An invitation from the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United Nations, saw Professor Gayle Avery from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management travel to Bangkok last week to address a Group of 77 (G77) meeting. While there, she discussed her research with the Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayut Chan-o-cha, who also spoke at the summit.

“For two decades I have been working on identifying the principles underlying resilient, high-performing organisations – from small firms through to entire nations,” Gayle explained.

The meeting was organised to discuss how countries in the G77 could use the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP), developed by the King of Thailand to successfully implement the UN’s new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In her presentation, Gayle outlined the SEP process, showing delegates how it applied to several of the SDGs. Her research into sustainable leadership is of great interest in Thailand, which is looking for practical, evidence-based guidelines for implementing the SEP.

“My associates and I have often been invited to address large audiences and conduct various research projects based on the SEP, including editing a forthcoming book of case studies by Thai experts about applying the SEP to business, health, education, community development, prisoner rehabilitation and agriculture,” said Gayle .

The G77 is equivalent to the United Nations’s G20 but for developing economies, giving them an enhanced negotiating capacity in the United Nations. The group currently includes 134 member countries, with Thailand being the chair in 2016.

“The meeting in Thailand is just one of many forums where experts and policy makers can work together to help achieve UN goals,” said Gayle . She has been invited to address the G77 again, at its meeting in June.

 Learn more about Gayle and her research.