Branding with Purpose: Sasin Executive MBA Students Empower Tha Chalom Entrepreneurs Through Community Engagement

Reflecting Sasin School of Management’s commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, particularly the Social (S) dimension, Executive MBA students participated in a community-based learning initiative in Tha Chalom, Samut Sakhon, on October 10, 2026. The activity demonstrated how business education can contribute to sustainable local economic development through knowledge sharing, community engagement, and meaningful partnerships. Led by Professor Dr. Yupin Patarapongsant as part of the Managing Brands and Brand Experience course, the initiative, themed “Branding with Purpose: Sustainable Branding from the Bottom Up,” brought Executive MBA students together with four local entrepreneurs as part of the social impact component of the Sasin curriculum. Through interviews and collaborative workshops, students explored the businesses’ unique identities, cultural roots, and challenges. They then applied strategic branding concepts to develop practical recommendations for brand positioning and create logos and visual identities. The exercise emphasized co-creation, recognizing that sustainable branding begins with understanding local communities, preserving their heritage, and strengthening their ability to compete in a changing marketplace. Beyond the classroom, the initiative reflects Sasin’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). By connecting academic expertise with grassroots entrepreneurship, the activity supports inclusive economic opportunities while giving Executive MBA students firsthand experience in responsible and socially conscious management. Sasin’s curriculum also reflects the principles of the AACSB Global Standards for Business Education™, which emphasize innovation, ethical judgment, meaningful engagement, and societal impact as essential elements of high-quality business education. In particular, AACSB’s emphasis on experiential learning and societal impact encourages business schools to connect academic knowledge with real-world challenges and create meaningful value for society. The Tha Chalom Branding with Purpose initiative demonstrates how these principles can be embedded in the curriculum through purposeful collaboration among students, entrepreneurs, and local communities. A key contributor to the initiative was Tanachai Rueangchaisit, a Sasin Executive MBA alumnus, whose connections helped bridge Sasin and the Tha Chalom community. The visit marked the third year of community collaboration supported by local partners, highlighting the importance of sustained relationships and the role of Sasin’s alumni network in extending the school’s impact beyond campus. The experience reinforces a fundamental principle of Sasin’s approach to sustainability: business education creates meaningful societal impact when knowledge is shared, communities are empowered, and partnerships generate opportunities for mutual growth. Through Branding with Purpose, Sasin continues to demonstrate how experiential learning can connect future business leaders with the communities they serve, turning classroom knowledge into practical contributions toward a more inclusive and sustainable society.