CP Group Reaffirms its Commitment to Diversity Pursuit of sustainable growth requires adherence to international principles on DEI and human rights

BANGKOK, 1 October 2025 Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group marked this year’s Pride Month with an array of events at True Digital Park under the banner ‘CP Group Embrace the Diversity’. It was an opportunity to celebrate the organization’s pluralistic workforce and draw attention to the steadfast commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and human rights underpinning every aspect of its business practice.

Senior CP Group executives were in attendance to outline the administrative framework – spanning policies, adjusted work systems and inclusive benefits – which ensures the organization’s stance has a firm footing, allowing it to actively promote an open working culture in which differences are welcomed and valued.

Also highlighted was CP Group’s dedication to upholding the internationally-defined principles of human rights, and specifically to the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). It was also announced that Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) had been adopted as a mechanism to assess risks and opportunities across the conglomerate’s entire supply chain.

Pimonrat Reephattanavijitkul, CP Group and Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF)’s Chief People Officer stated, “We recognize and attach great importance to putting in place DEI policies in full accordance with the principles of human rights. This is a crucial factor in the creation of an open and inclusive organizational culture.

“CP Group believes that individual differences are a vital source of creativity and innovation and a means toward achieving further business success. Employees of all genders, ages and backgrounds are therefore afforded equal opportunities, and by championing equitable practices in this way, we are actively supporting efforts to establish a fairer society.

“But for individual differences to not only exist in a work culture free of discrimination but actually thrive and galvanize our business, policies need to be implemented which are more than just expressions of abstract principles or ideals. They require clear, transparent and practical applications. This is why CP offers its staff a range of benefits and entitlements designed to recognize diversity and reaffirm inclusion. These include leave and financial support for gender reassignment procedures; marriage and parental leave for legally registered couples regardless of gender; and the recognition of religious holidays in accordance with each employee’s faith.

“Having these in place,” she noted, “means the workplace becomes a ‘safe space’ where staff are better able to be themselves. At the same time, establishing a LGBTQ+ employee network has helped to raise awareness and improve understanding throughout the organization, bringing diversity-led considerations to every business unit.”

Dr Teerapon Tanomsakyut, CP Group’s Chief of Sustainability and Strategic Development, said that prospering in the modern world requires organizations to be open, to demonstrate their respect for human rights, and to put in place systems in which difference is truly supported.

“CP Group presently has operations in 21 countries, employing more than 450,000 people worldwide. This means diversity for us is not only about gender but also applies to race, religion, language, age and perspective, all of which are driving forces for modern organizations.

“So we are fully committed to internationally-recognized human rights principles – especially the UNGPs – and have integrated HRDD into management processes throughout the supply chain.”

Dr Teerapon continued, “This year CP Group has taken this commitment further forward by embedding DEI into its development goals for 2030 and formalizing an operational framework based on the UNGPs’ three pillars: Protect, Respect and Remedy. As a result, our focus now extends beyond the prevention of human rights violations to champion respect for human dignity in all its dimensions. This form of respect is a platform for sustainable growth, for both the organization and society as whole”.

The importance of respecting human dignity without prejudice or intolerance was a recurring theme when a series of employees took the stage in the True Digital Park auditorium. Each delivered a TED-style talk reflecting on their personal experiences of how CP Group approaches diversity of religion, disability, age, gender and race:

• Avarin Asawinchaowanon is an PR & Event Officer at CP All and addressed the subject of gender diversity.

  She said, “CP All and the wider CP Group allow employees to ‘be themselves’ in terms of creativity, viewpoints, attitudes and working styles. This is in the belief that diversity is a creative force. The organization employs the concept of a ‘Harmonious Culture’ to foster a working environment where staff feel they have a place and feel safe, in the physical, mental and social senses of the word. This is something at the very heart of wellbeing in the workplace.

  “Moreover, the organization has decided it will no longer use gender-specific honorifics such as ‘Mr’ and ‘Miss’ in internal communications. This shows a recognition that gender identity doesn’t always correlate with assigned sex, and is one of the ways CP Group shows its respect for employee individuality.”

• Panadda Prasittimekul, a Special Project Management Officer at CPF, spoke on the theme of disability:

  “CP Group is open and accepting of differences, understanding these to be a means of empowerment. Being given the opportunity to work as a newsreader and to be involved in projects benefitting society has provided me with a tremendous sense of belonging and acceptance. Even more importantly, it’s given inspiration to people with disabilities, letting them know there is a place for them in the world.

  The organization’s recognition of my potential is like a precious gift, helping me realize the value of life. It has also opened up opportunities for me to launch projects involving people with disabilities, to further support their efforts to ‘rise up’ and lead meaningful lives.”

• Nopanan Pongitthidej, based at CP Group’s Business Intelligence Center, addressed the audience as a representative for religious diversity:

  “As a Sikh, I’m part of a community that makes up just 0.1% of Thailand’s population. Before joining CP, I spent many years working for foreign companies, having grown up with the belief that belonging to a minority limited my career opportunities to working for international organizations.

  “But a job interview at CP became a crucial turning point in my life. I instantly felt accepted by my new colleagues and was entrusted by senior managers with great working opportunities. There was also recognition of the festivals and special days that are central to my faith, showing a respect on the part of my employer for religious diversity, as part of its clear commitment to DEI policies.”

  Nopanan concluded, “I believe that religion, gender identity and race are sources of collective strength, not hindrances to be ovcercome. Employees should be valued because of their potential, rather than because of how they look.”

• Lawrence Smith serves as an advisor to CP Group’s Business Intelligence and Strategic Communication Unit and reflected on racial diversity:

  “CP is an open organization driven forward by an energy and dynamism that can be felt at every level. I’m proud to be part of an organization that respects each person’s value and places such importance on sustainability, human rights and the ethical treatment of its employees.

  “In applying its DEI policies in a tangible, practical way, rather than simply paying them lip service, it has nurtured a distinct organizational culture and has shown it is a place where opportunity and appreciation is extended to all equally.”

• Dr Chayosmon Sapsukbawon, is a CP Axtra employee based at the Laksi branch of Lotus’s. As a participant in the company’s '60 Young at Heart' program, she spoke about employment opportunities for senior citizens:

  “My thanks go to CP Axtra for recognizing the potential of seniors and providing work opportunities to retirees aged 60 and above. Thailand has one of the world’s fastest ageing societies so it is especially important we acknowledge that this age group offers the benefit of experience while retaining its capacity to work.

  “The organization,” Dr Chayasmon concluded, “has unlocked age restrictions, which is something commendable and admirable, and it been a wonderful opportunity to be given.”

‘CP Group Embrace the Diversity’ was a celebration of the multifold elements helping to elevate the organization to new heights. It was also a showcase for CP Group’s substantive, unwavering resolve to instill in every stakeholder a sense of investment in its successes. Key to moving forward with such collective purpose is an understanding that diversity does not equate to discordance but serves instead as a wellspring for creativity, innovation and long-term sustainability.