The initiative reflects a broader regional push to equip young professionals with green-skills training. According to the International Labour Organization, Southeast Asia needs an estimated 14 million new green and transition-aligned jobs by 2030 to meet national decarbonization pathways—making industry–university partnerships increasingly critical.
Nestlé has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Chiang Mai University to deliver the curriculum for the first time in Thailand. The course is open to third- and fourth-year students across academic disciplines, providing exposure to sustainability strategy through Nestlé case studies, expert-led workshops, and project-based learning.
Victor Seah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Indochina, said in the announcement that the course reflects the company’s long-term commitment to integrating sustainability across its value chain. Seah emphasized Nestlé’s Net Zero 2050 target and the need to empower youth who will drive future climate action:
“We prioritize empowering the new generation who will be future changemakers. The course will offer youth the chance to learn from experienced professionals and understand how to integrate sustainability into the business sector.”
Firms across consumer goods, manufacturing, and agriculture have noted the growing need for graduates who understand climate risk, carbon accounting, and circularity principles.
Prof. Dr. Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, President of Chiang Mai University, highlighted the university’s long-standing sustainability commitments and national recognition for carbon-neutral campus initiatives. He noted that the Nestlé partnership gives students direct access to corporate sustainability practices, enhancing their ability to design “systematic solutions” that support Thailand’s carbon neutrality and net-zero trajectory.
Thailand’s government has set targets to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065. Achieving those goals will require expanding technical expertise in areas such as renewable energy deployment, regenerative agriculture, circular economy design, and Scope 1–3 emissions management.
University–industry partnerships like this one provide students with hands-on experience in these skill sets while helping companies build a pipeline of future talent capable of supporting regulatory compliance and ESG transformation.
The course is part of Nestlé Needs YOUth, a global initiative aiming to help 10 million young people access economic opportunities by 2030. In Thailand, Nestlé supports more than 8,000 young people annually through entrepreneurship programs, internships, and skill-development workshops.
The new course extends that mission into the academic arena, positioning Thai students to participate in a rapidly changing labor market shaped by climate policy, supply-chain transformation, and emerging sustainability standards.
This aligns with broader APAC workforce data: LinkedIn’s 2025 global Green Skills Report shows that demand for sustainability-related roles has grown over 30% annually in Southeast Asia, outpacing supply. Programs like Chiang Mai University’s collaboration with Nestlé help close that gap by embedding practical ESG tools directly into undergraduate education.
