Exotic Food, a leading Thai exporter of sauces and curry pastes, has become the first company in Thailand's food industry to achieve ISO 14068-1:2023 certification from the Management System Certification Institute (MASCI), marking a significant milestone in its sustainability journey. The certification strengthens the company's pathway toward Carbon Neutrality and Net Zero, while reinforcing its ESG commitment and efforts to build a more sustainable food supply chain.
Ms. Vasana Jantarach, Chief Executive Officer of Exotic Food Public Company Limited, said the growing global focus on climate change is reshaping how businesses operate, particularly those competing in international markets. Exotic Food has therefore developed an environmental strategy aligned with international standards and Thailand's climate ambitions.
The company has set two key long-term targets: achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2040 and Net Zero Emissions by 2050.
"Europe is one of Exotic Food's key markets and has some of the world's most stringent environmental requirements. For us, setting ambitious targets alone is not enough. We need a clear, credible and internationally recognized framework that demonstrates how those targets will actually be achieved," Ms. Vasana said.
"That is why we chose ISO 14068-1:2023 as a core framework for our journey. It allows us to demonstrate to our business partners around the world that Exotic Food has a serious pathway in place and is taking concrete action at every stage. We see this standard as an important foundation for remaining competitive, sustaining long-term growth and strengthening our credibility in global markets."
Achieving the certification required Exotic Food to undertake a comprehensive review of its carbon footprint, including recalculating its baseline emissions data to capture activities and sources of greenhouse gas emissions across its manufacturing operations in line with ISO requirements.
Following the launch of its carbon policy, the company introduced training programs for executives and employees responsible for emissions data, establishing a more systematic approach to data collection and management. The process was followed by a pre-assessment and formal verification by specialists.
Exotic Food has also begun transforming its operations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a series of initiatives. These include installing solar power systems at its Amata City Rayong facility, with further installations planned for its raw-material facility in Phitsanulok.
The company is also working with new suppliers to gradually transition from diesel-powered freight trucks to electric vehicles, while continuing to improve energy efficiency across its manufacturing facilities.
The implementation of ISO 14068-1:2023 goes beyond carbon accounting. It provides Exotic Food with a strategic management framework that strengthens the organization across three key areas:
- A Clear and Accountable Management System
The standard requires organizations to establish a clearly defined management structure, from senior management representatives to operational teams at each manufacturing facility and designated data owners.
This structure enables environmental data to be managed systematically and ensures that sustainability policies are implemented consistently and effectively across the organization.
- Science-Based Target Setting
Exotic Food has worked with climate-management specialists to establish short-, medium- and long-term targets based on actual business data and scientific principles.
This approach is designed to ensure that the company's environmental targets are measurable, credible and capable of delivering genuine reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
- A Verifiable Net Zero Pathway
A key principle of ISO 14068-1 is that organizations must follow a clear hierarchy in addressing greenhouse gas emissions: first avoiding emissions where possible, then reducing and replacing emissions-intensive activities with lower-carbon or renewable alternatives, and finally offsetting only those residual emissions that cannot currently be eliminated through available technologies.
This framework helps ensure that carbon credits are used only after meaningful emissions-reduction measures have been pursued, providing greater transparency and helping reduce the risk of "greenwashing."
"Achieving ISO 14068-1:2023 certification is not simply a source of pride for Exotic Food and our employees. More importantly, it demonstrates our genuine commitment to reducing our environmental impact under our ESG framework," Ms. Vasana said.
"It provides us with a strong foundation to maintain rigorous environmental standards and continue reducing carbon emissions even as we expand our manufacturing capacity and grow the business. We are prepared to make real changes to our technologies and operating processes because we recognize that business partners and consumers in export markets increasingly expect companies to operate responsibly, transparently and in ways that can be verified against international standards."