Deep Dive - Sansiri: Every child has the right to learn, to play and to live a healthy life

SANSIRI Every child has the right to learn, to play and to live a healthy life Sansiri, a real estate developer in Thailand, has put Children's Rights on top of their agenda. From the core of their operations with child-friendly spaces in construction sites to the improvement of national health legislations, they havea long-term aim to improve the life and voices of children in Thailand.

A D D RES S IN G CHIL D REN' S RIG HT S Ho w i t s t a r t e d The Southe a st A sia n re gi on i s w i tne ssi ng a dyna m i c a nd strong e c onom i c grow th; a s w e l l a s a ra pi d fl ow of w ork forc e from one c ountry to a nothe r. Wi th re gi ona l i nte gra ti on from the A SE A N E c onomi c C om muni ty (A E C ), Sa nsi ri re a l i z e d the i nc re a sing num be r of m i gra nt w ork e rs a nd chi l dre n i n the i r c onstruc ti on si te s. The w ork e rs, typi ca l l y from La os, M ya nm a r, a nd C am bodi a , m ove d w i th the i r e nti re fa m i l i e s, l ea di ng to a hi gh num be r of c hi l dre n i n the c onstruc ti on si te s. Sa nsi ri sa w a ne e d to support the se c hi l dre ns’ ri ghts a nd i n 20 1 0, e sta bl i she d a z e ro tol e ra nce pol i c y for c hi l d l a bour i n the i r c onstruc ti on si te s.

Sa nsi ri te rm i na te s a suppl i e r' s c ontra c t i m m e dia te l y i f c hi l d la bour i s de te c te d on si te .

T he go o d s pa ce In 2 0 1 1 , Sa nsi ri de ve l ope d The G ood Spa c e , a c hi l d- fri e ndl y spa c e in the c onstruc ti on c a m p w i th qua l i ty e duc a ti on provi de d by Ba a n Dek Founda ti on and M e rc y Founda ti on, to be use d for c hi l dre n be tw e e n 0 - 14 ye a rs ol d to l e a rn, de ve l op and pl a y sa fe l y. For e xa m pl e , chi l dre n, e spe c ia l l y m i gra nt c hi l dre n, a re a bl e to l e a rn Tha i so tha t the y c a n the n tra nsi ti on i nto the Tha i sc hool syste m . Toda y the re a re ove r 30 0 c hi l dre n i n Sa nsi ri ’ s c onstruc ti on c am ps using The G ood Spa c e s.

SANSIRI AT A GLANCE

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COM P A N Y P ROF IL E:

Leading private real estate company in Thailand, founded in 1984 REVEN UE ’ 14 :

$864 million COUN T RIES W. S A L ES :

Thailand *Including real estate development and management

S EL ECT ED S CORECA RD IN D ICA T ORS WHERE T HE COM P A N Y IS D OIN G VERY WEL L

Child Labour Policy Collaboration with NGO Strategic programs

S uppo r t fro m cor por at e le a de rs hi p a nd pa r t ne r s hip The Sa nsi ri soc i a l responsi bi l i ty te a m ha s a c hi e ve d hi gh i m pa c t the l a st 5 ye a rs. P a rtl y due to tha t the te a m e nj oys a s trong pe rsona l c om m i tm e nt from the P re si de nt of the c om pa ny. The te a m c onsi de rs Sa nsi ri ' s c orpora te gove rna nc e to be c ruc i a l to suc c ee d; the y m e e t w i th a nd re port re gul a rl y to the P re si de nt.

May 2016

Children’s Rights and the Corporate Sector in South East Asia I Deep Dives

In a ddi ti on to the l e a de rshi p suppor t, Sa nsi ri de ve l ope d a stra te gi c pa rtne rshi p w i th UNIC E F i n 2 0 10 . The pa rtne rshi p w a s i ni ti a te d w i th the suc c e ssful Iodi ne P l e a se c a m pa i gn (se e box for de ta i l s). Sa nsi ri is sti l l w ork i ng c l ose l y w i th UNIC E F w hic h i s a strong suppo rt i n de ve l opi ng a hol i sti c l ongte rm a ge nda for c hi l dre n' s ri ghts.

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In 2 01 5, Sa nsi ri c omm i tte d to i m provi ng c hi l dre n' s hea l th. A n ongoi ng Sa nsi ri surve y i ndi c a te d tha t 60 % of m i gra nt w ork e rs w e re not a w a re of the i r ri ghts to he a l thc a re , bi rth, a nd c i vi l re gi stra ti on i n Tha i la nd. The c om pa ny w ork s c l ose l y w i th the Tha i M i nistry of P ubl i c He a l th a nd the Worl d He a l th Orga ni za ti on to i m prove the he a l th be ne fi ts for a l l m i gra nt w ork e rs. From bi rth re gi stra ti ons to va c c i na ti ons, he al th c hec ks a nd de nta l c he ck ups, re ga rdl e ss of w hi c h c onstruc ti on si te the w ork e rs a re i n. Sa nsi ri i s goi ng be yond the i r ow n ope ra ti ons.

T o war ds an i ndus t r y – a pa r t ne r s hi p a ppr o ach

Sansiri collaborated closely with UNICEF in raising awareness on Iodine Deficiency Disorders, which have posed serious threats to the development of children. The campaign resulted in new legislations, mandating iodization of salt for all human consumption in Thailand. It was a typical example of how Sansiri could leverage their marketing skills and social media network. Combined with UNICEF's knowledge and scale, it was a very successful campaign.

s t andar d

The c om pany re c e ntl y si gne d the C hi l dre n's Ri ghts a nd Busi ne ss P ri nc i pl e s. The pri nc i pl es se rve a s a gui da nc e to e nsure tha t the y a re w ork i ng w i th i ssue s w i th l ong- te rm im pa c t – a voi di ng a c ti vi ti e s tha t a re short- te rm or se rve a m a rk e ti ng purpose .

Sa nsi ri hope s to bui l d a m ode l to be a dopte d by othe r pe e rs i n the i ndustry, c re a ti ng a sha re d va l ue , a nd sta nda rd to pro te c t c hi l dre n a nd the i r ri ghts. Thi s i s j ust the be gi nni ng of a l ong- te rm pl a n to ma k e sure tha t e ve ry c hi l d i n Tha i l and ha s a c ce ss to a form a l e duc a ti on, re c ei ve s prope r he a l thc a re a nd ha s a voi c e i n soci e ty. Sa nsi ri ne e ds to c ol l a bora te w i th c orpora ti ons, pa rtne r orga ni z a ti ons a nd pol i ti c i a ns, i n orde r to suc c ee d. "P a rtne rshi p i s c ruc ia l w he n you w a nt your w ork to be m ore i nc l usi ve – soc i a l l y a nd pol i ti c a l l y. It i s a di ffi c ul t proc e ss, e spec i a l l y w he n you w a nt to i nfl ue nc e on a w i de r sc a le , suc h a s de fini ng ne w pol i c i e s. But soc i a l re sponsi bi l i ty i s a bout the c om m i tm ent to ta c k l e a n i ssue e ve n w he n the c om pl e xi ty of the probl e m c onti nue s to unfol d. "

May 2016

IODINE PLEASE!

“ It is ea s y to c ome up with s evera l dif f erent s oc ia l a c tivities tha t " look good" , but it is dif f ic ult to c rea te s us taina ble s oc ia l progra ms with a longterm impa c t. The Children's Rights a nd B us ines s Princ iples give us guida nc e to ens ure tha t we c rea te rea l benef it a nd la s ting work.”

Children’s Rights and the Corporate Sector in South East Asia I Deep Dives