Sustainable Brands ’15 Bangkok: Calling for Actions… Now!

“Sustainable Brands®” – a premier international community of brand innovators and strategists as well as sustainability professionals – will bring its brand of enriching the signature event and the global heavyweights in the related fields to Thailand mid-March next year. Being hosted by Thailand Management Association (TMA) and Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) in collaboration with a long list of the event’s partners from the public and private sectors, “Sustainable Brands ‟15 Bangkok” is set to kick-start a revolution, or at least a reform, in business practices in this country and readying it to become the sustainability center for ASEAN.

Taking the theme of “Reimagine, Redesign, Rebirth”, the event seeks to enable the success of better brands by embedding purpose-driven environmental and social innovations into the DNA of the business so that sustainability becomes a core driver of business and brand value.

TMA’s Chairman Mr. Visit Tantisunthorn presided over the press conference held today (December 15, 2014) at the Plaza Athenee’s VA Drawing 

Mr. Visit announced: “This marks the first time ever for ‘Sustainable Brands’ to be organized in Thailand or even in Asia. Running from March 18-19 next year at the Crystal Hall, the Plaza Athenee Bangkok-A Royal Meridien Hotel, the event features a star-studded line-up of speakers and panelists, and above all, the keynote address by the Venerable Dr. Anilman Dhammasākiyō Phra Shakyavongsvisuddhi. In addition, the invitation has been extended to the Nobel Peace Laureate 2006, Professor Muhammad Yunus – a pioneer of the microcredit concept and his innovative Grameen Bank for poor entrepreneurs, among many other notables.”

TMA Chairman continued: “All of us at TMA firmly believe that it will be extremely beneficial for the country to host this international event as it will boost up business spirit of the nation by pairing sustainability with marketing – each bringing a unique perspective but sharing common passion in shifting the world to a sustainable economy. I, therefore, wish to call for prompt and strong participation of all members and stakeholders of our association as well as other interested parties. You can be a part of the approaching changes and the potentially phenomenal success by signing up for as a participant or as a co-sponsor of the event.”

In a VDO message, founder/CEO of Sustainable Life Media Inc., Ms. KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz explained: “Sustainable Brands community, which began in 2007 as a small group of business leaders interested in understanding how brands could lead the way to a sustainable future, has turned into a global community of nearly one million professionals driving business success through sustainability-led brand innovation. Actively engaged both online through SustainableBrands.com and via our global network, sustainability and brand leaders are finding strength among peers and colleagues to reimagine business models and redesign product/service offerings to drive net positive social and environmental impact.”

Thai well-known brand strategist and SB Bangkok Project Leader, Dr. Sirikul elaborated: “As the world has witnessed the shifting of focus on brand building, more and more businesses have come to realize that creating a strong, business-driven brand alone is no longer enough. Since business, community and the environment are integral parts of the economy, the notion of sustainability plays an essential role in every organization. Strong brands are not enough, but sustainable ones are. And ‘Sustainable Brands’ will deliver the inspiration, ideas, community and solutions while companies need to act now to position themselves for long term success in a changing marketing environment.”

The branding guru also added: “We would like to inspire and enable forward-thinking individuals as well as organizations to innovate and implement ideas which contribute to both individual and collective health and prosperity that can be sustained. We also want to replenish Thailand through better brands and promote the country as the Sustainability Center of the region. This international event will bring you a mixture between innovation, brand creation and marketing strategy in the view of sustainability hand in hand with profitability. This is indeed the event every committed professional and corporate organization cannot afford to miss! And we are calling for actions, now!”Room. He was joined on the panel by a global propagator on sustainability Dr. Sirikul Laukaikul who is in charge as ‘Sustainable Brands ‘15 Bangkok’ Project Leader; Ms. Supawan Teerarat, Vice-President of TCEB; and TMA’s Chief Relationship Officer, Mr. Krishna Boonyachai, moderator of the day.

TCEB’s Vice-President, Ms. Supawan meanwhile commented: “TCEB mission is to support the organizing of events well-known in the global level in Thailand. In this occasion that Thailand is chosen to host Sustainable Brands ‘15 Bangkok’, which is the world-class event, it is regarded as the big success of TCEB and Thailand to bring this signature event into the country – the first time in Asia, and this event will enhance Thailand’s reputation in the international level. Moreover, we all set our sight on Sustainable Brands as a new goal which will thus mark the auspicious beginning of 2015 and the dawn of the AEC.”

Citing past successes in San Diego, London, Istanbul and Buenos Aires, Mr. Krishna on the other hand disclosed that: “Likewise, the upcoming event would feature approximately 30 insightful sessions of useful and diverse topics by the global thinkers who will share with the audience their journey toward the sustainable practice. There will also be breakout sessions, each of which will provide active, facilitated discussion on issue or case study designed to deliver actionable instruction, with participant Q&A.”

“Sustainable Brands ‘15 Bangkok” promises such world-class speakers as Mr. Kan Trakulhoon, President and CEO of Siam Cement Group; Mr. Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and Founder, Six Senses Resorts and Spas; Mr. Juan Gabriel Aguiniano, President Asia-Pacific, DuPont Sustainable Solution and many more key authorities in the business world.

Sharing this exciting news with the media, TMA’s Chief Relationship Officer Mr. Krishana also announced that: “TMA members and stakeholders as well as the general public members are strongly urged to take advantage of the Early Bird registration rate from now until January 16, 2015”

‘Sustainable Brands ‘15 Bangkok’ will be held on March 18-19, 2015 at Plaza Athenee Bangkok, a Royal Meridian Hotel. Interested participants may sign up now for early-bird privilege at tel 0 2319-7677, 0 2718-5601 #209 or fax 0 2319-5666. Registration will also be available today onwards. For further information, please visit www.sustainablebrandsbangkok.com or Facebook: SB Bangkok