International Union of Christian Business Executives travels to Asia to foster a more humane economy

A delegation from UNIAPAC, which brings together 45,000 entrepreneurs from around the world in the name of the Church's social teaching, is meeting with Catholic colleagues from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam to establish new contacts. The goal is to develop businesses that put people, not profit, at the centre, in places where GDP growth too often fails to address inequality.

Bangkok (AsiaNews) – A delegation from the International Union of Christian Business Executives (UNIAPAC), an ecumenical organisation dedicated to promoting Christian social thought on business in the corporate world worldwide, is currently making a major trip to Asia.

This is an opportunity for international delegates to meet with local Christian business leaders from across the region, with the aim of boosting collaboration, sharing experiences, and promoting an economy centred on the dignity of the human person and the common good.

This is a particularly important challenge for Asia, a continent where rapid economic growth is intertwined with challenges such as inequality and cultural diversity.

Thus, the goal is to highlight the importance of ethical leadership in businesses, social enterprises that prioritise human development over mere profit, and initiatives that integrate faith and commerce.

Founded in 1931 in Belgium on the 40th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum Novarum, UNIAPAC is now headquartered in Paris and has developed into a global network of associations in over 40 countries across Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and North America, representing more than 45,000 business leaders worldwide.

Examples in Asia include organisations like the PUKAT Academy in Indonesia, which trains Catholic business leaders to connect entrepreneurship with Gospel values, or Thai and Filipino leaders who, during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, applied faith-inspired principles to ensure decent work and community solidarity.

At the last UNIAPAC World Congress, held in November 2024 in Manila, Philippines, participants agreed to strengthen the association’s presence in Asia, where many business groups are eager to learn more about its experience, hence the current trip, led by the president, Sigrid Marz of Germany.

After Thailand, the delegation will travel Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam, with several Philippine business people included.

Yesterday, the delegation, along with representatives of the Catholic Business Executives of Thailand (CBET), met with the Archbishop of Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Bangkok, and the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Peter Bryan Wells, who stressed the importance of the initiative and encouraged its progress.

In the coming days, through round tables, discussions, and spiritual moments, relations will also be deepened with the Brotherhood of Catholic Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) in the Philippines, the Indonesian Catholic Prayer Fraternity for Entrepreneurs (Persekutuan Doa Katolik Indonesia, PUKAT/PERDUKI), the Catholic Business Network of Singapore (CBN), and the Catholic Business Leaders/Catholic Business Circle (CBL/CBC) in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Hanoi, and Haiphong, Vietnam.

The daily schedule combines formal meetings, field visits, and moments of prayer.

“This is an exciting opportunity to connect Catholic business people in Asia,” noted George Varakorn, from Thailand and currently head of UNIAPAC Asia. “By fostering these exchanges, we aim to inspire transformations that place the human person at the heart of economic activity, aligning with the timeless teachings of the Church for a more equitable world.”

“Hopefully, 2026 can help build this Catholic Business brotherhood across the Asian continent; our dream is to bring young Catholic business leaders together for a conference just before the World Youth Day in South Korea in 2027. God willing!" said Father Will Conquer, spiritual advisor to UNIAPAC Asia and missionary in Cambodia.

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