results to almost 32,000 primary and secondary school students. Smart farming is enabling students with physical disabilities to manage these farms. It is evolving into a community project where the schools are funded to involve nearby communities to come and learn from students. This will further create the ripple of impact as well as empowering students with disabilities to contribute to society.
“The next phase of the project will begin next year with the aim to involve provision of funding for the school to manage giving loans to communities nearby where adults come and learn from students. Many of the students will be disabled children who will no longer feel that they only receive help but will now offer help to others. We hope to be a key driving force to instil a sense of pride and feeling of empowerment among those children.” Mr. Asada added
1 https://www.adb.org/countries/thailand/poverty
2 http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/print_news/TCATG190622132103278
Enquiries
Thitipa Laxanaphisuth
Country Manager – External Relations
The Shell Company of Thailand Ltd.
T +66 (0) 2-262-7326
E t.Laxanaphisuth@shell.com
Yada Sintavarattana
H+K Strategies Thailand
M +66 (0) 2-627-3501 #213
E YSintavarattana@hkstrategies.com
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