Yili’s Thai Subsidiary Wins Recognition from the Thai Government for Excellent Labor Management and Welfare Practices
Yili Group, Asia’s leading dairy producer, has been committed to expanding its network in Southeast Asian markets and providing jobs to help unleash the potential of local regions. In July 2021, Chomthana, the Thai subsidiary of Yili and Thailand’s largest ice cream producer, received the Labor Management and Welfare Excellence Award 2021 from the Department of Labor Protection and Welfare of Thailand’s Ministry of Labor. The honor reflects the Thai government’s high recognition for Yili’s dedication to creating an excellent workplace and empower local industry.
The award is regarded as Thailand’s highest honor for enterprises that are dedicated to improving the workplace and employees’ welfare, and actively building friendly labor relations together with labor unions and welfare committees. Chomthana won the award at its first attempt and it is Chomthana’s second national-level award following the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Quality Award from Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health.
Over the past two years, Chomthana has managed to create a better workplace through generous investments in funding, equipment, and human resources. To ensure an enabling work environment for all employees, Chomthana has successively invested over 200 million baht in examining and improving its power supply system, fire control system, and water supply system. For a greener workplace, Chomthana managed to build its brand-new sewage treatment facilities and put them into operation despite challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, Chomthana renovated its canteens and lounges and upgraded its shuttle bus services.
“In the past two years, the factory has been renovated and presented with a new look. The meals here are delicious, and everyone feels very happy at work,” said Production Supervisor Pranom Thongson. Discussing the outlook for the company, Marketing Manager Runtiwa Plamplamot said, “Chomthana will continue to introduce more innovative products, expand market channels and develop further into a brand trusted and chosen by consumers.”
Chomthana’s employees also enjoy various opportunities for career development. They are encouraged to take training courses to improve their professional skills and raise awareness about working in compliance with law and regulations. Team-building activities have also become popular for employees to make new friends and enrich their social lives. Yili has also cooperated with labor unions to introduce a professional mechanism for staff performance evaluation.
Yili’s efforts in corporate governance have translated into promising trends across various business performance indicators. According to Yili’s 2020 annual report, the company’s yearly sales in Thailand increased by 68% YoY. When Thailand was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Chomthana took the initiative to raise employees’ salaries and benefits to ensure that their everyday lives were not affected. The company took every measure to protect the lives and health of employees working at Chomthana, with nearly 10 million baht allocated to the fight against the pandemic. The company distributed 450,000 masks to employees, purchased 12 tons of alcohol for sterilization and provided PCR tests and voluntary vaccination for employees. To date, over 90% of the employees at Chomthana have been vaccinated against Covid-19 with the cost covered by Yili.
In recent years, Yili has been accelerating its global expansion. Global collaboration will continue to be a top priority for the company through its initiative to build a “global health ecosystem”. To date, Yili has established global partnerships with peers in 33 countries across five continents and the company will continue to work with its partners at home and abroad to serve global consumers.