AMCHAM Thailand Announces Finalists for Special Awards at the 2025 AMCHAM Corporate Impact Awards

   AMCHAM Thailand Announces Finalists for Special Awards at the 2025 AMCHAM Corporate Impact Awards

AMCHAM Member Companies Building Thailand’s Future: Celebrating Innovation, Empowerment and Impact

The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (AMCHAM) has announced the finalists for the Special Awards at the AMCHAM Corporate Impact Awards 2025, recognizing outstanding corporate initiatives driving social and environmental impact across three award categories: the Ambassador’s Award, the Thai Development Award, and the Impact Excellence Award.

A total of nine finalists, three per category, were selected by the AMCHAM Corporate Impact Council from member companies recognized this year for their exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to sustainability.

Ambassador’s Award: Awarded by the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, this category honors initiatives that empower communities through education, upskilling, and entrepreneurship. The 2025 finalists are:

• Ford Thailand: The Ford Smart Mobility Challenge, now in its eleventh year, empowers Thai youth to design mobility solutions in access, safety, and well-being. In 2024, 230 submissions led to 12 student scholarships and four institutional awards with a total value of 840,000 baht, with expert-led training driving innovation and community impact.
• Western Digital: Western Digital Thailand’s program LEAD: Elevating Thailand’s Digital Transformation for the Future equips over 5,000 learners with STEM, digital, and entrepreneurial skills in Thailand. Through coding bootcamps, innovation challenges, teacher upskilling, and scholarships, the program promotes lifelong learning from youth to post-doctoral and working professionals, advancing Industry 5.0 readiness, social entrepreneurship, and community impact, including tech-enabled elderly care solutions.
• Mars Thailand: Mars Petcare Thailand and GIZ launched RECARP in 2023 to cut Scope 3 emissions and empower over 1,400 corn and rice farmers with regenerative agriculture training. By 2024, farmers cut costs up to 23% and boosted yield by 16%, advancing climate-smart practices, sustainable livelihoods, and Thailand’s low-carbon agricultural future.

Thai Development Award: This award acknowledges projects that are innovating future-ready infrastructure for a brighter tomorrow. The 2025 finalists are:

• Chevron: Chevron’s Biogas Rubber Project in Songkhla helps the Yung Thong Rubber Cooperative convert wastewater into biogas and adopt solar power, replacing firewood in rubber processing. Cutting CO₂ emissions by 425 tons annually and saving up to 180,it earned Thailand’s first Carbon Footprint certification for smoked rubber sheets in 2024.
• Bangchak Sriracha: BSRC’s Bio-Conservation initiative integrates space technology, data-driven forest monitoring, and community upskilling to protect biodiversity and empower people. Through women’s entrepreneurship training, scholarships for 130 students, and a Space Innovator Camp, the programs advance education, sustainability, and livelihoods – building resilient communities and future-ready ecosystems that benefit both people and planet.
• Danieli: Danieli Thailand drives green innovation in the steel industry through its “Green Steel Plant” initiative, featuring over 400 environmental technologies like ultra-low dust fume treatment and energy recovery systems. Partnering with educational institutions, Danieli promotes sustainable industry, boosts community well-being, and supports Thailand’s net-zero 2050 goal while generating strong economic impact.

Impact Excellence Award: This award recognizes projects that drive social impact through U.S.-Thai trade and investment synergies. The 2025 finalists are:

• Organon: The Smart Family Life Planning (SFLP) project empowers vulnerable factory and migrant workers, particularly women, across five provinces with sexual and reproductive health, financial literacy, and 21st-century skills. Since 2023, it has trained 1,203 individuals (specifically 695 vulnerable women), 166 community change agents, and reached 9,287 people, scaling for broader impact through e-learning and policy advocacy.
• The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok: Part of Marriott International, the hotel localizes its global Serve 360 platform to benefit Thai communities. Initiatives include youth internships with Save the Children, CSR activities, sustainable infrastructure like BEMS, global certifications, and local sourcing, demonstrating how U.S.-Thai collaboration drives social, environmental, and economic impact in Thailand.
• VCON: VCON’s NextGen Engineering Program inspires Thai and Cambodian students to pursue engineering careers with hands-on experience in sustainable infrastructure. In 2024, 300+ students learned international standards, BIM, and ACI/PCI practices, boosting professional readiness, technical skills, and gender inclusivity – 72% are now advancing into engineering roles with sustainability expertise.

Each judging panel for the award categories will include key representatives from both the public and private sectors. These include the Board of Investment, Ministry of Higher Education, Science & Research, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Office of Industrial Economics, United Nations Population Fund, United Nations Development, U.S. Embassy, United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), previous special award winners, and AMCHAM Board Governors.

The AMCHAM Corporate Impact Awards 2025 will culminate in a gala dinner on November 12, 2025, announcing the Special Awards winners and celebrating the broader contributions of 117 AMCHAM member companies to sustainable growth and social impact. Milestone awards will honor long-term social responsibility commitments: Silver (three years), Gold (five years), and Platinum (ten years) recognition for consecutive achievement.

For more details about AMCHAM and the Chamber’s Corporate Impact Awards, please visit  AMCHAM Corporate Impact Awards, or email varsha@amchamthailand.com.

Media Contact

Varsha Wadhwani, AMCHAM Communications Manager

About AMCHAM Thailand

The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (AMCHAM) is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit membership organization with 3,500 members representing over 690 American, Thai, and other international companies. Member companies have cumulatively invested over 90 billion U.S. dollars in Thailand and provide more than 500,000 local jobs.

Annex: Project Details

Ambassador’s Award – Empowering communities through education, upskilling, and entrepreneurship

Ford Thailand

The Ford Smart Mobility Challenge, previously Ford Innovator Scholarship, is one of Ford’s flagship programs in Thailand. Now in its eleventh year, the program continues to empower Thai youth to develop ideas that strengthen communities.

This year’s theme, “Driving Innovation to Power the Future of Movement,” invites youth to design mobility solutions in three areas: access and inclusion, safety, and well-being.

To build entrepreneurial and innovation skills, students receive expert-led training in areas such as prototyping, generating income, and business pitching. The Challenge not only helps scale winning ideas for real-world use but also equips participants with critical soft skills and hands-on experience to prepare them for future careers.

In 2024, the program received 230 submissions from students, reflecting youth commitment to support communities. 12 scholarships were awarded to the finalists, and four scholarships were granted to the institutions with a total value of 840,000 baht

Western Digital 

Western Digital Thailand empowers communities through its flagship program LEAD: Elevating Thailand’s Digital Transformation for the Future, developing high-skill talent from youth to post-doctoral researchers and professionals in digital skills, STEM, and entrepreneurship.

In partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, NSTDA, universities, and schools, the program has trained over 5,000 learners and educators nationwide. Key outputs include digital literacy and coding bootcamps, innovation challenges driving problem-solving and social enterprise, upskilling vocational teachers with modern teaching tools, and scholarships with mentorship for underprivileged students.

Aligned with Industry 5.0, the program nurtures entrepreneurial thinking through real-world projects. One student team created a tech-enabled elderly care solution now piloted in their community. By collaborating with AMCHAM members, universities, and NGOs, the initiative bridges opportunity gaps in rural and industrial areas while fostering lifelong learning and sustainable communities ready for the digital economy.

Mars Thailand

Mars Petcare Thailand, in partnership with GIZ, launched “Regenerative Corn and  Rice Agriculture Project (RECARP)”, to tackle Scope 3 emissions and transform agriculture. Since November 2023, RECARP has empowered over 1,400 corn and rice farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima, Lopburi, Ang Thong, Singburi, and Saraburi through training tailored to the global shift toward low-carbon commodities.

Farmers are trained in regenerative practices and climate adaptation techniques that reduce input costs and increase yields, promoting both environmental and economic sustainability. Financial literacy training enables resource management, crop planning, and profitability. In 2024, over 170 farmers in the project could reduce their farming cost by 23% while over 100 farmers could increase their yield by 16% on average, leading to improved net income among farmers. These outcomes mark a shift from conventional farming to climate-smart, market-ready entrepreneurship. RECARP demonstrates how public- private partnership improves environmental impact while rebuilding livelihoods. It shows how education and upskilling empower communities, laying the foundation for resilient farming and a competitive, low-carbon agricultural economy in Thailand.

Thai Development Award:  Innovating future-ready infrastructure for a brighter tomorrow.

Chevron

Chevron Biogas Rubber Project: Advancing Low-Carbon Innovation in Thailand – Thailand’s rubber industry, a global leader in natural rubber production, traditionally relies on firewood and fossil fuels, contributing to emissions and environmental harm. To address this, Chevron partnered with the Prince of Songkla University’s Energy Systems Research Institute (PERIN), local cooperatives, and community stakeholders to launch the Biogas Rubber Project in Songkhla.

The initiative supports the Yung Thong Rubber Cooperative, with 206 members, in converting rubber processing wastewater into biogas for smoking rubber sheets, replacing firewood. The cooperative also adopted solar energy systems, reducing carbon emissions and production costs while improving air and water quality. Odor reduction has further benefited nearby communities.

In 2024, Yung Thong became Thailand’s first rubber enterprise to earn the Carbon Footprint of Product certification for smoked rubber sheets. The cooperative can cut CO₂ emissions by up to 425 tons annually (about 31%) and save 130,000–180,000 baht in firewood costs. In 2024, over 3,000 visitors from cooperatives, government, and private sectors toured the site to learn from its success.

Bangchak Sriracha

BSRC’s Bio-Conservation: A Mission for Biodiversity and Community Empowerment represents an integrated model of future-ready social infrastructure. In partnership with GISTDA, Khao Kheow Open Zoo, and community leaders, BSRC leverages space technology, data-driven forest monitoring, and community upskilling to protect biodiversity while empowering people.

The Women’s Vocational Training Center transforms local women into entrepreneurs, generating sustainable income through product innovation. The Education Fund provides scholarships to 130 underprivileged students, while the Space Innovator Camp equips youth with STEM skills vital for tomorrow’s economy. These approaches combine technology, education, and entrepreneurship to build resilient communities, future-ready ecosystems, and scalable models of industrial sustainability that serve both people and planet.

Danieli 

Located in Rayong, Danieli plays a vital role in the Danieli Group’s mission to lead innovation in the metal industry. Through its “Green Steel Plant” initiative, Danieli delivers future-ready infrastructure with over 400 environmental innovations. Key technologies include fume treatment systems that reduce dust emissions to below 1 mg/Nm³ and energy recovery systems that reclaim up to 30% of lost heat, generating electricity and reducing carbon emissions, supporting Thailand’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Danieli collaborates with King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology, Pluak Daeng Non-formal Education Center, and vocational institutions nationwide to promote sustainable industrial development, implementing green solutions in over ten factories domestically and internationally, improving environmental conditions, and benefiting communities, enhancing customer trust, increasing market share by 10%, and generating over 200 million baht in annual sales.

Danieli’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and collaboration makes it a leader in infrastructure that meets future environmental and industrial challenges, setting high standards for the steel industry.

Impact Excellence Award – Driving Social Impact Through U.S.-Thai Trade and Investment Synergies

Organon

The Smart Family Life Planning in Action (SFLP) project, a collaboration between Organon and Kenan Foundation Asia, empowers vulnerable female factory and migrant workers, particularly women aged 15-49, in Rayong, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Chonburi, and Chachoengsao. Partnering with Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, village health volunteers (VHVs), the Labour Protection Network and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), SFLP applies a three-pronged approach. First, its three-pillar training model delivers education in sexual and reproductive health (SRH), financial literacy, and 21st-century skills to equip women with knowledge and agency. Second, its Training-of-Trainers model strengthens local capacity to create supportive environments in communities and workplaces. Third, its mobile roadshows raise awareness and normalize SRH conversations. Since March 2023, SFLP has trained 1,203 individuals (specifically 695 vulnerable women), empowered 166 VHVs and HR staff as change agents, and engaged 9,287 people through roadshows. The project reached 3,458 individuals so far in 2025 and is scaling for broader impact, integrating into the FTI Academy’s e-learning platform, and preparing a policy white paper for national advocacy.

The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok

The hotel is a part of Marriott International, a U.S.-based hospitality company. The hotel actively localizes its global sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, to benefit Thai communities. This includes:

Local-Global Collaboration: Partnering with U.S.-based frameworks such as Marriott’s Serve 360 and The PLEDGE™ on Food Waste) and applying them in Thailand to drive measurable social and environmental impact.
• Community Empowerment: Collaborating with Thai organizations like Save the Children Thailand to offer internships for underprivileged youth and organizing CSR activities in local communities such as Bon Kai.
• Sustainable Innovation: Implementing U.S. standard infrastructure like the Building Energy Management System (BEMS), ISO Awareness Day, and achieving global certifications (e.g., ISO 20121, The PLEDGE™ All-Star), while sourcing locally and supporting Thai farmers and producers.

These initiatives demonstrate how U.S.-Thai synergies in trade, investment, and knowledge-sharing can drive meaningful social impact in Thailand.

VCON

Thailand faces a critical challenge: of 35,000 annual engineering graduates, only 7,000 pursue professional paths. Many lack inspiration and exposure to international standards shaping sustainable infrastructure. VCON’s NextGen Engineering Program aims to inspire students to lead as engineers and equip them with tools, knowledge, and confidence.

In 2024, the program engaged over 300 students from eight universities in Thailand and Cambodia. Participants joined VCON’s engineering teams on active infrastructure projects, gaining first-hand experience in planning, design, and sustainable construction, learning U.S.- based standards from ACI and PCI and digital tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM).

The results: 72% of participants are now advancing into professional roles with technical fluency, industry exposure, and a strong foundation in sustainability. Female participation rose by 26%, marking progress toward a more inclusive sector. By 2030, VCON aims to partner with over 20 universities and achieve gender parity, empowering future engineers to lead Thailand’s transition to sustainable, globally connected infrastructure.