SM Investments Corporation and WWF Philippines joined forces through “United for Climate: Sustainability Forum PH 2022”

  

Over the past decade, experts have come together proposing solutions to mitigate the serious effects of climate change. SM Investments Corporation and WWF Philippines joined forces through “United for Climate: Sustainability Forum PH 2022”, held recently at the Conrad Manila, to trigger a more ambitious and coordinated climate response among the business community.

The SM Group’s climate position recognizes climate change as an urgent global priority and considers the unique challenges of the Philippines. Anchoring all subsidiaries’ present and future climate action plans, the SM Group commits to do its part through decarbonization, which is a major aspect of climate mitigation, and through various efforts that would help people and ecosystems adapt to climate impacts and build resiliency.

In his keynote address, Hans Sy, Jr., President of SM Engineering Design and Development Corp. emphasized the SM Group’s commitment to climate action and issued a strong call for collective partnership among the business community to support the Philippine climate agenda. 

Mr. Hans Sy, Jr. of the SM Group leads the discussions from the private sector on climate action at the recent United for Climate: Sustainability Forum PH 2022 by SM Investments and WWF Philippines.

 

Mr. Sy opened with a very important statement – that climate change is happening right at our doorsteps.  

 

“When we speak of Climate Change, we often view it to be a global issue that doesn’t affect our everyday lives. When increasing temperatures are mentioned, we imagine melting arctic sea ice or the blistering heat in a remote desert across the globe. Yet, the impacts of climate change can’t be more real as we speak today and be more personal to you and me,” Mr. Sy said.

 

Mr. Sy also shared his insights following the discussions by the global community at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27). 

“Two key takeaways stood out for me-- the urgency of a united accelerated effort to reduce carbon emissions and the need to help developing countries most vulnerable to climate change thrive above its devastating impact,” Mr. Sy said.

 

On the first issue, Mr. Sy said that the initial step towards the goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C is mitigation, where one of the key drivers is the systemic shift in energy use and sourcing. He added that as an organization, SM has taken big steps to align its resources along this path. 

 

As prime examples of energy efficient properties, SM Aura Premier and Conrad Manila are LEED Gold Certified. 

 

Complementing this is the intentional shift to renewable energy sources. 

 

In 2022, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. achieved its goal to increase its renewable energy portfolio to more than 50%.”  Its partnership with Aboitiz Power for Cleanergy supply will help power SM’s properties under the Retail Competition and Open Access program by year-end. 

 

The rehabilitation of over 10 hectares of mangroves in Hamilo Cove and Pampanga is also a great example of a nature-based solution addressing climate resiliency, safety and prosperity for the community.

 

Mr. Sy also gave equal importance to climate resilience with SM’s constant support to the communities it operates in – from providing a platform for over 90,000 MSMEs partners within the SM ecosystem, to providing environment-friendly systems like rainwater catchments, and submersible pumps for people living around their malls. This is all part and parcel of Mr. Sy’s forward-looking vision of a stronger future. 

 

Mr. Sy stands firm on SM’s commitment to the country. “This is the reason why for us at SM, climate adaptation and resilience are the keys to thriving above the damage and losses brought about by climate change,” he explains. “We translate our values into practical solutions by designating a significant portion of our capital expenditure or CAPEX to incorporate resiliency and sustainability in our infrastructure designs.” He also added that these projects are designed so that the most vulnerable will not be left behind in times of crisis. 

“As an engineer, I am passionate about designing things that work, that help solve problems. I appreciate the complexity of systems, but I also need to think in very practical terms. My job requires understanding physical, structural and system limits. If something is not up to standard, then it is not - there is no ‘pwede na’. Otherwise, public safety is at risk,” Mr. Sy said.

 

To illustrate, communities in Masinag, Antipolo understood what climate change was about.  Every time it rains, the families would see the flood waters rise and this happened to them year after year. 

 

When SM built SM Masinag, it incorporated a rainwater catchment facility with a 17,681 cubic meter water capacity, equivalent to 7 Olympic size swimming pools. The two communities connected their drainage systems to the mall which is equipped with three 30 HP (Horsepower) submersible pumps which are used to pump out accumulated rainwater. As a result, families in the area can adapt to the impact of increasing typhoons and rainfall without having to fear the loss of their homes and the safety of their loved ones.

 

Another example is the SM Mall of Asia complex, designed with a seawall to protect the surrounding communities from potential storm surges or rising sea levels. The property also uses specialized foundation systems to provide more robust protection against liquefaction and seismic events. 

 

It is also elevated by 4.5 meters high in MLLW (Mean Lower Low Water) in preparation for climate change issues and has a wave return and drainage channel to prevent flooding.

 

In closing, Mr. Sy made this commitment to walk-the-talk towards a climate alliance with a common roadmap and standards can be measured. 

 

“The opportunity we see is for a private sector alliance that would accelerate action in both mitigation and adaptation and help drive the transition to a green economy.  

We owe it to our children, the millions of Filipinos yet to be born, to succeed in this fight for the climate,” Mr. Sy said.

“Going green is at its highest level of awareness, but it still carries the baggage that it is the more expensive option. That should not be the case. SM is committed to serve communities and millions of Filipinos,” he said.

 

“The price of status quo, according to the Egypt COP, is that global temperatures will go up to 2.8C by 2050. That is a disaster scenario that will mean unbearable losses for everyone. Doing nothing is the bigger cost. And the only way we will succeed in bringing down that ‘cost’ is if we work together,” he added.

 

As the country moves into a climate-defined future, the SM Group, with the partnership of WWF Philippines, are charting a course of climate action that is science-based and has at its core the well-being of all Filipinos now and into the future. 

 

 

SM Prime and WWF Philippines announce partnership for responsible climate change reporting

SM Prime Holdings, Inc., one of Southeast Asia’s leading integrated property developers and leading conservation organization World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines have entered a collaboration in adopting a more robust reporting framework to address the climate crisis. 

This is a major partnership of WWF with a Philippine company towards the development of a bespoke program towards decarbonization.

Sustainability at SM Prime is at the core of its corporate identity. SM Prime is at the forefront of spearheading sustainable practices as well as setting records in pioneering programs to consciously protect the environment and strongly focus on resilience in its developments.

Under the partnership, SM Prime will adopt the Corporates for a Better Planet Initiative (CBPI), WWF-Philippines’ flagship program that provides an actionable framework for organizations to operate sustainably within the paradigm of the climate crisis. 

“We are delighted to work with WWF Philippines on this sustainable journey. Focusing sustainability within the context of the Philippines ensures that our strategies and projects are highly material, efficient and more responsive in addressing local concerns surrounding resilience and adaptation. We need to be one with the worldwide community to achieve this and we need to work with global experts to get this right,” SM Prime President Jeffrey C. Lim said.

Climate change is one of the most pressing and defining global issues today. The Philippines currently ranks third globally when it comes to climate change vulnerability. In relation to its geographical location, it is more exposed to altering intensities of climate change manifested through erratic weather systems and natural calamities.

These risks are rife with complexity and uncertainty and organizations typically fail to properly assess their implications. The CBPI program takes a holistic approach towards this pivotal issue, addressing these risks from a custom-built, science-based perspective.

By partnering with the WWF, SM Prime will be able to enhance and determine climate change solutions that will be reflected through responsible and transparent reporting. 

The first phase of CBPI involves gauging where SM Prime stands in its sustainability initiatives and setting a science-based target in line with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels. SM Prime published its first Integrated Report in 2021 under the Integrated Reporting Framework which provides an overview of our value creation model — how we seek to create value for our stakeholders by contributing to national progress through investments and interventions critical to the country’s socio-economic growth.

As a champion of climate action in the Philippines, our partnership with WWF adds another enhancement to transparent reporting by ensuring greenhouse gas (GHG) computations are accurate and use appropriate methodologies.

With the need to broaden efforts to protect the environment, this partnership forms part of group-wide efforts under the SM Green Movement that aims to improve the quality of life of communities through sustainable solutions to promote a green planet, green living and a green culture.

SM Prime’s partnership with WWF dates back to 2007 under Hamilo Coast, its leisure resort development in Nasugbu, Batangas.

WWF closely monitors the health and viability of the Hamilo Coast area including three of its coves designated as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)—the Pico de Loro, Etayo and Santelmo

In recognition of its conservation efforts, Hamilo Coast was cited by WWF-Philippines as its longest standing Sustainability Partner in 2020. 

Responsible Travel and Surfing highlighted at Reef‘s “Free the Sea Movement 2” in Baler

Reef, a surf and lifestyle brand known worldwide, continues to promote responsible travel and environmental conservation with a fun-filled weekend in Baler for the Free the Sea Movement 2 last September 29 until October 1 , 2017.

In partnership with WWF Philippines, Free the Sea Movement 2 was set in Baler, Aurora, one of the country’s top hotspots for surfing. The exciting three-day event treated guests to a slew of fun activities that had them experience the waves and beauty of Sabang Beach.

Free the Sea Movement 2 opened with a coastal clean-up and talk from Mr. Ruel Barte of WWF Philippines on sustainable tourism, a cause near and dear to Reef’s heart as it is in line with Reef’s global humanitarian outreach campaign “We Heart.” 

“As travelers, we may be just passing through other beaches and cities but through our We Heart campaign, we want to educate people on the importance of leaving a positive impact on the local communities we visit,”

“With more and more travelers discovering the beauty of our islands and with the rise of local tourism, now is a good time for us to educate people on the environmental impact tourism has and how we all need to work together maintain our beaches so people can continue to enjoy them for years to come,” Marnelli Gaerlan, Marketing Head for Reef, shared. 

Reef spearheaded the coastal clean-up together with WWF, Surfari Philippines and, volunteers to remove wastes and objects that were not naturally part of the beauty of Sabang Beach. Afterwards, guests then got to enjoy what Sabang Beach was famous for – Surfing on its amazing waves!

Volunteers got the chance to reconnect with nature and learn to ride the waves from lessons conducted by Nalu Surf Camp.

In the evening, Reef presented WWF a donation to benefit the organization’s environmental programs. Soundcloud Philippines’ Ann Clerigo and Indie Band Banna Harbera then filled the night with amazing music as the volunteers enjoy drinks on a laid back Baler evening.

The next day opened with even more to offer surfing enthusiasts, as they witness the Surfari Beginners’ Competition, wherein Shan Alejos won a customized surf board as she bagged 1st place for the Tandem category, followed by Mikaela Alde, with Joana Valencia coming in 3rd place; and in the singles category with Juan Carlos Angeles, in the first place, then Marcus Dieter and JP Pang coming in second and third place respectively.

The weekend was capped by a festive After Party with musical performances from Eazyhead, and new and classic party remixes from DJ Doms Badwolf & DJ CC.

“Baler was the perfect setting for us to promote responsible travel and environmental conservation, while at the same time, giving everyone a taste of what they can enjoy if we remember to care of our beaches – which is delicious local food and music, white beaches, clear water and of course, gigantic waves and surfing like no other!” Gaerlan said.

Reef’s ‘Free the Sea Movement: Baler” was sponsored by Juan Light Studio, Bike King’s Kitchen, Madison’s Cafe Baler, La Patricia Hotel, Baler and The Shack, Baler with music partners Ann Clerigo, Banna Harbera, Eazyhead, DJ Domes Badwolf and DJ CC.