Aunjai Arsa’s “Think in Advance Mission” through Academy for Thais was created to cultivate a culture of thinking ahead for others among AIS employees, inspiring them to look beyond their everyday roles, recognize what people and communities need, and turn that awareness into action.
Our objective was to transform volunteering from something employees participate in when asked into a mindset they carry forward. We wanted employees to feel empowered to use what they already have, including their time, knowledge, skills, and personal strengths, to create meaningful impact for others.
Rather than defining what employees should do, the Think in Advance Mission gave them a simple purpose: see what is needed, think ahead, and find a way to help. This allowed employees to contribute in ways that felt personal and meaningful, while responding to different needs across communities.
Ultimately, we wanted to make volunteering more than a series of activities. We set out to make thinking ahead for others part of the AIS employee DNA, building a culture where people do not wait to be told how to help, but recognize an opportunity to make a difference and choose to act.
Our strategy was to build something that could not be created through instructions alone: a volunteer spirit powered by a Think in Advance Mission. The challenge was not simply getting employees to volunteer. It was encouraging them to develop the habit of looking beyond their everyday roles, recognizing what others might need, and feeling empowered to step forward without being told. This became the foundation of Aunjai Arsa: Think in Advance Mission through Academy for Thais. Instead of building a fixed volunteer program around a predetermined list of activities, we created a flexible mission around one simple principle: See what is needed. Think ahead. Find a way to help.
At the heart of the Mission was “Turning Burdens into Power.” We believe every employee has something that can create value for others. Time can become support. Knowledge can become opportunity. Skills can become solutions. Physical effort can become care. Even a simple helping hand can become meaningful power for someone in need.
We therefore designed volunteering around what employees could give, rather than what the organization needed them to do.The needs of society became the starting point, while employees chose how they could respond.
When big floods hit, employees came together to prepare essential supplies and support affected communities. When children needed inspiration and knowledge, employees became mentors and buddies through initiatives such as the Jump Thailand Hackathon. When people in hospitals needed support, employees stepped in to help. When communities needed care, employees cleaned and restored shared spaces. When the environment needed attention, they planted trees.
The activities were intentionally diverse because the needs were diverse. What remained consistent was the Think in Advance Mission.
This created a different relationship between employees and volunteering. Instead of waiting for the company to define how they could help, employees were given the purpose and freedom to decide how their own strengths could make a difference.
Our execution therefore focused on creating opportunities for employees to move from being invited to help to being empowered to help.
Through Aunjai Arsa, volunteering became more than a series of activities. It became a platform for employees to discover how what they already have can become power for others, while turning the Think in Advance Mission into something they can carry into different situations. Ultimately, our strategy was simple: give people a mission, give them the freedom to act, and let their own strengths become the power that helps others.
That is how we set out to build the AIS Employee's Spirit.
"Aunjai Arsa" turned the "Think in Advance" Mission into measurable changes in how AIS employees engage, contribute, and take action. Each volunteer activity typically brings together 500 to 1,000 employees, with more than 80% returning to volunteer again. Employee feedback also shows that the impact extends beyond participation:
90% said they became more willing to help others.
80% felt empowered to initiate volunteering.
80% reported taking action without being asked.
More than 70% believe volunteering has become part of AIS culture.
Together, these results show a shift from participation to initiative. Employees are not simply joining activities organized by the company. They are becoming more willing to recognize what others need and take action themselves.
The 80% return rate provides further evidence that this engagement is sustained. Employees are choosing to come back, not simply because they were asked, but because they want to contribute.
For AIS, this is the real measure of success. The Think in Advance Mission is moving beyond a volunteer program to become a shared behavior, strengthening the connection between our people, our purpose, and the communities we serve.
They did not just show up. They chose to come back. That is the Aunjai Spirit in action.
