KFU Company Limited’s President, Dr. Ausanee Mahagitsiri Leonio, exemplifies this transformative leadership. Honored as an Outstanding Leader in Asia, she guided beloved brands Krispy Kreme and Cinnabon through market challenges, including the pandemic, by focusing on innovation, CSR, and employee well-being. Her visionary leadership not only propelled business success but strengthened community ties.

Sustainability emerged as a defining theme. Bangkok Life Assurance (BLA) earned the Sustainability Rising Star Award by embracing environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Through its Happy Ps model, BLA achieved tangible reductions in energy use, greenhouse gases, and paper consumption, while promoting financial literacy and health education.

Mitr Phol Sugar Corporation claimed the Top Sustainability Advocate in Asia title, leveraging its “Grow Together” philosophy to drive carbon neutrality by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. By investing in regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, and community support, Mitr Phol sets the standard for a greener, more equitable future.

The ACES Awards also recognized companies embedding social purpose at their core. Central Retail Corporation, honored again as a Top Community-Centric Company, uplifts local farmers through its JingJai Farmers’ Market and empowers vulnerable groups, contributing to self-sufficiency and environmental stewardship. Frasers Property (Thailand) (FPT), named among Asia’s Most Influential Companies, integrates real estate innovation with a net-zero carbon goal, illustrating how sustainable urban development can benefit both investors and communities.

Financial institutions are shaping the sustainability landscape as well. Krungthai Bank, lauded as a Top Community-Centric Company, drives inclusive growth through programs fostering economic resilience, environmental conservation, and social cohesion. CIMB Thai Bank, another Sustainability Rising Star, is advancing sustainable finance by helping high-carbon sectors transition to greener models and targeting net-zero emissions timelines.

This year’s ACES Awards confirm Thailand’s corporate sector as a catalyst for sustainable progress. From financial innovation to responsible food production and community-driven retail, Thai enterprises are rewriting the rules of corporate excellence—ensuring that profitability, people, and the planet move forward together.
Hashtag: #ACESAwards2024 #RegionalRecognition #leadershipexcellence #Sustainability #SustainableCompanies #responsibleleaders #outstandingentrepreneurs

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About ACES Awards

The ACES Awards, organized by MORS Group, recognize and celebrate the region’s most exemplary leaders, companies, and initiatives. By spotlighting transformative approaches to leadership and corporate excellence, the awards inspire continued innovation, promote sustainable practices, and encourage inclusive growth throughout Asia’s diverse and dynamic business ecosystem.

In the sparse, sandy grasslands of Jarud Banner in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, machinery is filling wind-eroded pits and laying sand barriers while workers are busy supporting the comprehensive management of Horqin Sandy Land.

“Our independently developed sand-fixing machine processes raw materials like reeds and straw into grass mats for sand barrier installation,” said Yu Dongjiang from M-Grass Ecological Environment (Group) Co., Ltd.

The sand-fixing machine is simple in structure, easy to operate, and highly adaptable to various terrains. It improves raw material utilization efficiency, enabling the installation of nearly 30,000 meters of sand barriers daily, according to Yu, who is also the project manager for the comprehensive management of the northern central Horqin Sandy Land.

Previously, the manual weaving of grass mats required significant labor and time.

Yu’s project shows China’s wider push to advance ecological restoration. In the arid landscapes of northern China, cutting-edge technology is transforming the fight against desertification into a story of hope and renewal.

From satellite monitoring systems to innovative tree-planting tools, the integration of advanced equipment has elevated traditional reforestation efforts.

In Inner Mongolia’s Kubuqi Desert, for example, drones have been employed to plant seeds across vast stretches of barren land, significantly improving efficiency and survival rates. These seeds, combined with specially developed nutrient packs, ensure saplings thrive in challenging environments.

While in northwest China’s Gansu Province, solar energy projects are being combined with afforestation programs at the southern edge of the Tengger Desert, creating a synergy that not only restores ecosystems but also boosts local economic development.

Local villagers are also finding employment in these initiatives, blending green technology with grassroots participation.

“I never would have imagined that as a farmer, I could find work in the sand dunes,” said Qin Zhaoping, a resident of Hengliang Township in Gansu’s Gulang County. His job involves adjusting the sprinkler irrigation systems beneath photovoltaic panels and tending to the thriving sand plants.

For Qin, photovoltaic-based desert control is a meaningful effort that benefits future generations. “It generates electricity, combats desertification, and provides me with an income from working here,” he said.

According to official data, 53 percent of China’s treatable desertified land has been restored, leading to a net reduction of approximately 4.33 million hectares of degraded land.

One of the country’s landmark ecological projects is the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program. Since 1978, China has expanded its afforestation area by 32 million hectares under the program.

Meanwhile, China’s desertification control technologies and equipment are making their way onto the global stage, sharing ecological restoration expertise with other countries and regions.

To join the efforts of the Global South, China has launched desertification control centers with Arab states and Mongolia, created demonstration sites in Central Asia and Africa, and provided satellite technology and big data support for Africa’s Great Green Wall initiative.

In December, Yu’s company signed a memorandum of understanding with the municipal government of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia to enhance the country’s ecological environment and promote practical cooperation.

The collaboration includes conducting ecological restoration in desert areas surrounding the city, and jointly developing, maintaining, and cultivating plant resources.

“Through smart machinery, innovative research on grass species, big data analysis, and seed packages, the company has developed a scientific and efficient path for ecological restoration,” said Yu.

“The integrated use of these technologies not only improves the success rate of ecological restoration but also significantly reduces the cost of restoration,” Yu added.

China’s global cooperation in combating desertification also won praise from experts and officials during the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) held in December.

“We’re incredibly proud to be a partner with China. China has been a pioneer in showing how to create prosperous areas in areas that were once desertified and degraded. And we are proud to partner with you (China) to bring those lessons to other countries,” said Valerie Hickey, global director for the environment at the World Bank, at the conference.

Hashtag: #TheInformationOfficeofInnerMongoliaAutonomousRegionalCommittee

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The “Outstanding SME ESG and Business Performance Award” is organized by the Start-up and SME Resource Centre under The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, with the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association as the co-organizer. The award aims to encourage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to continuously invest resources in practicing ESG upgrades and transformation, thereby enhancing their competitiveness and expanding their green business opportunities. It also emphasizes that the society should pay more attention to SMEs and support them, and advises SMEs to incorporate effective ESG practices in their businesses to help them identify different business risks and effectively provide solutions for these risks, while focusing on the benefits of different stakeholders.

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About Novautek Autonomous Driving Limited

Novautek Autonomous Driving Limited is a Hong Kong-based innovation technology company focusing on the R&D and applications of autonomous driving technologies. It invests in related enterprises and possesses professional capabilities in technology R&D, product commercialization, and high-quality after-sales service. Its products span various fields, including patrol inspections, cleaning and sanitation, logistics transportation, engineering construction, intelligent warehousing, and professional services. In the future, Novautek will continue to leverage its cutting-edge AI and autonomous driving technology to tailor products that meet the specific needs of the Hong Kong market. By harnessing its localized service advantages and providing high-quality products and services, Novautek aims to promote Hong Kong’s technological products on a global scale.

This press release is issued by DLK Advisory Limited on behalf of Novautek Autonomous Driving Limited.