Green award for VIKING Thailand

The Good Environmental Governance Awards were established in 2007 to recognise companies offering environmental and social leadership, based on the organisation’s willingness to provide information on environmental initiatives for its workers, participation in surrounding communities, and corporate governance.

Morten Halfdan Petersen, Managing Director, VIKING Life-saving Equipment (Thailand) Ltd, said that, in growing its activities in Thailand to the 500-staff strong plant now operating, VIKING had set the same standards for workplace health, safety and environment that it adhered to in Denmark. A high priority had been placed on ventilation and on ensuring that workers wore protective clothing and face masks where necessary, he said.

“Since we are in the business of saving lives, we have to make certain that our product quality is impeccable. One way to do this is to ensure that our workers benefit from the best working environment. We are not in the business of exporting lower standards to lower labour cost countries. Our philosophy is: what is good enough for Denmark is good enough for Thailand.”

Given that the majority of VIKING life-saving products, from life jackets, to fire suits, survival suits and liferafts, are now produced in Thailand, the company also saw it as critical that workers viewed its commitment to the country as long term.

“Since we started operations here in 2002, not a single worker has been laid off at Laem Chabang,” said Mr Halfdan Petersen. “The importance we place on maintaining and encouraging our workforce is clear from the fact that we make sure that their wages are at least 25% above the minimum set by the Thai authorities.”

Another reason given by the IEAT for the award was VIKING Thailand’s initiation of "the Homeland Project", where employees worldwide donate clothes and toys to a different village every year from which VIKING Thailand employees originate.

As part of its Global Service strategy to develop centres of excellence in Denmark, Asia and the USA, VIKING Thailand also recently opened its own dedicated training facility.