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ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF THE 2024 APEC BIO-CIRCULAR-GREEN (BCG) AWARD:
APEC is delighted to announce the three winners of the 2024 BCG Award!
The APEC BCG Award recognizes distinguished individuals from across the three award categories of women, youth and MSMEs that have concretely implemented replicable BCG economy approaches to advance sustainable and inclusive growth in the APEC region.
The following award winners were officially announced at the 35th APEC Ministerial Meeting on 14 November 2024 in Lima, Peru:
WOMEN
Passawee Tapasanan Kodaka - Founder and Creative Director of Folkcharm Co. Ltd
Ms Passawee T. Kodaka is a social development practitioner turned entrepreneur and fashion designer, who founded Folkcharm initially as a project in 2014 to merge her passion for sustainability with ethical fashion. With nearly a decade of experience in social development, she established Folkcharm as a sustainable cotton apparel and accessories brand, focusing on design, heritage crafts, community empowerment, and environmental consciousness. The company uses locally sourced, rain-fed cotton and traditional hand-spinning and weaving techniques, complemented by natural dyes, to create unique, eco-friendly products. In 2024, Folkcharm achieved a fully circular production model with zero fabric waste, utilizing off-cuts for accessories and new yarn. Committed to transparency and traceability, Folkcharm prioritizes collaboration with local communities and ensures that its pricing and quality standards are mutually beneficial. Through its carefully crafted pieces, Folkcharm invites consumers to celebrate nature, heritage, and sustainable living.
YOUTH
Muh. Agung Saputra - CEO Surplus Indonesia
Muh. Agung Saputra founded Surplus Indonesia in 2020, pioneering Indonesia’s first "Food Rescue App" to tackle food waste and promote sustainability through an innovative BCG business model. By enabling local food businesses, hotels, and farms to sell overstock and imperfect produce at a 50 percent discount, Surplus Indonesia has successfully rescued over 350 tons of food, preventing approximately 5,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. With more than 500,000 users and over 4,000 food and beverage partners, the app dominates the food rescue sector with a 90 percent market share and has directly benefited over 500,000 people, with a focus on empowering women through entrepreneurial opportunities and training programs. Agung actively engages in policy advocacy, collaborating with government bodies to promote sustainable practices and food waste reduction. Looking ahead, Surplus Indonesia aims to expand its impact by scaling operations to more cities and enhancing its Online-to-Offline model.
MSMEs:
Nippan Intercrop Co. Ltd
Nippan Intercrop Co. Ltd founded in 2015 by Mr Chirayuth Tiewsomboonkit, is an innovative company dedicated to transforming agricultural waste, particularly corn cobs, into valuable products. By processing these materials into briquettes for animal bedding and seedling substrates, Nippan Intercrop helps mitigate the environmental impact of traditional corn farming practices, which often involve burning waste and contributing to harmful emissions like PM 2.5. The company sources corn waste from local farmers across five regions in Thailand, preventing the burning of over 160,000 rai (approximately 63,260 acres) annually. Embracing a BCG business model, Nippan Intercrop maximizes resource utilization by dividing corn cobs into three distinct layers for various applications, and ensuring all products are compostable, thus achieving a zero-waste production process.
OVERVIEW
In November 2022, APEC Ministers launched the APEC BCG Award at the 33rd APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM) held in Bangkok, Thailand.
The award is co-proposed by Canada; China and Thailand, co-sponsored by Hong Kong, China; New Zealand; Peru; and the United States and funded through contributions from Canada; China; Hong Kong, China; and Thailand.
At the 34th APEC Ministerial Meeting held in San Francisco, USA, six winners of the BCG Award were announced with each winner receiving a cash prize of USD 5,000.
Thank you to all APEC members who submitted nominations for the 2024 APEC BCG Award. Please note that nominations are now closed. Please watch this space for details on the 2025 APEC BCG Award process, which will be posted in the new year.