Having one of the highest disaster risk ratings in the world, the Philippines is putting more emphasis on strengthening its response and recovery capacities in the face of growing climate effects.
Believing its a national duty, SM Prime and the WWF-Philippines have collaborated on programs to strengthen climate resilience throughout the country.
“Any program that aims to build climate resilience requires strong partnerships and working together across all sectors,” said World-Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-PH) Executive Director, Katherine Custodio at the breakout session of the 7th Annual Conference of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities – Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference and Student Symposium 2024 (APRU-SCL 2024).
Taking climate action
WWF-Philippines and SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) have collaborated on several successful projects together, including the 14-year-old Hamilo Coast Sustainable Development project, the YOUth are the Future campaign, the yearly Earth Hour campaign with SM Supermalls, and the Sustainable Diner at SM Hotel.
By partnering with WWF-PH, SM Prime can ensure that its science-based targets for 2030 and 2040, both near and long term, align with the global goal of achieving net zero by 2050.
“Finding the right champions within the company – that’s very important. It helps to engage the leaders from the top,” said Custodio, who has seen the history of the shared goals between the NGO and its many corporate partners over the years.
“WWF-PH is pleased to work with SM Prime on their decarbonization efforts through our Corporates for a Better Planet Initiative (CBPI) program. Companies such as SM Prime are guided in identifying climate-related risks, working on a roadmap, and publicly committing to their science-based targets,” he added.
SM Prime’s commitment
As it continues to develop eco-friendly and sustainable cities, SM Prime is dedicated to maintaining its position as an engine for economic growth, geared towards improving the lives of millions of people in the process.
Understanding that it does not happen overnight, the two collaborators believe that their programs are a significant step towards their shared goal.
“Change does not happen overnight. This is something we have learned in our work with communities all over the country. True partners are willing to work together for a long time, and actively listen to each other,” said Custodio.
“When your project positively impacts people’s livelihood and wellbeing – when people’s lives improve in a durable way, that’s when you know you’ve created an impact.”
