Central Retail has once again earned top honours at the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards 2025 (AREA), winning in the Social Empowerment category for the third year in a row. This recognition highlights the company's leadership in sustainability under its "CRC Care" business philosophy, with its standout initiative -the Smile Melon Learning Centre, a model for sustainable, community-driven agriculture that promotes long-term wellbeing.

In partnership with farmers in Ayutthaya, Central Retail has revitalised traditional farming methods, helping communities grow and market premium-grade melons. Through ongoing, end-to-end support, the project has also helped bring these melons to market via TOPS stores.

To date, the initiative has generated more than THB 15.2 million in annual income, expanded to 100 greenhouses, and successfully exported over 4,300 melons to Singapore -marking a major step in taking its Creating Shared Value (CSV) model to the international stage. Looking ahead, Central Retail is set to further scale its sustainability initiatives through AgriTech innovations, circular farming, and youth skill-building programmes, reinforcing its belief that sustainable communities and business growth can and should go hand in hand.