BJC BigC Foundation and UNICEF partner to give children the best start in life

BJC BigC Foundation and UNICEF partner to give children the best start in life Nutrition, Play, Learning, and Nurturing Care at the center of the three-year partnership

The BJC BigC Foundation, Thailand’s leading retailer, has partnered with UNICEF Thailand to promote quality early childhood development. As part of this collaboration, the Foundation launched “Healthy Checkout Lanes” today at 200 BigC branches nationwide. This is the first of many CSR initiatives planned for BJC Big C in 2024 aligning the company practice with UNICEF’s Early Childhood Development programme that aim at enhancing nutrition, stimulation, learning, and development for young children in Thailand.

The BJC BigC Foundation and UNICEF began their three-year partnership in March 2024. Under the theme “BJC BigC Foundation for UNICEF: Bring Up A Better Life – For Our Children,” the partnership strives to ensure every child in Thailand has a strong start in life, with opportunities to learn and develop in safe, nurturing environments within families, schools, and communities.

“Investing in child nutrition goes beyond just health outcomes,” said Kyungsun Kim, UNICEF Representative for Thailand. “It’s about building the foundation for a better future for every child. This is especially crucial for Thailand, which faces a rapidly aging population and a declining birth rate. We need to ensure every child grows up healthy, loved, and cared for, with plenty of opportunities to learn so that they can reach their full potential—not just for their own bright future, but for the nation’s as well. This requires a collective effort from all sectors, including the private sector. We are encouraged by partners like the BJC BigC Foundation, who commit to and invest in supporting parents and families in making the best choices and providing the best care for their children. When children and families win, the country wins.”

Aswin Techajaroenvikul, Vice President of the BJC BigC Foundation, added that “The partnership with UNICEF Thailand represents a collaborative effort to promote quality, inclusive, and equitable early childhood development in Thailand. Through this partnership, we will continue to implement a series of policies and activities such as promoting family-friendly policies and establishing children’s corners and breastfeeding rooms for employees. All of these activities will help advance child development and family’s well-being and ensure that every child gets the best start in life.” Aswin said.

Thapanee Techajaroenvikul, Committee Secretary and Treasurer of the BJC BigC Foundation, said, “During the early years of life when the human brain develops rapidly, children need the best nutrition and stimulation. They must eat well, play, and live in a nurturing environment. We are excited to work with UNICEF to support optimal development for children in Thailand. With this Healthy Checkout Lanes initiative as our foundation’s first activity, we hope that parents will appreciate these lanes as they will avoid displaying products with added sugars or unhealthy fats.”