Gloyta Nathalang

Thailand's carbon queen

When carbon markets were still widely viewed as voluntary or abstract mechanisms, Gloyta Nathalang was already preparing Thailand for a future in which carbon would increasingly shape economic value and competitiveness.

Today, as chair of the Thailand Carbon Markets Club (TCMC) and senior executive vice president, sustainability management and corporate communications at Bangchak Corporation, she is part of a structural shift redefining trade, investment and competitiveness.

Her contribution earned her the Women in Sustainability Icon Award at the Bangkok Post Women of the Year 2026 event.

Mrs Gloyta credited both her family and education. Raised in a household that embraced nature, she developed an early awareness of environmental stewardship.

Graduating with a bachelor's degree in arts (English and French) from Chulalongkorn University and later earning a postgraduate diploma in public relations from the University of Stirling, her career spans more than two decades with multinationals including Shell and Tetra Pak, as well as an international posting in Lausanne, Switzerland.

These experiences shaped her understanding that communication is central to sustainability.

“Sustainability cannot succeed without communication,” she told the Bangkok Post. “People must understand why it matters before they act.”

As a woman in the field, Mrs Gloyta acknowledges challenges, particularly in navigating traditionally male-dominated industries such as energy. Yet she views diversity as a strength, rather than an obstacle.

“I see challenges as opportunities to create an impact in the world,” she said.

Asked why she chose to remain on this path, Mrs Gloyta said: “It’s because sustainability, in my view, is no longer peripheral. It is the future of business strategy. The opportunity lies in embedding measurable, operational systems into everyday decision-making, turning ambition into accountability.”

The Women in Sustainability Icon Award is deeply humbling for her.

“I would not have received this without a strong team. You cannot go far alone,” she said.

Her advice to others aspiring to succeed in sustainability reflects the philosophy she lives by: be true to yourself. Keep an open mind. Have passion in everything you do. And above all, build strong collaboration.

“Communication is essential,” she said. “Sustainability is not an individual journey. It is a collective transformation.”

For Mrs Gloyta, climate change is no longer framed as an environmental narrative; it is economic infrastructure.

“Carbon markets are no longer a distant policy concept. They are increasingly becoming part of the economic infrastructure,” she said.

Her conviction dates back to 2021, when Chaiwat Kovavisarach, Group Chief Executive Officer and President of Bangchak Corporation, formed TCMC in anticipation of global mechanisms such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. At the time, few Thai companies viewed carbon accounting as strategic. She saw preparedness as a competitive advantage.

Under her stewardship, TCMC has evolved from a trading forum into a credibility platform built on measurement, reporting, verification and governance, foundations essential for carbon markets to drive genuine emissions reductions.

Through its Carbon Marketplace, 1.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent have been traded among 52 organisations, including companies aligned with the global RE100 renewable energy initiative. Over 200 firms have adopted tools to measure organisational and individual carbon footprints.

At Bangchak, accountability extends to the personal level. Through the “MyCF” application, executives and staff track daily emissions and offset excess through renewable energy or afforestation credits. Even Olympic badminton players Kunlavut Vitidsarn and Ratchanok Intanon have participated in the campaign.

“If everyone aligns with carbon reduction every day, collective action can be more powerful than short-term campaigns,” she noted.

Regionally, her outlook is equally strategic. In 2024, TCMC became a signatory to the ASEAN Common Carbon Framework at COP29 in Azerbaijan, promoting interoperability and mutual recognition of standards across Southeast Asia.

Alongside initiatives such as the High-Integrity ASEAN Carbon Initiative and mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, the effort signals a shift from fragmented national systems towards a coordinated regional carbon market, which is essential, she argues, for maintaining competitiveness as carbon increasingly shapes market access.

Through policy vision, operational discipline and stakeholder engagement, Mrs Gloyta is emerging not merely as a sustainability advocate, but as one of the key voices shaping Thailand’s carbon market development.