By Somphop Kulthongkam
My name is Somphop Kulthongkam and I have worked in animal health for 28 years. For most of that time I have been a Key Account Manager supporting the animal health needs of one of the world’s largest food companies, CP Foods – Asia’s “Kitchen of the World”.
While the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing African Swine Fever impacts continue to be managed across Asia, these immediate challenges have not diminished the need to address longer term issues of sustainability – whether it is in building the productivity and resilience of small farmers, reducing the footprint of supply chains, reducing waste and resource use, or shifting consumer expectations and purchasing behavior.
In business, I always start by understanding our customers and how our visions are aligned, to see what we are capable of when we work together in business partnership. When the sustainability of our food systems is at stake, successful business partnerships are more important than ever.
CPF’s 2030 Sustainability in Action Strategy includes commitments to reduce waste, GHG emissions and water use, and to achieve 40% of sales revenue from low carbon products. In addition, 50% of new products developed will be healthier and more nutritious, while welfare standards for pigs and chickens will be raised through production practice changes.
Elanco’s 2030 sustainability commitments include creating more resilient food systems by enabling 57 million more people to have access to nutritious protein, removing 21 million tons of emissions from our customers' farms while reducing our own impact on the planet, and improving the health and welfare of 3 billion farm animals.
It is in partnership with customers like CPF that Elanco will achieve its 2030 sustainability goals, and help CPF to deliver on theirs – by providing solutions for improved animal nutrition and feed efficiency, water quality solutions for shrimp production, and supporting CPF’s commitments to antimicrobial stewardship.
At a recent forum highlighting how animals can help to address both global hunger and climate change, delegates from around the world – including Elanco and CPF – discussed the dual challenges of curbing emissions addressing global food and nutrition security. Both Elanco and CPF have strong company Visions for more sustainable food systems. Together, our shared vision and reach will help to ensure healthy dietary needs can be met while reducing the food system’s impact on the planet.
That’s why, in my opinion, there has never been a more exciting time to work in animal health in the Asia region, and in partnership with companies like CP Foods.
Somphop Kulthongkam is Director Global Key Account Management for CP, based in Thailand.
