The Catholic Business Executives and Professionals (CBEP) is preparing to launch a new initiative urging members to produce video presentations showing how their companies put Catholic social teaching into practice.
The initiative follows a gathering of more than 300 Catholic and interfaith business leaders at its 2025 annual conference.
The proposal, introduced on November 23, invites members to document concrete practices inspired by Church teachings, particularly those aligned with the “Triple P” bottom line — People, Planet, Profit — guided by the values of Good Goods, Good Work, and Good Wealth.
“This is what we call the Triple P as Bottom Line,” explained Prachual Trinikorn, a senior member of the CBEP Executive Committee who made the proposal.
“The scripts must reference one or more of the Church’s teachings that guide ethical business. We want members not only to study these teachings but to put them into practice and record their lived experience,” he added.
Prachual said the expected outcome is twofold: members deepen their understanding of Catholic social principles, and CBEP gains a collection of multimedia materials that can be used “at various events, including UNIAPAC meetings, and serve as examples for business leaders across dioceses.”
Networking and creative displays highlight annual gathering
This year’s annual conference also marked the launch of a Business Networking activity, which drew strong participation from both new and long-standing members.
Participants exchanged ideas on integrating faith with business practices, sharing models for ethical leadership, responsible management, and community-oriented entrepreneurship.
The gathering featured booths from a range of Catholic groups and enterprises, displaying products and initiatives that reflect what organizers described as “the creative energy of the Thai Catholic business community.”
CBEP is an active member of UNIAPAC, the global association of Christian business executives dedicated to promoting Christian social thought in the corporate world. UNIAPAC aims to support leaders committed to shaping their business vocation into one that serves the common good.
Church leaders honor event amid national mourning
According to George Varakorn Techaamontrikul, CBEP president, this year’s event was honored by prominent Church leaders, including Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Peter Brian Wells, Cardinal Michael Michai Kitbunchu, Cardinal Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij, and Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Bangkok.
The conference took place during a period of national mourning following the passing of Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother. The opening started with a liturgical tribute expressing “gratitude and deep sorrow” on behalf of CBEP members.
The atmosphere grew especially moving when Cardinal Michael Michai Kitbunchu, who founded CBEP in 1993, delivered the opening address marking the group’s 32nd anniversary.
Reflecting on the challenges facing modern society and the Church’s observance of the Holy Year of Hope, the cardinal reminded business leaders of the Christian foundations of their work.
“For Catholic businesspeople, our steadfast hope is in Christ, the ‘anchor of life,’ guiding the ship of the Church with faith, hope, and the witness of the Gospel through real life,” Cardinal Kitbunchu said.
Keynote focus: Sustainable tourism for a hopeful future
The keynote address was delivered by Siripakorn Chiawsamut, director of the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration, who spoke on the theme “Pilgrims of Hope: Reviving the Thai Economy with a Sustainable Tourism Strategy.”
He underscored the immense economic potential of Thailand’s tourism sector while stressing the need for long-term sustainability.
“We must consider the well-being of people, families, nature, and communities,” he said, echoing the Church’s call, especially in Laudato Si’, to care for the common home.
Nuncio calls for leadership rooted in charity and integrity
In his closing remarks, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Peter Brian Wells drew on the teachings of St. Leo the Great to emphasize that Christian leadership must defend truth, foster unity, and practice charity.
He urged participants to embody the Gospel message in their professional lives, quoting Jesus’ call to be “the light of the world.”
Catholic business leadership, he said, extends far beyond financial achievement: it is a mission of honesty, compassion, justice, and integrity, particularly toward workers, clients, and society at large.
Archbishop Wells stressed the importance of rejecting corruption “in all its forms,” mentoring the next generation, and serving vulnerable communities “with a generous, humble spirit.”
