In today’s world, sustainability has become a crucial imperative for businesses. As environmental concerns grow and consumer expectations shift towards ethically responsible practices, companies must recognize the inherent importance of sustainability in their operations. It’s not just about fostering a positive reputation and brand image; embracing sustainability fuels innovation; encourages long-term sustainable impacts; and preserves resources for future generations.
Encouraging sustainability journey to new entrepreneurs, Sasin Full-time MBA students under the guidance of Dr. Yupin Pattarapongsant and support from Patrick Poulier (Sasin EMBA 2019), EVP, Head of Financial Markets Division at Siam Commercial Bank, embarked on a real-world journey to explore the intersection of sustainability and business in their Pricing Strategy class. This immersive experience was part of the Sasin Action Learning Journey, which provides students with hands-on learning opportunities.
During the field trip, the students had the unique privilege of learning about sustainability in the financial sector from the SCB’s Financial Markets team, representing Siam Commercial Bank. The team shared valuable insights into the bank’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) approach, its financial green products, and its ESG framework. A standout point was SCB’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with strategic processes in place for net zero within its own operations by 2030 and net zero within lending and investment by 2050.
Inspired by this commitment, the students took part in a group workshop where they applied their acquired knowledge to enhance the bank’s products and services. They worked passionately to tailor these approaches for different client segments, including wealth, retail, SMEs, and corporate clients. The result was an array of creative solutions, which they presented to the SCB team and received valuable feedback.
Through this immersive learning experience, the students delved deep into financial and sustainability principles. They gained unparalleled insights into the challenges of transitioning towards sustainability and learned to confront resistance to change head-on. This transformative journey also nurtured a tenacious and innovative mindset among the students. They emerged as resilient leaders, equipped to drive impactful change in a world where sustainability imperatives increasingly shape the business landscape.