July 6, 2025 • 11 mins
What does it mean to do business with compassion? How can a company marry purpose with profit? We explore that and more with B.Grimm--the Thai conglomerate that has been doing business compassionately for nearly 150 years.
https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/media/bgrimm/the-stewards-of-compassion-podcast
This episode is sponsored by B.GRIMM.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello, because you're a subscriber to this Bloomberg podcast. We
thought you'd be interested in a sponsored podcast called The
Stewards of Compassion, presented by BGRIM and produced by Bloomberg
Media Studios, find out how a belief that businesses are
not just engines of profit, but also stewards of well
being can help drive a company forward. We hope you
(00:25):
enjoy the concluding episode. For nearly a century and a half,
Bgrim has been more than just a business. It has
been a force for positive change. Founded in eighteen seventy eight,
the company's legacy is deeply rooted in Thailand's development. From
(00:46):
pioneering modern medicine to advancing infrastructure and energy solutions that
beyond economic progress, Bigrim has always held a firm belief
business must serve society. This philosophy is at the heart
of the company's approach, an approach defined by compassion, purpose,
and a commitment to leaving the world better than they
(01:08):
found it. From wildlife conservation to education, from health care
to the arts, BGRIM integrates philanthropy into its very fabric,
not as an obligation, but as a natural extension of
doing business the right way. At the core of this
commitment lies the belief that businesses are not just engines
of profit but also stewards of well being, and for
(01:33):
BGRIM and its current chairman, doctor Harold Link, this means
fostering a culture of kindness, empathy, and social responsibility, values
deeply embedded in its leadership.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Now, when you look into compassion and the Buddhist content,
they have what they care compassion, loving, kindness, sympathetic, joy,
and equanimity as the four immeasurables.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
So can you be a compassionate person nowadays?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Fortunately, empathy has become an important world so you have
to understand the other person.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Now, in the.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Companies, we always have a purpose like now of doing
business with compassion or becompowered.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
We have a vision empowering the world compassionately.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
So if everybody wants to achieve the same thing and
they're all compassionate towards each other, then you get the
power of a laser beam. Instead of getting this dispersed
light that shines into so many directions, now suddenly all
comes to the same point and then the organization will
be so much more successful.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
This compassionate approach is further embodied in begrim's core values positivity, professionalism,
partnership and pioneering spirit.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
We have four important values for us. One is positivity.
No matter what is happening, we still look at the
world positively. Have this attitude and the people who come
with us. Many lives depend on our work, especially in
the pharmaceutical and medical equipment field, but also in the
one hundred percent available of our electricity.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Professionalism is a very important value.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
So in Switzerland professionalism is given, but in Thailand you
have to emphasize that. The third value, which is becoming
more popular now is partnership. So ten years ago, if
you talked to big companies, they all want to do
everything by themselves. Nowadays people are more and more liking
partnerships and that has been a guiding value for bigrim
(03:37):
since the very beginning. The fourth pie is pioneering spirit,
about being the first one to bring modern medicine, being
the first one to bring radio systems here, and debuting
the largest solar plant in Vietnam when nobody else was
doing that, got the first green lawn in our region,
and so we think about how we can and keep
(04:00):
on pioneering something with a good risk reward relationship, and
so far it has worked out well.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
One of the profound philosophies that resonate with Begrim's mission
is gross national happiness, a concept from Bhutan that measures
a nation's success by the happiness of its people rather
than just economic indicators.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
When the fourth King of Bhutan was seventeen and just
came to the throne, as he was asked by a journalist,
how big is your GDP, he that in Bhutan, we
concentrate on the happiness of our people. So for us,
gross natural happiness is more important than gross domestic product.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
And now they're.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Going to build a big city close to India which
is concentrating on that, a mindful city with new investments
in clean businesses. One day I was in Bhutan and
invited to the palace of one of the queens. I
was there at the lunch and the sister of the
current king was at this lunch, and there is a
(05:08):
head of the Gross National Happiness Center in Bhutan. I
asked whether we should try to bring this to Thailand
because it goes very well with Bigram's philosophy in our culture.
Now they have a Gross National Happiness has four pillars,
so one of them is good governance, the other is
development of culture, and there is development of the environment,
(05:30):
and the fourth one is the development of economy and
general well being. So it fits perfectly with what we
have been doing all along, and so that's why we
established it here and we try to promote this gross
national happiness.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Bigram's commitments to conservation is evident through their Save the
Tigers project initiated in twenty thirteen, recognizing tigers as apex
predators for a balanced ecosystem.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So we support the tigers a lot because they are
top of the food chain. If you take that away,
you can see what happened in America and Europe. If
you take the top of the future chain away, it
all help breaks loos. So we advertise for tigers and
now we find that more and more people find that
tigers are an important part of the ecosystem. We support
the Taig government with the protection of the tigers. We
(06:26):
bought live insurance for the rangers they didn't have telecommunication
equipment so that they can communicate across national parks with
each other.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Or we made pr.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Effort in areas around the national parks so that people
tried to help to stop the pochers. I think awareness
is very important, so we tried to build a lot
of awareness that everybody wants to support tigers.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Beyond conservation. Bigrin places a strong emphasis on education. Since
twenty ten, they have supported that Little Scientists House Thailand,
a project initiated by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn to make science enjoyable for kindergarteners. The initiative aims
to inspire young minds to explore scientific concepts through fun
(07:15):
and interactive learning.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
We strongly support dual vocational training like it's done in Germany, Switzerland, Austria,
Australia because in Germany the middle class is mainly made
out of those who studied dual vocational training, meaning they
get training in the company and in the vocational school, and.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
We don't really have that in Thailand.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
So people don't become middle class if they study that
one but in Germany they're an middle class. So you
can even set up your own business. Then we found
that when we invested in some internet related companies that
in Thailand the software skills are not that great and
the universe a c it is don't know how to
(08:01):
teach entrepreneurship because the professors don't become entrepreneurs themselves, different
to the United States, and so we brought a university
here that's called Harbor Spased then to educates such people.
And then we support a lot of universities and schools.
And there's a great kindergarten project. It's called a Little
Scientist's House, and now there are twenty two thousand kindergartens
(08:25):
who use that and make children have fun with science,
because normally children are afraid the thing is a difficult
subject to conquer. But now they say, actually, it's fun,
so normal children are not afraid of science anymore.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
In the realm of equestrian sports, BGRIM has been a
pivotal supporter. They have been instrumental in elevating Thailand's equestrian
standards to international levels by organizing tournaments, supporting athletes, and
advocating for equestrian related careers. Notably, in twenty b GRIM
(09:01):
sponsored the Thai equestrian team, enabling them to qualify for
a full eventing team at the Tokyo Olympics, a first
in Thailand's history.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
We support equestrianism a lot in Thailand. Number one is
because we love the sport, and number two, we want
to do something good for society. I became the president
of the Talent Equestion Federation and also the Southeast Asian
Equestrian Federation, so that way we make sure that Southeast
Asia and the Southeast Asian Games can continue to have
(09:34):
equestrian sport in it.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
And of course we love the sports.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
We are the only Southeast Asian country that sent the
whole team to the Olympic Equestrian Games.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
We buy a lot of horses.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
For a national team, we've trained the national team and
our facilities we build one of the very few places
in the world where you have seven equestrian sports at
the same locations.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
For be Grim, the power forward is clear. Success is
not measured merely by financial milestones, but by the impact
left on people, communities, and the environment. The company's legacy
is not just about growth, It is about purpose. From
ensuring the protection of endangered species to nurturing young minds,
(10:19):
from advancing medical research to preserving cultural heritage. Bigrim continues
to prove that business and compassion are not mutually exclusive. Instead,
they are two sides of the same coin. This unwavering
commitment stems from a fundamental belief when companies align their
mission with the greater good. They don't just thrive, they
(10:41):
create lasting change.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
If we want to do something good for society, we
want to put the people in a position that they
can feel happy, that the purpose of the company and
their own life purpose are fully aligned, and that they
are a good part of society whenever they are in
the company and when they.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Are outside the company, so that it's doing with compassion.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
B Grim empowering the world compassionately h
Hello, because you're a subscriber to this Bloomberg podcast. We
thought you'd be interested in a sponsored podcast called The
Stewards of Compassion, presented by BGRIM and produced by Bloomberg
Media Studios, find out how a belief that businesses are
not just engines of profit, but also stewards of well
being can help drive a company forward. We hope you
(00:25):
enjoy the concluding episode. For nearly a century and a half,
Bgrim has been more than just a business. It has
been a force for positive change. Founded in eighteen seventy eight,
the company's legacy is deeply rooted in Thailand's development. From
(00:46):
pioneering modern medicine to advancing infrastructure and energy solutions that
beyond economic progress, Bigrim has always held a firm belief
business must serve society. This philosophy is at the heart
of the company's approach, an approach defined by compassion, purpose,
and a commitment to leaving the world better than they
(01:08):
found it. From wildlife conservation to education, from health care
to the arts, BGRIM integrates philanthropy into its very fabric,
not as an obligation, but as a natural extension of
doing business the right way. At the core of this
commitment lies the belief that businesses are not just engines
of profit but also stewards of well being, and for
(01:33):
BGRIM and its current chairman, doctor Harold Link, this means
fostering a culture of kindness, empathy, and social responsibility, values
deeply embedded in its leadership.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Now, when you look into compassion and the Buddhist content,
they have what they care compassion, loving, kindness, sympathetic, joy,
and equanimity as the four immeasurables.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
So can you be a compassionate person nowadays?
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Fortunately, empathy has become an important world so you have
to understand the other person.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Now, in the.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Companies, we always have a purpose like now of doing
business with compassion or becompowered.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
We have a vision empowering the world compassionately.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
So if everybody wants to achieve the same thing and
they're all compassionate towards each other, then you get the
power of a laser beam. Instead of getting this dispersed
light that shines into so many directions, now suddenly all
comes to the same point and then the organization will
be so much more successful.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
This compassionate approach is further embodied in begrim's core values positivity, professionalism,
partnership and pioneering spirit.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
We have four important values for us. One is positivity.
No matter what is happening, we still look at the
world positively. Have this attitude and the people who come
with us. Many lives depend on our work, especially in
the pharmaceutical and medical equipment field, but also in the
one hundred percent available of our electricity.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Professionalism is a very important value.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
So in Switzerland professionalism is given, but in Thailand you
have to emphasize that. The third value, which is becoming
more popular now is partnership. So ten years ago, if
you talked to big companies, they all want to do
everything by themselves. Nowadays people are more and more liking
partnerships and that has been a guiding value for bigrim
(03:37):
since the very beginning. The fourth pie is pioneering spirit,
about being the first one to bring modern medicine, being
the first one to bring radio systems here, and debuting
the largest solar plant in Vietnam when nobody else was
doing that, got the first green lawn in our region,
and so we think about how we can and keep
(04:00):
on pioneering something with a good risk reward relationship, and
so far it has worked out well.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
One of the profound philosophies that resonate with Begrim's mission
is gross national happiness, a concept from Bhutan that measures
a nation's success by the happiness of its people rather
than just economic indicators.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
When the fourth King of Bhutan was seventeen and just
came to the throne, as he was asked by a journalist,
how big is your GDP, he that in Bhutan, we
concentrate on the happiness of our people. So for us,
gross natural happiness is more important than gross domestic product.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
And now they're.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Going to build a big city close to India which
is concentrating on that, a mindful city with new investments
in clean businesses. One day I was in Bhutan and
invited to the palace of one of the queens. I
was there at the lunch and the sister of the
current king was at this lunch, and there is a
(05:08):
head of the Gross National Happiness Center in Bhutan. I
asked whether we should try to bring this to Thailand
because it goes very well with Bigram's philosophy in our culture.
Now they have a Gross National Happiness has four pillars,
so one of them is good governance, the other is
development of culture, and there is development of the environment,
(05:30):
and the fourth one is the development of economy and
general well being. So it fits perfectly with what we
have been doing all along, and so that's why we
established it here and we try to promote this gross
national happiness.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Bigram's commitments to conservation is evident through their Save the
Tigers project initiated in twenty thirteen, recognizing tigers as apex
predators for a balanced ecosystem.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So we support the tigers a lot because they are
top of the food chain. If you take that away,
you can see what happened in America and Europe. If
you take the top of the future chain away, it
all help breaks loos. So we advertise for tigers and
now we find that more and more people find that
tigers are an important part of the ecosystem. We support
the Taig government with the protection of the tigers. We
(06:26):
bought live insurance for the rangers they didn't have telecommunication
equipment so that they can communicate across national parks with
each other.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Or we made pr.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Effort in areas around the national parks so that people
tried to help to stop the pochers. I think awareness
is very important, so we tried to build a lot
of awareness that everybody wants to support tigers.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Beyond conservation. Bigrin places a strong emphasis on education. Since
twenty ten, they have supported that Little Scientists House Thailand,
a project initiated by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn to make science enjoyable for kindergarteners. The initiative aims
to inspire young minds to explore scientific concepts through fun
(07:15):
and interactive learning.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
We strongly support dual vocational training like it's done in Germany, Switzerland, Austria,
Australia because in Germany the middle class is mainly made
out of those who studied dual vocational training, meaning they
get training in the company and in the vocational school, and.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
We don't really have that in Thailand.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
So people don't become middle class if they study that
one but in Germany they're an middle class. So you
can even set up your own business. Then we found
that when we invested in some internet related companies that
in Thailand the software skills are not that great and
the universe a c it is don't know how to
(08:01):
teach entrepreneurship because the professors don't become entrepreneurs themselves, different
to the United States, and so we brought a university
here that's called Harbor Spased then to educates such people.
And then we support a lot of universities and schools.
And there's a great kindergarten project. It's called a Little
Scientist's House, and now there are twenty two thousand kindergartens
(08:25):
who use that and make children have fun with science,
because normally children are afraid the thing is a difficult
subject to conquer. But now they say, actually, it's fun,
so normal children are not afraid of science anymore.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
In the realm of equestrian sports, BGRIM has been a
pivotal supporter. They have been instrumental in elevating Thailand's equestrian
standards to international levels by organizing tournaments, supporting athletes, and
advocating for equestrian related careers. Notably, in twenty b GRIM
(09:01):
sponsored the Thai equestrian team, enabling them to qualify for
a full eventing team at the Tokyo Olympics, a first
in Thailand's history.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
We support equestrianism a lot in Thailand. Number one is
because we love the sport, and number two, we want
to do something good for society. I became the president
of the Talent Equestion Federation and also the Southeast Asian
Equestrian Federation, so that way we make sure that Southeast
Asia and the Southeast Asian Games can continue to have
(09:34):
equestrian sport in it.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
And of course we love the sports.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
We are the only Southeast Asian country that sent the
whole team to the Olympic Equestrian Games.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
We buy a lot of horses.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
For a national team, we've trained the national team and
our facilities we build one of the very few places
in the world where you have seven equestrian sports at
the same locations.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
For be Grim, the power forward is clear. Success is
not measured merely by financial milestones, but by the impact
left on people, communities, and the environment. The company's legacy
is not just about growth, It is about purpose. From
ensuring the protection of endangered species to nurturing young minds,
(10:19):
from advancing medical research to preserving cultural heritage. Bigrim continues
to prove that business and compassion are not mutually exclusive. Instead,
they are two sides of the same coin. This unwavering
commitment stems from a fundamental belief when companies align their
mission with the greater good. They don't just thrive, they
(10:41):
create lasting change.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
If we want to do something good for society, we
want to put the people in a position that they
can feel happy, that the purpose of the company and
their own life purpose are fully aligned, and that they
are a good part of society whenever they are in
the company and when they.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Are outside the company, so that it's doing with compassion.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
B Grim empowering the world compassionately h
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