Sustainability is a topic that is gaining momentum right now as more and more people are becoming aware and concerned of the impacts our activities make. We are seeing businesses shifting to better and more efficient practices, as well as key stakeholders demanding these changes.
As a key player in supporting the shift to a more sustainable world, Drink builds leadership by participating in different events to talk about how industries can contribute to a better world, as well as run events that help businesses transition to the sustainable path they are aiming for.
At Drink, it is also understood that learning is a vital part of work. Drink participates in local and international events and forums to keep abreast of new developments and gain new ideas and skills.
Here are the year’s highlights on Building Leadership in Sustainability.
Promoting Sustainability Across Different Industries: Drink at Building Green 2022
by Ram Nepumoceno and Kitkat Poe, Sustainability Associates
Ram Nepomuceno and Kitkat Poe, Sustainability Associates, and Harris Guevarra, Drink CEO, presented “Communicating Sustainability” at the Green Building Conference 2022. Addressing the building and construction industry, they presented ideas on how to be more sustainable in terms of business operations.
Hosted by the Philippine Green Building Council (PHILGBC), the webinar focused on today’s latest green building practices and technologies. Panels representing products and services with high regard for sustainability introduced their tools and mechanisms. Through this, members of the industry can make more informed and sound decisions for current and future construction projects. This paves the way for users to contribute to sustainable development and champion the movement within the industry.
2022 Nobel Prize Singapore: The Future We Want Together
by Michael Ian Bolalin, Sustainability Associate
Michael Ian Bolalin, our Sustainability Associate, was among four representatives selected from the Philippines under the Digital Wellbeing stream. He attended the prestigious 2022 Nobel Prize Dialogue: The Future We Want Together held in Singapore on September 2022. The sessions were attended and moderated by the Nobel Prize Laureates, namely: Kailash Satyarthi – 2014 Peace Laureate, George Smoot – 2006 Physics Laureate, Serge Haroche – 2012 Physics Laureate, Steven Chu – 1997 Physics Laureate, Angus Deaton – 2015 Economic Sciences Laureate, May-Britt Moser – 2014 Medicine Laureate, Esther Dulfo – 2019 Economic Sciences Laureate and Paul Romer – 2018 Economic Sciences Laureate. Read about Michael’s experience below.
What is it for us to be human in the age of digital technology? The current events expose humanity’s vulnerabilities regarding human rights, equity to resources, access to education, and digital readiness, thus affecting our total well-being. These topics were tackled in the Nobel Prize Dialogue held at Raffles Convention Center, Singapore, last September 13, 2022. It was a day full of breakthroughs and opportunities that unveiled the future for humanity as we advance with technological discoveries. Indeed, technology is a double-edged sword. Moon doctors, AI analytical experts, and green careers are some of the plentiful opportunities that may open up in the coming years, and the landscape of well-being will then be altered. In contrast, it could also spur threats to security, socio-technical abilities, and man’s interaction with fellow human beings and the natural world.
Asia Society: Business For Good
Drink Business Development Head, Gabe Ongkiko, attended Business for Good, an event that honors the achievements and shares sustainability best practices of Asia Game Changer Awardee Nanette Medved-Po.
The founder of HOPE and Plastic Credit Exchange, Nanette Medved-Po’s projects are two social enterprises that focus on the issues of access to education and plastic pollution.
HOPE’s first initiative is HOPE in a Bottle – more than just bottled water, it inspires the idea of hope. The organization’s success includes constructing classrooms, providing farmers with livelihood opportunities, and the world’s first boxed water.
Plastic Credit Exchange, on the other hand, advocates for plastic neutrality and responsibility in the Philippines- the world’s third worst contributor to ocean plastic pollution. Under the project is the Aling Tindera program – a woman-led solid waste management initiative that focuses on Filipino Sari-sari stores. Another program is Net Zero Plastic Waste, which focuses on private companies being 100% accountable for their plastic footprint.
The event emphasizes that social issues continue to persist, but social entrepreneurs can be leaders and movers, pushing sustainability forward and benefiting society.
Environment & Sustainability Professionals’ Conference
The Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA), based in the United Kingdom, hosted the Environment & Sustainability Professionals’ Conference 2022 in October of this year. The 6-day conference is geared towards those in the environment and sustainability sectors.
Harris Guevarra, Drink CEO and President, attended the event. Apart from expert-led sessions and discussions, the topics discussed included net zero, climate change, COP27, upskilling to a greener economy, and incorporating sustainability in the workplace.
Apart from networking, the event opens up an array of opportunities for learning about global sustainability initiatives and movements as well as real-world actions being done in the broader landscape, down to the organizational level.
Sustainability Beyond Borders
Jay David, Business Development Associate, shares the details about Drink’s first webinar of 2022. The event was attended by sustainability practitioners from Malaysia.
Sustainability is a topic that transcends borders and boundaries. A shared responsibility, it is important to continually spread the word and encourage businesses and individuals to work together towards this global movement.
The Championing the Good through Sustainability Reporting webinar is all about reminding and sharing the importance of slowly transitioning to Business Sustainability from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The event also presented the external and internal benefits of sustainability reporting, which include improved management and systems, better stakeholder engagement, and competitive advantage.
The event was also about sharing the Drink way of sustainability which marries scientific inquiry with design thinking. The Company’s editorial and design process and methodology, as well as Drink’s best practices in delivering quality sustainability reports and advancing sustainability communications, were also discussed.
At its core, the webinar is to push forward the idea that “Sustainability is the language of the 21st century business”. With their extensive reach and presence, companies have the potential to be leaders in the sustainability arena.
SustainAGIlity: Alliance Global Group, Inc. pushes for Sustainability
Drink joins Alliance Global Group, Inc. (AGI) together with subsidiaries Megaworld, Empire East Land Holdings Inc (EELHI), Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI), Megaworld Real Estate Investment Trust (MREIT), Travellers Internaltional Hotel Group Inc (TIHGI), Golden Arches Development Corporation (McDonald’s Philippines), and Emperador as they gathered on October 27, 2022, for the AGI Sustainability Kick-off.
Mr. Kevin Tan, the AGI CEO, opened the event, detailing the sustainability efforts of the group. He urged the group to work towards the company targets to progress forward.
Attended by each subsidiary’s sustainability team and point persons, the event is the conglomerate’s move towards jumpstarting its sustainability efforts after challenges faced during the pandemic. Ongoing programs of the group were presented, as well as where the group stands in terms of sustainability. Mr. Kingson Sian’s of the TIHGI also presented their “I Love Earth” campaign.
As part of the program, Trixie Fadullon of Drink hosted the event. Drink’s sustainability team led a series of presentations and facilitated workshops with each subsidiary to review and recalibrate ways forward in terms of sustainability reporting. Building from this event, a more focused sustainability workshop was planned.
SustainaAGIlity Workshop
The SustainaAGIlity workshop is a follow-up event after AGI’s Sustainability Kick-off. Employing a more hands-on approach and more group discussions and activities, the event was conducted to review AGI’s group-wide sustainability agenda, projects, and programs. It also allowed participants to visualize where the group wants to be in terms of their sustainability journey.
The workshop also served as a move towards the development of an AGI group-wide sustainability framework and roadmap.
“The Sustainability Kick-off was one of the ways to build awareness about the sustainability programs across the subsidiaries under AGI and how they can learn from each other.”
Kryzza Gayeta, Project Manager
Having local and international reach and being one of the Philippines’ top conglomerates, AGI is a primary mover in the industry in terms of sustainability. Drink is honored to be with the AGI group on its journey toward accomplishing its sustainability endeavors.
