When we started our business nearly 35 years ago our intention was not just to set up a viable jewelry manufacturing business, but to have the opportunity to put into practice long held beliefs regarding social and environmental issues .

As we grew from a small trading business to a medium size manufacturing company , and ultimately to a Public Listed Company so did the opportunity to put into practice these ideals, in particular in the area of employee relations,

In a labour intensive business, requiring very high skill levels, we always knew that our workers and staff were the real assets of the company, more so than the buildings, machinery, designs and stock etc .

At the same time we came to understand that as well as our duty to shareholders there were other responsibilities involved such as the people living near to our factories, our effect on the environment, relationships with our customers, our suppliers, and that all of these, together with our workers should be considered as Stakeholders in our business

Perhaps we were a little before our time, (although the Cadbury family in the UK had similar ideas many years earlier!) but it is only in the past 10/15 years that the business world generally has actively followed the Stakeholder philosophy with many programs now related to Good Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility

Sadly many of the larger International Corporations only became advocates of CSR after bad publicity related to environmental disasters or similar caused by their companies, but having been “pushed” a little by these happenings, they began to see that it was possible to be very involved in the issues of Social Responsibility and still maintain , or even improve the bottom line.

To illustrate this, the Manufacturing Industry in Thailand (all products) has an employee turnover on average of 11%. The Jewelry Industry alone an average of 6% .

Pranda Jewelry with nearly 5,000 workers world-wide and over 2,000 in Bangkok alone has an average employee turnover of 1.7% !

Regular “Ring Parties” for the workers are held to celebrate 3, 10 and more recently 20 years of service to the company with a special ring presented personally by Board Members,

The “10 year club” now includes many 100,s of members, from all parts of the business from middle management, factory workers , cleaners and kitchen staff.

A “Thank you” party is held each year for the company to say thank you to senior staff and middle management, and at New Year a party is held at the factory for all workers ( over 2000 of them in Bangkok ) attended by main board directors.

Where we provide accommodation it is to a very high standard, medical, educational , creche, and sports facilities are provided.

Pupils from local Technical schools have the opportunity to spend up to one year getting practical work experience in our factories, many come to work with us afterwards.

Young people who have left school at 15 to start work ( Government minimum age ) can use our education centres after work and at weekends to further their education.

Our Human Resources Dept works closely with many local, and countrywide community Projects and charities.

The results of this philosophy ?

Our factories have been audited by many of our large corporate customers always with satisfactory reports, giving them the comfort of knowing that they will never suffer from adverse publicity on Human Rights issues whilst working with Pranda.

For many years now , the company has shown a steady growth in sales and profits ,even in the face of strong competition from China, and has provided a consistent high level of dividend to it’s shareholders.

Without doubt, Corporate Social Responsibility really works for the workers, our customers, our suppliers , our neighbours, and our shareholders who can look at the profits and dividends knowing that they have not been generated at the expense of any sector of our society.

CSR will remain as the Central Philosophy of Pranda Jewelry.

"Let us choose to unite the power of markets with the authority of universal ideals. Let us choose to reconcile the creative forces of private entrepreneurship with the needs of the disadvantaged and the requirements of future generations."
Kofi Anan, Secretary-General of the United Nations

This call, by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, was made to the international business community at the World Economics Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 1999. The Secretary-General’s comments later became the source for The Global Compact which invited the business sector to accept nine universal principles governing human rights, labor standards, and the environment.

Secretary-General Anan further called upon the business community to voluntarily take an active role to improve societal conditions within the countries in which their business operations are conducted.

For a Company to participate in the Global Compact they must go beyond assenting to their belief in principles of a higher order; these principles must be translated into action and then become the part of the core operating philosophy of the Company. These operating principles must receive the full support of both management and the Board of Directors.

Pranda Jewelry Public Company Limited was selected by the United Nations and the International Labor Organization as a demonstration for a case study of the The Global Compact in action. In this case study, Pranda demonstrates to others how a successful global business operates under and can fulfill the guiding principles of The United Nations - Global Compact.

Pranda Jewelry Public Company Ltd understands that future growth, if it is to be stable and for the long-term, must generate benefits to all stakeholders in Pranda's operations. The societies in which we operate, our employees, our stockholders, our distribution network, and our vendor partner's will all benefit from Pranda's commitment to the principles of the United Nations - Global Compact.

Download file : PRANDA JEWELRY PLC. Global Compact Report

The Pranda Group fully supports , and asks all business sectors to join the “Caring for Climate Program” Campaign of the United Nations.

Mr. Prida Tiasuwan, Chairman of the Pranda Group confirmed that the Pranda Group will adopt and promote the policy “Caring for Climate Program” aligning with UN Global Compact with immediate effect to help reduce the factors that affect the world’s climate.

Manifesto from leaders of the business sector on the UN Global Compact of climate concern.

1. We, as the leaders of the business sector, adopting the concept of the UN Global Compact, are aware that climate change is a critical issue to be addressed by all sectors including Governments, Businesses ( including Financial Institutions) and private individuals to avoid the risks which may cause impact to the health, wealth and stability of the world.

2. Climate change is not just a global risk, but could also be seen as an opportunity for all Sectors & Associations in every place to show their sense of responsibility by giving full support to increasing their energy efficiency, reducing the discharge of the amount of carbon into the atmosphere, and if possible, encouraging society as a whole to bring about these essential changes .

3. This Manifesto sets out our ambition to get “ hands on” to this task and to show tangible results from our efforts to increase the efficiency of energy usage to reduce the carbon quantity in the products, services, and manufacturing processes, including defining our goals and achievements in an annual report reflecting the progress of the operation plan.

4. We undertake to enhance the understanding within our organization of the effect of climate change not just on the business sector but globally.We will also develop new prospective business opportunities and strategies to support our engagement and will cooperate fully with governmental organizations, international organizations and private associations in developing policies and measures to create a legal framework for the business sector that is diverting toward low-carbon economy.

5. We will work in cooperation with state-enterprises at national and local industry level covering the whole value-chain in order to redefine the standards and to initiate new ideas with the goal to help reduce climate concern risk and bring these principles into practice

6. Supporting the preparation for sudden climate change with the cooperation of the business sector including the employees, customers, investors and the general public.

7. We hope that governments would set a legal and financial structure that covers all areas in the long run with close consultancy with the business and private sectors to enable the business transactions to function well especially the offset carbon price.

8. We accept that the cooperation between the government and the private sector in handling the climate change is a challenge. It needs big investment on the part of the government to stimulate new ideas and initiatives originated by the private sector, especially on research and development on the usage and transfer of technology and the practice of the carbon-reduction energy consumption.

9. We realize the importance of the International cooperation to strengthen the world’s policy that supports low-carbon business with financial and other help to aid needy countries to be aware of their task in risk reduction and climate change adjustment as well as their need to overcome poverty and to maintain natural and energy resources.

10. We will continue to cooperate in all initiatives between the government and the private sector in order to meet the challenge caused by climate change effectively.

11. We urge the UN Global Compact signatories to reveal their operational results through UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in communicating on their operational results starting from July 2008 onwards.

SVN : Social Venture Network (Asia)

Pranda, and our fellow members of the Social Venture Network, have made a commitment to work together towards achieving the goal of creating a just society for future generations.

Our Company is an active member and participant in this important program. The Social Venture Network coordinates regional activities involving learning from others and shared practical experience. Through participating in these activities and experiences, the Network achieves its goal of assisting business develop standards where profitability and social responsibility are linked and become compatible objectives.

Pranda's involvement in the The Social Venture Network is another of management’s confirmations that we will give our active support to important social principles including human rights and justice for all. As a member of The Social Venture Network, we also acknowledge our responsibility and duty to protect the environment.

For more informations : http://www.svnasia.org

Bilateral Education

Having acknowledged that education is the best foundation for the sustainable development and capability improvement of the underprivileged to enable to rely on themselves and become their family’s resort as well as surpass the poverty in the long run, the Company each year has allocated budget and resources to support education in partnership with the Golden Jubilee Royal

Goldsmith College and the Bangkok Arts and Crafts College to arrange vocational education in "Bilateral Education Programme" and in cooperation with the Non-Formal Education Department to offer occupational education opportunities to the underprivileged children, enabling them to continue their studies on gems and jewelry at higher and advanced vocational certificate levels. The Company has already operated the programme for the 8th consecutive year.