Drink shares some tips on keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in sustainability. We also have a new platform to share what sustainable practices can look like for the food industry.

Sustainability is an evolving sector wherein trends and technologies, research, best practices, and guidelines are constantly updated. As a leader in sustainability, Drink must stay abreast of the latest local and international developments in the field to ensure that our knowledge and skills are up-to-date.

Here are some of the ways Drink builds its sustainability know-how to assist its clients in their sustainability endeavors.

• Attend events and talks by like-minded organizations

Joining sustainability-focused events that bring together leaders from various industries is an effective way to stay updated on sustainability trends. It is also a good venue to learn about current industry best practices and meet the people behind successful sustainability initiatives.

Drink regularly attends events organized by the Net Zero Carbon Alliance. Last September, Drink was at the Zero Carbon Alliance’s Second Anniversary Conference, “Zeroing in on Net Zero: From Corporate Pledges to Action” wherein Mike Bolalin gave a talk about GHG accounting. 

Expanding horizons through active participation: Michael Bolalin, one of our sustainability associates, gave a talk on GHG accounting and presented the GHG emissions calculator at the Net Zero Carbon Alliance’s Second Anniversary Conference, “Zeroing in on Net Zero: From Corporate Pledges to Action. 

On November 30, Drink also participated in the NZCA 2023 Assembly and Year-end Fellowship. Member organizations met to share year-end, net-zero accomplishments and discuss what steps to take in 2024 to follow through on this progress. The group’s annual performance report showed a 9% reduction in Scope One emissions and a 13% reduction in Scope Two emissions. The Razza Consulting Group also held a workshop to review the Net Zero Carbon gateway, an online dashboard tool that can track members’ net-zero journey. 

• Invest in training to learn about the latest developments

Processes, technologies, and industry standards are constantly being developed or updated to reflect the changing needs of the period. Hence, investment in training for employees to learn the most up-to-date developments is crucial for them to be able to perform their tasks well.

Last October, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a memo regarding the inclusion of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 and S2 frameworks in its compliance requirements. While there is an allotted two-year transition period, Drink team members have already completed their first IFRS course and are making preparations to receive more advanced training in 2024. 

Supporting employees’ need for growth and development: With the inclusion of IFRS S1 and S2 frameworks in SEC requirements, Drink has embarked on a series of training sessions for its production teams. 

• Follow thought leaders in the field of sustainability

Track new trends and learn about best practices by following sustainability thought leaders. Many share their insights using social media, digital newsletters, podcasts, and other online resources such as blogs and journals. 

This technique is sustainability associate Danica Java’s favorite way to stay up to date on all things related to sustainability. And it’s proven to be an effective approach—Danica was the first to read and share the IFRS updates with the team. She cites business sustainability leader Alice Kalro as one of the opinion makers that she finds to be particularly thought-provoking. 

Harnessing the power of social media and online resources to boost learning: Alice Kalro shares about sustainability transformation and systems change on her LinkedIn page.

• Discover and share what you have learned

So you’ve attended events, finished trainings, and followed thought leaders. What’s next? 

The best way to keep that knowledge or new skill is to share it with others. Explaining an idea forces you to refine your thinking and deepen your own grasp of the concept, so it is a win-win situation for both you and your audience. 

For Drink CEO and President Harris Guevarra, the Food and Beverage (F&B) Report Magazine became a platform to share about sustainability-related insights.  

As a contributor, he shares his thoughts and insights on how food and beverage businesses can champion sustainability in the industry.

Sharing is learning: Harris offers practical and actionable sustainability-related tips for food business owners through his contributions to F&B magazine. (source: https://fnbreport.ph/)  

His first article, “10 Ways That Can Create a More Sustainable Food Service Business,” was published in October. In this story, Harris presents actionable tips that food business owners can adopt to increase their sustainability efforts. 

For his November feature, Harris focuses on how sustainability can be achieved through initiatives and innovations. “How can alcoholic beverage manufacturing companies be responsible for the environment and society?” features examples from the resource-intensive industry of alcohol manufacturing, highlighting best practices from local producers such as Emperador, San Miguel, and Don Papa Rum.