THE pursuit of sustainability lies in responsibility of not just the people and the government, but of corporations as well. Recognizing this, notable corporations shared ways on how to make their respective industries adapt to the demands of sustainability at The Manila Times' sustainability forum on April 18, 2024.

Net-zero homes

At the forefront of pioneering energy efficient yet affordable homes is PH1 World Developers, the real estate arm of Megawide Construction Corp. through its newest project, the Northscapes subdivision.

As a new player in the real estate industry, PH1 World Developers puts focus on innovation and practical sustainability. One of its primary goals is to be the pioneer of sustainability for the affordable sector. Northscapes takes inspiration from other sustainable practices worldwide.

According to PH1 World Developers General Manager for Horizontal Developments Eric Gregor Tan, it is a challenge to incorporate sustainability here in the Philippines, as most companies only use it for marketing. It also costs a lot, considering that the company is aiming to provide to the general Filipino masses.

With the synergy of its sister company, Megawide Construction Corp., the goal to create a sustainable, quality and affordable home has been born.

Located in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Northscapes is easily accessible to citizens of Metro Manila while being within proximity of the last Metro Rail Transit station. Tan says the company has chosen to establish Northscapes in San Jose del Monte because it is a rising city that attracts more investors.

The subdivision offers a free shuttle service for its residents, fetching them from their homes, going around San Jose del Monte and dropping them off in convenient spots. The shuttle uses an electrical vehicle and is charged at the clubhouse that's also powered by solar panels.

In fact, almost every infrastructure in the subdivision is powered by solar panels. Each unit is equipped with it, allowing families to generate electricity independently from other homes. Even the streetlights are solar powered, helping the entire community to lessen energy costs.

Each unit's windows are made with tinted Resishade technology and insulated walls. This helps keep the houses cool, especially in sunny and hot weather, providing overall comfort.

"We generate power for free, and [the residents] will get an energy efficient home, which by the way, is what we think sustainability is," Tan says.

Aside from that, the entire subdivision is designed to be quality living spaces that look elegant and neat. Northscapes has incorporated underground cable technology, eliminating the cluttered look of overhead wires.

"We want to push for sustainability, and in terms of our business model, there's a lot of [sacrifices] we need to do a lot of engineering in the financial model; so we can afford these features and bridge that gap for the affordable sector," Tan adds.

Snacking made right

The food industry is one of the biggest producers, more so if it is an international company such as Mondelez International Inc. The popular food brand, known for its Oreo cookies, Cadbury chocolate and Eden cheese, has branches in 150 countries and 90,000 "makers and bakers."

A production of such scale contributes greatly to climate change, which is why Mondelez is taking initiatives to contribute meaningfully to sustainability.

Mondelez has set various standards to achieve its purpose of empowering people to snack right with the right snacks. Part of this is its sustainability measurement called "snacking with a purpose."

According to the recent survey presented by Caitlin Punzalan, Corporate and Government Affairs lead of Mondelez Philippines Inc., 67 percent of their surveyed customers have chosen snacks that have less or better packaging.

There are several pillars that Mondelez Philippines Inc. have adapted to achieve sustainability, with each pillar having its own set goal. These pillars are: more sustainable ingredients, climate change goals, more sustainable packaging, social impact, diversity, mindful snacking and supplier diversity.

So far, Mondelez has made great efforts to reach these goals.

For a more sustainable packaging, its goal is to reduce the use of virgin plastic and to design 98 percent or more of its packaging to be recycled.

With the passing of the Extended Producer Responsibility law, Mondelez Philippines Inc. has committed to a plastic collection and diversion.

"For every kilo [of plastic] that we put out, we will collect and divert the same amount of plastic and make sure that they will not end up in nature," Punzalan says.

On climate, the company aims to reduce its carbon emission all over the world by 2025.

At present, it has achieved 96-percent reduction of carbon emission through transitioning to renewable energy such as solar panels and hydropower.

It has also been championing diversity with 96 percent of the leadership roles being delegated to women.

Mondelez has initiated campaigns such as Swak na snack for the public. It has also created an environment management campaign for kids through an animated series called "Mimi and friends." One of its latest episodes, which came out on April 26, talks about composting.

Lastly, Mondelez Philippines Inc. has achieved sustainable ways of supplying raw materials and sourcing ingredients, especially for its chocolate, through the Cocoa Life program.

"What it aims to do is it helps farmers of [cacao] to improve their yield and earnings, and standardize the process; so that they can plant more and earn more. We make sure we don't support child labor practice," Punzalan says.

Globe of Good

For telecommunications company Globe Telecom Inc., its purpose and action is geared toward treating people right to make a "Globe of Good," says Apple Evangelista, its sustainability and social responsibility head. Thus, Globe's sustainable practices focus on climate resilience and net-zero policies, socially inclusive digital practices and governance.

Globe has started its sustainability journey by shifting its headquarters in Bonifacio Global City and 26 other buildings to renewable energy.

These facilities have been prioritized because they run on high energy. This has effectively reduced supply electricity emissions that powers the cell site. In the next 3 years, Globe aims to move all its high-energy facilities to renewable energy.

It has also shifted to using electric vehicles to provide shuttle services to its employees between offices and key drop-off points.

Globe ensures that the people it works with value sustainability just as much as the company does.

"When we choose suppliers and when they get accredited by Globe, they don't only sign the ISVP provisions, but they also sign on the supplier code of ethics; [so] that our suppliers can also work [toward] sustainability within their companies," Evangelista says.

Globe has also established a sustainability academy for its domestic suppliers. Evangelista says there are many sustainability training programs but not a lot are made for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

"We do have a list of some focus areas, and what we're doing is to ensure that policies are in place for employees and suppliers to access," she adds.

When it comes to the consumer's side of things, Globe implements the reduction of electronic waste or e-waste, paper and plastic.

As a technology company, e-waste is the most prominent material waste generated by Globe. In the past 10 years, Globe has been encouraging customers and employers to donate e-waste for recycling.

In reducing paper, Globe revamps its G fiber modem packaging into an upcycled envelope. While not completely aesthetic to the customer, it is a more environmentally friendly choice.

Meanwhile, Globe reduces plastic by removing the protective plastic products with acid-free paper, using quick response codes as business cards and producing SIM cards from recycled materials.

Globe also cares for the welfare of its customers' digital life through the Make it Safe PH website. It is a site where parents and guardians can crowdsource information about younger generations' lingo. It is helpful to know these lingo to guide children in responsible internet surfing. It also has online safety modules for young and elderly people to guide them on internet use.

Moreover, Globe has initiated a hunger alleviation program, which has been conceptualized during the pandemic and continued as part of its flagship program.