After an intensive inspection by a 20-man team from the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), Viking Life-Saving Equipment's manufacturing plant in Laem Chabang has won a 2009 Environmental Governance Award, in recognition of exceeding nationwide standards covering environmental performance and social responsibility.
IEAT audited 138 companies working within the Laem Chabang Industrial Estate area, south of Bangkok. Viking is one of only five companies to win a 2009 Award.
The Good Environmental Governance Awards were established in 2007 to recognise companies offering environmental and social leadership, based on the organisation’s willingness to provide information on environmental initiatives for its workers, participation in surrounding communities, and corporate governance.
Morten Halfdan Petersen, Managing Director, Viking Life-saving Equipment (Thailand) Ltd, said that, in growing its activities in Thailand to the 500-staff strong plant now operating, Viking had set the same standards for workplace health, safety and environment that it adhered to in Denmark.
“Since we are in the business of saving lives, we have to make certain that our product quality is impeccable. One way to do this is to ensure that our workers benefit from the best working environment.”
Given that the majority of Viking life-saving products, from life jackets, to fire suits, survival suits and liferafts, are now produced in Thailand, the company also saw it as critical that workers viewed Viking’s commitment to the country as long term.
As part of its Global Service strategy to develop centres of excellence in Denmark, Asia and the USA, VIKING Thailand also recently opened its own dedicated training facility.
Another reason given by the IEAT for the award was Viking Thailand’s initiation of "the Homeland Project", where Viking employees worldwide donate clothes and toys to a different village every year from which Viking Thailand employees originate.