Environmental Stewardship

Environmental Quality Control

Environmental Quality Control 

Risk

Industrial estate development is a business that causes environmental pollution, which can directly affect the quality of the environment in the area and the health and quality of life of stakeholders working in industrial estates and communities around them. Inadequate environmental quality management may cause the stakeholders to lose trust; the local community may oppose future business expansion, and the Company’s business license may be revoked. 

Opportunity

The efforts to manage and control the environmental quality in large industrial estates enable the Company to develop new products and services by adopting modern and efficient innovation and technology to ensure that the environment will be closely monitored, thereby increasing stakeholder trust in the Company’s operation and the satisfaction of those customers who place importance on such matters. Additionally, the Company can contribute its knowledge of environmental management to the society and the country in which it is operating.

Management Approach

The Company has assessed environmental risks and impacts arising from its operations throughout the supply chain and monitored the suppliers’ and contractors’ operations, as well as the operations of the factories in both AMATA industrial estates, that may cause negative environmental impacts. According to the assessment, environmental pollution that had a significant impact on stakeholders includes air pollution, industrial and solid waste, water pollution, factory noise, and odor. As a result, the Company concentrated on environmental impacts monitoring and control to be within the criteria required by law or better by choosing appropriate and efficient technology and adhering to the laws related to business operations in industrial estates, measures specified in the EIA report, and various environmental standards. 

The Company, in collaboration with the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), supervises and monitors both AMATA's industrial estates to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, and minimize negative impacts on society and the environment. The Company follows the measures specified in the EIA report to prevent, correct, and monitor environmental impact in the industrial estates, building community trust in environmental management, and promoting guidelines based on environmental governance principles. The results of these efforts are as follows: 

Implementation according to measures specified in the EIA report

1. Environmental Monitoring and Control Center: EMCC

The Environmental Monitoring and Control Center (EMCC) was established in 2013 and has been operating to continuously monitor the environmental quality in both AMATA industrial estates. The Environmental Monitoring and Control Center is made up of 5 systems and displays the online real-time environmental quality data from both industrial estates on a 24-hour basis, as shown in the diagram below. 

Continuous monitoring of environmental quality at EMCC instills confidence in stakeholders that the Company places importance
on environmental impact management and earnestly monitors environmental quality, so that the environmental problems in the AMATA industrial estates will be promptly responded to and resolved. All environmental quality data in AMATA industrial estates is linked to the Environmental Monitoring and Control Center (EMCC) of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand.

In 2022, the Company and factories in both AMATA industrial estates had no environmental laws or regulations in violation, and the measured environmental quality indicators, such as air quality and wastewater quality after treatment from the central wastewater treatment system, were all within the legal standards.

2. Disclosure of the actions and performance according to Preventive & Corrective Measures for Environmental Impacts (EIA Monitoring Report)

The Company discloses its actions and performance according to the environmental impact preventive and corrective measures in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Monitoring Report, which is submitted to the Office of National Resources and Environmental Policy Planning (ONEP), the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), Office of Environmental and Pollution Control 13 (Chonburi), and the Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment every six months. The report discloses the performance after the implementation of preventive and corrective measures stated in the EIA Monitoring Report in both AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate and Rayong. The Company also presents the EIA Monitoring reports every six months to the Environmental Quality Audit Committee of both industrial estates, which consists of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), AMATA environmental officers, local government representatives, local community representatives, and representatives from the factories in AMATA Industrial Estate.  

In 2022, the Company presented the results of the EIA Monitoring Report to the Environmental Quality Audit Committee of both industrial estates in four meetings with the objective of allowing the committee; 1) to provide opinions and suggestions on the operations related to the environment of industrial estates and the impacts of industrial estates on the environment, 2) to acknowledge the results of the environmental quality monitoring within and outside the industrial estates, and 3) to help distribute correct knowledge and understanding of environmental management and to build community trust in industrial estate management.  The Environmental Quality Audit Committee of both industrial estates did not have any suggestions concerning the environmental impact caused by the Company’s operations. However, there were some suggestions for the Company to increase the efficiency of the operations management of both industrial estates: 

Suggestions from the
Environmental Quality Audit Committees

AMATA City Chonburi

  • Request for knowledge and understanding about wastewater treatment to the people in the communities to jointly mitigate community wastewater problems that may affect the quality of surface water. For example, the Nong Mai Daeng Community Pilot Project, which focuses on sustainable wastewater and community waste management, should be expanded to other communities around the AMATA industrial estate, such as the Klong Tamru community and other communities in the future. 

  • Request for assistance in solving traffic problems, especially at the connecting areas between the industrial estate and the surrounding community, to improve traffic flow efficiency. Increase the number of security personnel to facilitate convenience during rush hours, and police officers, especially at the connecting points between the industrial estate and the community, schools, etc. Also, propose the use of an application to monitor incidents that occur within the industrial estate, in conjunction with CCTV, especially regarding traffic and accidents, to promote the development of the industrial city in terms of Smart Safety. Additionally, expand the outcomes of the Safety Road project of AMATA Industrial Estate to other industrial estates.

  • Request AMATA to expand the Farm to Factory project to other communities so that their local products can reach buyers or consumers in the factories, to help support and promote this project to factories in the industrial estates in order to expand new markets and marketing channels through factory kitchens or factory markets. This will help drive the local community's economy by support from the factories in the industrial estate. 

  • Request AMATA to help support and expand the Eco School project to other schools near the industrial estates. This will provide knowledge and understanding on environmental protection and safety to the youth and the community, as well as encourage their participation with the factories through the Eco Community project of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT). 

  • Request for healthcare service expansion at Vibharam Amata Nakorn Hospital to provide comprehensive treatment coverage to social security health service recipients. Currently, those who use social security health benefits have to wait a long time to receive medical treatment at the hospital. 

AMATA City Rayong

  • Request for training activities to educate operators in the industrial estates, particularly foreign operators, on environmental laws and safety measures for business operations within the industrial estate. This is to minimize the possibility of causing environmental problems from the factory, such as air pollution, odors, water pollution, and noise pollution, which may negatively affect the community.
     
  • Request for a solution to traffic problems during rush hour, opening up the connecting areas between the industrial estate and the community to enhance efficient traffic flow and facilitate traffic for the community, and networking with the police to strictly enforce traffic discipline.

  • Request for support and assistance for people infected with COVID-19, especially in educational and community areas surrounding the industrial estate.  

Implementation according to the government policy

1. Eco-Industrial Town Development

The Company has collaborated with the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) in developing AMATA industrial estates as Eco-industrial Towns according to government policy.

The guidelines for a development plan are in line with the development framework laid out by the IEAT, which consists of 5 dimensions and 22 aspects. The five dimensions, which are physical, economic, environmental, social, and management, are related to the Company’s stakeholders: local communities, customers, employees, factory employees, and local government authorities. There are three levels of eco-industrial town development, namely Eco-Champion, Eco-Excellence, and Eco-World Class. The Company has targeted upgrading its two AMATA industrial estates to achieve Eco-World Class levels in 2025. 

The Company has carried out activities and projects to develop Eco-industrial Town at AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate and AMATA City Rayong Industrial Estate, such as setting up traffic management and industrial waste management committees, creating jobs in the communities, conducting complete and integrated environmental management, improving the well-being of people in communities and factories, and improving its internal information management system. 

In 2022, the Company was certified “Eco-Industrial Town: Eco-Excellence: E2 Level” for both AMATA City Chonburi and AMATA City Rayong Industrial Estates, according to the 2022 target, for the fifth and fourth consecutive years, respectively. Nevertheless, the Company is determined to improve its operations according to eco-industrial concepts for upgrading itself to a higher level of eco-industrial town for all stakeholders’ benefits and to move towards a perfect smart city in the future. 

2. Environmental Governance Assessment

The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) has conducted the Environmental Governance – Green Star Award Project through the Factory Assessment Regulatory Committee, consisting of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, local governmental authorities, communities within a radius of 5 kilometers from the industrial estates, and the Company, as an industrial estate developer, to assess and regulate factories in both AMATA industrial estates according to the environmental governance assessment, which required that the environmental management information and performance of the factories participating in the project be disclosed and assessed. Additionally, advice on improving the factory management system was provided free of charge by the representatives from the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand and the experts. Representatives from local governmental authorities and community leaders also participated in the factory assessment and site visits in order to foster transparency and an accurate understanding in the local communities. The Environmental Governance - Green Star Award Project consists of 5 dimensions and 13 topics as follows: 

  • Physical Dimension

    1. Green area management and maintenance within the factory.
    2. Completely separation of rainwater drainage and wastewater systems.

  • Economic Dimension

    3. Promotion of local community economy.

  • Environmental Dimension

    4. Water and effluent management and wastewater treatment systems control system within the factory
    5. Management of industrial waste, sewage, and solid waste
    6. Air quality management
    7. Management of chemical vapors
    8. Occupational health and safety
    9. Accident and emergency management
    10. Complaint management

  • Social Dimension

    11. Quality of life and society of employees in the factory
    12. Quality of life and society of surrounding communities

  • Management Dimension

    13. Factory management system

In 2022, four factories from AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate, and four factories from the AMATA City Rayong Industrial Estate participated in the assessment. A representative from the Company was a member of the factory assessment regulatory committee. It was found that all factories that participated in the assessment for the Environmental Governance (Green Star Award) Project met the assessment criteria with a score of more than 80%, which is classified as a good to excellent level. 

Social and Environmental Complaints Management

The Company provides various complaint channels for stakeholders who are affected by environmental pollution and can easily access and report the information directly, in accordance with ISO 14001:2015, to properly classify and handle each type of complaint. 

Complaint Channel

Online channel:

  • Line@: @AMATACityChonburi, @AMATACity Rayong
  • Facebook: AMATACorp
  • Tel: 038-213-191

Offline channel:

  • Community committee meetings
  • Meetings of customer and manufacturing operators in industrial estates

Record and Assessment

  • Complaints from all channels will be recorded in Complaint Management System 

  • The system will automatically forward the complaints to relevant departments for management and resolution 

Management and Solution

  • Relevant departments investigate the complaints and estimate the correction period 
  • Complete the correction 
  • Provide appropriate remedies for affected people 
  • Set up risk mitigation and preventive measures and regularly monitor them 

Result Reporting

  • Report complaint management results to stakeholders 
  • Report a summary of complaint resolutions to management on a regular basis 
  • Disclose complaint management information in the annual sustainability report 
The Company’s social and environmental complaint management will emphasize the engagement of various stakeholders by taking into account the rules, regulations, or related laws as the solution guidelines, including cause analysis in order to find the preventive measures at the source, of which the management procedure can be divided into two levels: 

1) Consultation:

If a complaint is found arising from the working process in the customer’s plant or in the common area of the industrial estate, the Company will consider to dispatch an environmental staff or related departments to explore the site in order to advise its customer how to improve the working process and the primary problem-solving guidelines including seeking the advice from specialists or experts from government agencies for implementation of improvements.

2) Operation through the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand:

In case the complaint has not yet been resolved and there is a repetitive complaint, the Company will escalate the complaint to the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand to inspect the process including coordinating the collaboration with the competent supervision authority to further formulate the management approach, cause analysis and prevention measures.

In 2022, the Company received 19 environmental complaints through various channels, comprising 12 complaints from factory to factory and 7 complaints from community to factory, and there were no significant environmental or social complaints from stakeholders about direct impacts from the Company’s operations. 

The environmental complaints were about odor and wastewater concerns. There was no complaint about significant environmental incidents or fines from environmental non-compliance. The Company managed those complaints in accordance with ISO 14001:2015 and collaborated with the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand and community representatives in jointly investigating the reported cases to solve the problems and prevent a recurrence. 100% of the 19 complaints were completely resolved. 

Environmental Complaints in
AMATA City Chonburi, AMATA City Rayong, and AMATA Smart City Chonburi

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