Suntory PepsiCo Thailand launches the 3rd year of "Mizuiku Program: Youth Water Education"

May 06, 2021

Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the manufacturer and distributor of beverage products under Suntory and PepsiCo brands in Thailand, has teamed up with "Klong Wises Co., Ltd.", Social and Environmental Activist, and has also earned fruitful support from governmental agencies specialized in environmental and education including Department of Environmental Quality Promotion and Department of Water Resources under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Office of the Basic Education Commission under the Ministry of Education which serve as the honorary advisors for "Mizuiku 2021 Program: Youth Water Education". 

Suntory PepsiCo Thailand is fully aware of the importance of water resource. The company is committed to continuing the philosophy of "Mizu To Ikiru" or "Living with Water" and elaborating such concept into real practice through water-conscious business performance and projects aimed at the conservation and rehabilitation of watershed forests. Included is the "Mizuiku Program: Youth Water Education", the focal program that the company has been steering and developing progressively since 2019, with the aims to educate youth on water knowledge, promote their consciousness on the importance of water conservation and raise their awareness on the reasonable use of water in daily life to pass on the rich environment and the good quality of life to the next generation.

 Mr. Ashish Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Company Limited, reiterated the company's vision that strives for "Growing for Good", or the business conduct alongside social and environmental care and responsibility. "That's the reason why Suntory PepsiCo Thailand has been continuing with full confidence with ‘Mizuiku Program: Youth Water Education’. For its 3rd year, we are set to expand to more than 200 schools in 5 provinces: Bangkok; Ayutthaya; Pathum Thani; Saraburi, and Nakhon Pathom through various fun activities aimed to enrich students with the knowledge on water as well as the conservation of water resource. The activities include workshop training Train the Water ‘Ambassador’ and ‘Youth Water Camp’. Furthermore, we have developed new initiatives such as school stage play to raise awareness on water, school or community water conservation project, drawing contest under the theme ‘Love(d) Water’ and prize awarded to the ‘Water Conservation Model School’."

 For the 3rd year "Mizuiku Program: Youth Water Education", Suntory PepsiCo Thailand has also teamed up with Klong Wises Co., Ltd., in promoting the learning of environmental conservation under the concept "Learn the Co-Existence in Harmony with the Environment." Ms. Kornkaew Thiensiri, Director for Social and Environmental Program at Klong Wises Co., Ltd, revealed that, " Klong Wises is extremely glad to share this view with Suntory PepsiCo Thailand in regard to natural conservation, especially in raising awareness among youth in the love and understanding of the environment. This partnership reflects one of the commitments to shape youth into ideal citizens with consciousness on natural resources, especially water resource, which will further inspire them to practice water conservation in their daily life."

 Moreover, Suntory PepsiCo Thailand has received notable participation from governmental agencies with key undertakings in environment, which are Department of Environmental Quality Promotion and Department of Water Resources under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment serving as the program's honourary advisor. Ms. Pawinee Saiburi, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion, explained that, "The Department of Environmental Quality Promotion's vision aims to promote good environmental quality by means of body of knowledge and people's contribution. We then joined the program as advisor to guide and provide knowledge on water to students such as water quality testing, guideline of water conservation and impact of trash littered in water resource. The Department meanwhile hopes that the students will adapt what they will have learned to their daily life as well as passing it on to their peer and families." While Mr. Jirawat Ratisoontorn, Director of the Coordinating Bureau of the Masses, Department of Water Resources commented that, "All the activities under this program correspond with the Department of Water Resources' mission in promoting the people's participation in water management, conservation and rehabilitation. Since water is the nation's stability, lack of water means a big impact to everyone namely daily water usage, profession, tourism and transport. To plant the knowledge on water along with raising the youth's awareness on the importance of water since early start is therefore very crucial." 

 At the same time, to ensure that this year's program can reach out to target groups, Suntory PepsiCo Thailand has also invited Office of the Basic Education Commission, Ministry of Education to serve as another honorary advisor. Mr. Wichian Wapadthai, Deputy Director of the Pathum Thani Office of Primary Education, District 1, confirmed that, "The knowledge on environment is the key to augment the youth's care on the environment as well as raising their awareness on environmental impact caused by behavior in our lifestyle. ‘Mizuiku Program: Youth Water Education’ can respond to this requirement as it provides knowledge on water resource to primary and secondary students. That is why the Pathum Thani Office of Primary Education, District 1 is glad to serve as the advisor of the program to emphasize on the importance of knowledge alongside being good citizens." 

“Suntory PepsiCo Thailand aims to expand ‘Mizuiku Program: Youth Water Education’ to schools nationwide. We hope to see these students grow up as the new generation with appreciation of water resource, and that they will be ready to convey their knowledge and experience obtained from the program to their families and those around them as this will contribute to the establishment of a good society in the future.", concluded Mr. Ashish Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Company Limited.