SM Cares, ASP march towards a more Autism-OK Philippines at Angels Walk for Autism 2024

SM Cares recently reaffirmed its commitment to promoting autism-inclusive SM malls as it successfully conducted this year's ASP Angels Walk for Autism in partnership with Autism Society Philippines. The main event was held last April 21 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Simultaneous walks in SM Seaside City Cebu and SM City Davao were also held, with more walks to follow in SM City Iloilo and SM City Lucena.

This year's Angels Walk for Autism was the biggest one yet with over 23,000 participants, including persons with autism and their families, professionals, and supporters from various sectors of society locally and abroad.

SM Prime Employees for an #SMWasteFreeFuture

SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the leading integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, brought to life the company's long-running commitment to sustainability with the internal launch of its #SMWasteFreeFuture program on April 22, 20224, at the SM Prime Headquarters Office, Pasay City, in time to also celebrate Earth Day. 

The launch brought together employees from SM Prime housed under its new headquarters as well as employees from its primary residences SMDC in Two ECom, and its hotels and convention center in One Ecom, and broadcasted live to the SM Supermall employees nationwide. 

Youth participation key to addressing climate change issues – ChildFund Philippines

ChildFund Philippines supports youth in Infanta, Quezon through a climate action program called Project GREENLIGHT. This initiative aims to help address climate change issues and mitigate climate-induced disaster risks, underscoring the central role of youth in driving climate action within their community. 

ChildFund Philippines gathered its partners from ReINa Federations of Parents Associations, Inc. and community members of Infanta, Quezon for a tree growing activity in one of the Project Greenlight areas.

Project GREENLIGHT, in partnership with the municipal government of Infanta and ReINa Federations of Parents Associations, Inc., integrates Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA) and Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) into the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) program of Infanta, Quezon. 

Making proper e-waste disposal accessible and convenient for Filipinos nationwide

SM Cares, PLDT, and Smart join hands to promote responsible e-waste disposal

To strengthen its efforts in promoting the responsible disposal of electronic waste, SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, recently tapped PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), two of the leading telecommunications providers in the country for a strategic partnership that will expand SM's Electronic Waste Collection (EWC) Program and drive further positive change in electronic waste management in the country. The partnership was launched to the public last April 22, 2024.

SGV & Co. signs MOA with ADMU to launch SGV iTeach program in Ateneo campuses

On March 21, 2024, SGV & Co., represented by Chairman and Country Managing Partner Wilson Tan, and the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), represented by Dean of the John Gokongwei School of Management Dr. Roberto Martin Galang, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for ADMU to participate in the SGV iTeach Program. The initial planned project is a series of workshops focused on topics related to sustainability.

Present at the MOA signing are: (seated from left to right) SGV Vice Chair and Deputy Managing Partner Vivian Ruiz, John Gokongwei School of Management Dean Dr. Roberto Martin Galang, SGV Chairman and Country Managing Partner Wilson Tan, ADMU Department of Finance and Accounting Chair Aldo Zelig Tong, (standing from left to right) SGV Consulting Partner and iTeach Program Director Allan Ocho, SGV Assurance Partner and Chief Sustainability Officer Clairma Mangangey, SGV Assurance Partner Katrina Francisco, SGV General Counsel Carolina Racelis, and SGV Business Consulting Senior Jervie Sta. Ana.

Slow Fashion: Keeping IP Culture Alive

Nowadays, our streets and public places are overwhelmed with fast fashion – low-priced stylish clothing based on current trends bought from retail stores. But with the emergence of the nostalgia trend in today’s generation, people are now embracing back slow fashion as consumers value sustainability and quality.

With the rise of slow fashion, traditional loom weavers can take advantage of changing consumer behavior.

Traditional loom-weaving methods, practiced for centuries by indigenous peoples (IPs), is a sustainable approach to fashion as it opts to use locally sourced materials. Made with utmost care and precision, woven pieces reflect the hard work of its weaver.

Empowering Communities for Sustainable Land Management

While global awareness of forests' significance has grown, Southeast Asia grapples with ongoing forest loss. The region has lost approximately 80 million hectares of forest between 2005 and 2015, with projections indicating further shrinkage or growth. In the Philippines, the Food and Agricultural Organization estimated that the country has the second fastest deforestation rate in Southeast Asia and seventh globally between 2000 and 2005, losing roughly 2.1% of its forest cover annually. The cause for the loss is human activities like converting forests to farms, using trees for fuel, illegal logging, and clearing land for mining all contribute to this rapid decline. 

Beyond Lights Out: SM Supermalls Empowers Youth to Champion Sustainability

SM Supermalls once again showed its continuous commitment to sustainable practices like this Earth Hour, by supporting the annual Global Lights Switch Off on March 23rd from 8:30pm to 9:30pm. 

This year, SM went beyond the lights switch-off, encouraging public participation through a variety of eco-friendly and energy-saving activities and events.

At SM North EDSA, K-Pop fans used their lightsticks as alternative light sources for Earth Hour. They also joined in on eco-friendly pre-fan gathering activities, such as a plastic waste collection Idol Challenge.