SM Retail will install waste segregation bins in 75 stores nationwide as part of SM's broader #SMWasteFreeFuture campaign. It has recently installed recycling bins in 25 branches across the National Capital Region, with 50 additional provincial branches scheduled to follow in the coming weeks.
The initiative promotes behavioral change in waste management through a clear segregation system for waste categorized into recyclable, disposable and compostable (RDC) while positioning the company as a major proponent in addressing the national waste crisis.
According to Luis Lava, vice president for workplace and administration at SM Retail Inc., they aim to "make it easier for our customers and employees to sort and recycle waste, supporting our broader goal of reducing environmental impact through clear and effective waste practices."
In the #SMWasteFreeFuture campaign, each unit within the SM ecosystem contributes practical and sustainable solutions, integrating its core operations and amplifying the impact of its sustainability initiatives across multiple sectors.
Aside from retail stores, RDC-labeled bins are being installed across various SM properties including malls, residences, leisure resorts, offices, hotels and convention centers nationwide. SM's information and education campaigns encourage its mall tenants to join.
In its joint venture with SM Prime, GUUN Co. Ltd. brings Japan's best practices, specializing in converting nonrecyclable materials into "fluff fuel" for cement kilns and industrial boilers. In the hospitality sector, SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., through its Sustainable Diner Project with WWF-Philippines, has diverted 198 tons of food waste from landfills from 2019 to 2023 by integrating composting and collaborating with local farmers.
In residential developments, SM Development Corp.'s (SMDC) collaboration with Globe and Scholars of Sustenance through the Hapag Movement allows residents from over 40 developments to donate surplus food, which is converted into meals for local communities. SMDC aims to rescue over 110 tons of surplus food and then provide 450,000 meals to families in need over the next 18 months.
Liza Silerio, SM Supermalls vice president and SM Cares Program director for the environment, said that their unified waste management and segregation campaign will "create more impact for us and our communities."