"Banpu" is drawing three lessons from 15 years of the Banpu Champions for Change project supporting Thai social enterprises.
Mr. Ratapon Sukantee, Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Banpu Public Company Limited, shared on the Business of Sustainability stage at the recent Sustrends 2027 event to convey Banpu's vision and share lessons learned over 15 years of working with social entrepreneurs through the "Power of Change for Society Project" (Banpu Champions for Change: BC4C), inviting the business sector to recognize its role in creating an ecosystem that supports the growth of people and society, emphasizing that developing human potential is a fundamental foundation for true sustainability.
Fifteen years ago, the term Social Enterprise was still new in Thailand, while businesses were mainly seen as profit-makers, and solving social problems was considered the role of government or non-profits. Banpu thus posed a key question: "Can business be part of solving social issues, and how can change continue without relying solely on donations?"
This question led to the establishment of the "Power of Change for Society Project" (Banpu Champions for Change: BC4C) in 2011 in partnership with ChangeFusion, to nurture social entrepreneurs using business mechanisms to create positive social impact, believing that when entrepreneurs are capable and sustainable, they can create opportunities for people, communities, and the country.
Over the past 15 years, the project has evolved to match the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and changing business context—from focusing on early-stage incubation to becoming a springboard connecting knowledge, experts, networks, partners, and business opportunities to help social enterprises scale, reach markets, and grow sustainably. Banpu believes that "capital may start a business, but opportunities and a strong ecosystem make it grow."
Three lessons learned, applicable beyond social enterprises, emerged from working with over 130 social enterprises. Banpu found these key lessons that entrepreneurs can apply for sustainable growth, demonstrated through case studies reflecting practical results.
Lesson one: Sustainable advantage is not innovation but the value a business creates for people. In a world where technology is accessible, knowledge is everywhere, and innovations are quickly copied, being first to innovate may no longer be a lasting advantage. The more important question is what value the business creates and how meaningful that value is to people.
Therefore, BC4C does not just seek novel ideas but supports entrepreneurs in finding the value their business offers customers and society (Value Proposition) that links business and social values, enabling enterprises to grow without losing their intended purpose.
"Phu Kram" clearly reflects this lesson. Starting with traditional cotton embroidery developed into contemporary products, gaining recognition and inspiring others to follow, as network artisans' skills improved, some took jobs for other brands or started their own businesses. What seemed a challenge led founders to rethink whether their goal was sales growth or improving the quality of life for people in their network. Phu Kram shifted focus from expanding artisan numbers to caring for the network through fair work distribution, sufficient income, and developing artisans to be recognized as artists, not just contractors.
Lesson two: Understanding problems deeply is an advantage AI cannot replace. Today, everyone has similar access to data, AI, and business tools, but what cannot be copied immediately is the insight gained from fieldwork, collaborating with people, and experiencing real issues. Social enterprises with an advantage are not those with the most data but those with deep contextual understanding of problems who can design solutions that truly fit people's lives.
"Kiri Farm" exemplifies looking beyond surface issues. Instead of seeing post-harvest straw burning as due to lack of environmental awareness, the founder found the root cause was farmers not valuing the economic worth of leftover straw. Kiri Farm developed a model to buy straw previously burned, using it as raw material to grow straw mushrooms, turning waste into income and growing a community business earning hundreds of thousands of baht monthly. When economic incentives change, behaviors change too. This is market-driven environmental problem-solving without relying on calls for sacrifice.
Lesson three: A business can survive crises when its team is ready to learn and adapt. No entrepreneur succeeds from day one; all face mistakes, uncertainty, and unexpected challenges. BC4C's role is not to dictate the path but to act as a mirror helping entrepreneurs see their potential, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities more clearly. The project may open doors, provide knowledge, and connect networks.
Ultimately, entrepreneurs must decide and walk through those doors themselves. The key goal is not short-term business growth but developing entrepreneurs who can learn, adapt, and grow even after the program’s support ends.
Local Alike’s case clearly shows the power of team and network. When the COVID-19 crisis halted travel and nearly wiped out community tourism income, instead of waiting for normalcy, the team developed Local Alot, a platform selling products from communities nationwide, later expanding to Local Aroi to bring community food and ingredients online. What enabled Local Alike’s rapid adaptation was not just a new business idea,
but the trust built over time among the team, communities, and partner networks across the country. Success does not mean never facing crises but the ability to learn, adapt, and see new opportunities amid change.
The greatest return is not measured by profit but by the people who grow alongside us. Although BC4C supports over 130 social enterprises today, for Banpu, that number is not the measure of success. More meaningful is the impact these entrepreneurs pass on to people and communities. The project’s Social Impact Assessment (SIA) shows investments in these entrepreneurs have positively affected more than 1.3 million lives. From Banpu’s perspective, this figure represents not just beneficiaries but 1.3 million opportunities created by ordinary people rising to solve problems in their communities.
For Banpu, this project means investing in people—not only developing their potential for success but enabling one person to grow enough to create opportunities for others.