SM Prime, WWF-Philppines join forces to nurture the future sustainability champions

Recognizing today's youth’s key role as tomorrow’s guardians of the environment, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) and World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines) have teamed up to launch YOUth are the Future,a leadership program aimed to equip young student leaders on environmental conservation , climate change, and sustainability issues.

“There is no better time than now to educate the youth. As stewards of the planet, it is important that they have an opportunity to learn about environmental conservation, encourage them to voice out their fresh ideas, and share new perspectives,” said WWF-Philippines Education for Sustainable Development Project Head Dino Calderon.

“When we provide our young student leaders with learning opportunities and expose them to practical solutions, we have a chance to help them design a sustainable future. We are committed to make sure that things change for the better,” says Hans “Chico” Sy, President of SM Engineering Design and Development Corporation (SMEDD) and SM sustainability champion.

Commencing with the grand launch on October 10, 2023, the student ambassadors from various Metro Manila high schools participated in a discovery tour around the SM Mall of Asia Complex, which features SM Prime’s sustainability efforts and disaster resiliency practices. The formal introduction of YOUth are the Future Ambassadors was held at the SMX Convention Center and along with a pinning ceremony. Leaders and representatives from SM Prime, WWF-Philippines, government agencies, and foreign dignitaries are also present at the event.

In a message she delivered during the event, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said, “Our journey is really about the race to resilience, as our climate changes, society is changing. Sustainability is our pathway to survival as a planet and that is what resilience is really about, the ability to withstand the impacts of the hazards that we know and those that we could face in the future.”

The youth ambassadors will participate in a three-day eco-camp at the Pico De Loro Beach and Country Club in November, where they will learn about waste and energy management, resource optimization, and climate mitigation and adaptation strategies from some of the country’s experts.

Renowned for its role in Olive Ridley Sea Turtle conservation, the 3-day eco camp in Hamilo Coast also serves as an immersive natural classroom in environmental conservation. The expected output from the eco-camp is a Green Manifesto that outlines their plans to effect change and a storybook module co-authored by all the participants. The program will culminate through a series of mall and school tours throughout Metro Manila to boost youth engagement and student ambassador recruitment. 

In a message sent by her excellency Vice President and Department of Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, she said, “This visionary program embodies the transformative power of education and empowerment in shaping a more sustainable and resilient future. Taking advantage of this program will give you all a head start on becoming influential figures in creating a more sustainable and ecologically aware culture”. 

Together with its partners, WWF-Philippines hopes to empower young Filipinos further to become the next generation of sustainability champions. Programs like YOUth are the Future, can help future generations become proactive leaders who can #ChangeTheEnding for the planet.  

SM Prime taps Citicore Renewables for the supply of Clean Energy

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime) and Citicore Renewable Energy Company (CREC) signed a Memorandum of Agreement on 11 July 2023 as a joint commitment to champion renewable energy. 

Through this partnership, SM Prime will source its energy requirements of up to 90-Megawatts (MWac) from CREC’s upcoming Lumbangan Solar Power Plant in Tuy, Batangas. The long-term agreement will commence in the first half of 2024. This is in line with the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) policies of the Department of Energy. 

This development further strengthens both CREC and SM Prime's commitment to the Department of Energy's program of moving up the renewable energy supply component of the Philippines to 35% by the year 2030. 

“This partnership marks our strong commitment to providing sustainable operations in our developments nationwide. It is aligned with SM Prime's target of achieving net zero by the year 2040. SM Prime ensures that its risk-informed investments catalyze sustainable development and positive change in the communities where it operates,” said Mr. John Ong, SM Prime Chief Finance Officer.

The agreement with SM Prime adds to CREC’s long list of blue-chip company partners, attesting to the company’s solid performance and service excellence.

“We are happy to partner with SM Prime in providing clean and safe renewable energy for their power requirements,” said Mr. Oliver Tan, CREC President. “We believe that their support and trust in us through this partnership reflects our commitment as a renewable energy provider, and we are glad that SM Prime shares in our vision of a sustainable future,” Mr. Tan added. ###

ABOUT SM PRIME:

SM Prime is one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia that offers innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities with the development of malls, residences, offices, hotels, and convention centers. 

  

ABOUT CITICORE:

Citicore Renewable aims to lead the renewable energy revolution by empowering Filipino communities through positive energy. With a projected 5 Gigawatts of green capacity addition in the next five years, Citocore Renewable is committed to powering a First-World Philippines with Pure Renewable Energy.

SM Prime’s second annual integrated report receives multiple recognition from international organizations

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), one of the leading integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, has been recognized by three international award-giving bodies for excellence in transparent Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting for its 2021 Annual Integrated Report entitled "Together, We Rise".

SM published its sustainability reports since 2013 even before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) mandated sustainability reporting in the Philippines. SM Prime further promotes transparency and accountability by informing investors and stakeholders of its ESG performance and impacts, decision-making processes, and competitive positioning value in the sector.

“We are honored to receive these awards as a recognition of our commitment to provide transparent reporting in our sustainable practices. We value all our stakeholders, and we strive to enrich the quality of life of the Filipino people,” SM Prime President Mr. Jeffrey Lim said.

At the summit of international recognitions, SM Prime bagged accolades from the biggest and most coveted awards competition in the business world called Stevie® Awards. The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards recognizes business innovation across the entire Asia-Pacific region, whereas IBAs is one of the first and most highly anticipated awards programs of the Stevie Awards that features a wide variety of categories relevant to every facet of the workplace that is open to all kinds and sizes of organizations globally. SM Prime was awarded the Bronze Stevie® Winner at the 2023 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards program and Silver Stevie® Winner in the 2022 International Business Awards (IBAs).

Also, in the regional scene, the company won a Silver Rank in the Asia Sustainability Reporting Rating (ASRRAT) 2022, a sustainability report ranking by the National Center for Sustainability Reporting (NCSR). ASRRAT’s rating system employs criteria based on GRI Standards compliance, GHG disclosures transparency, and alignment with and support of the UN SDGs, among other factors. 

The international recognitions are a testament to SM Prime’s active role in championing sustainability across its operations as it continues to be a catalyst for economic growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities, thereby enriching the quality of life of millions of people. 

SM Prime builds better, greener offices

 

E-com Centers at the Mall of Asia Complex

Many people have become more aware of the importance of sustainability in everyday living during the two years that the world faced the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Environmental awareness has caught on through practices such as shifting to paperless, reducing plastic use and planting more trees. For property developers, taking part in this movement means transitioning into green buildings and developments.

 

Such is the case for SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), a publicly listed subsidiary of SM Investments Corporation (SMIC) that is committed to building innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities. SM Prime is future-proofing its developments to be more responsive and adaptive to community needs and the effects of climate change in line with comprehensive sustainability goals ranging from energy to ecology.

 

Over the years, SM Prime has continued to elevate its approach to building and development of community spaces.  All these green initiatives have been recognized by reputable and well-known organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) which awarded Conrad Hotel Manila and SM Aura Premier the Gold certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in 2016 and 2017, respectively. 

 

“When we build, we build with the community in mind. This is why it is important to integrate sustainability in our developments and operations. We remain committed as an environmentally-conscious and responsible integrated property developer ready to serve the ever-changing needs and aspirations of our communities and stakeholders,” said SM Prime President Jeffrey Lim.

 

   

Building green office spaces

SM’s Commercial Property Group is renowned for balancing green design features with operational and practical considerations, enabling more companies and locators to enjoy environmentally sound commercial developments.

 

The CPG’s flagship properties are its five E-com Centers – all future-forward buildings catering mainly to technological, business process outsourcing, and Fortune 500 companies. All five E-com Centers are located in the MOA Complex. Each building has a proportionate amount of green open spaces and communal areas where workers can socialize and decompress from work.

CPG further promotes sustainable practices with its LEED gold-certified office buildings, solidifying its foothold and commitment to building green offices and commercial developments.  These certifications are a testament to SM Prime’s dedication to reducing its contribution to global climate change—all while enhancing the quality of life within its communities.

The ThreeE-com Center boasts architectural wonders and green features that eventually earned its LEED Gold certification. These include water recycling for landscape and non-potable use. The building is fitted with glass windows that minimizes heat from entering the building, allowing tenants to use less air conditioning. This 15-storey, semi-circular twin-tower office building features function and aesthetic complemented with state-of-the-art facilities.  While it was the first office building in the Mall of Asia Complex to receive such an honor, the new FourE-com Center also recently achieved the same certification—designed with its tenants’ needs in mind, improving work-life balance and office culture accordingly.

 

 

Both designed by globally renowned firm, Arquitectonica, the Three and Four E-coms are unique amongst business centers. “We designed the E-coms to functionally meet the BPO industry’s need for large, continuous floorplates, but also sculpted them in interesting ways so as to allow views and airflows between the buildings, while also, of course, giving them interesting architectural identities. At the same time, their landscaped podium decks create attractive communal green spaces for the tenants; they are envisaged to be interconnected via landscaped skybridges in the future. The combination of all these factors, architectural design and green spaces, have made the E-coms highly attractive to multinational companies and brands,” said David Zaballero, Arquitectonica Director.

 

SM Mega Tower

 

Meanwhile, SM Prime’s tallest skyscraper located along EDSA will also join the company’s growing roster of LEED-certified green buildings. Called Mega Tower, the 50-story office building is future-ready as it provides spaces that respect both its tenants and nature itself. 

 

Strategically located in the busy Ortigas Centre, the 50-storey LEED registered skyscraper is flexibly designed to meet the requirements of both corporate and BPO tenants. Though its design is highly sculptural, each floorplate remains efficiently planned – combining functionality and iconic identity.

 

“Incorporating sustainability in property development means having the whole life cycle of a building in mind. We invest a tenth of our capital expenditure to ensure that sustainability is integrated into our properties as we carefully plan our developments for our communities, the environment, and future generations ,” SM Prime’s Mr. Lim said.

 

In close collaboration with the SM Group’s other business units, the CPG’s multi-segment or mixed-use approach maximizes the socio-economic potential of its buildings and developments. As a result, SM’s commercial developments are connected to our malls, residences, and parks and civic spaces.  Notably, they are all easily accessible to transport hubs to ensure mobility for pedestrians and the commuting public. This interconnectivity, alongside each property’s green and safety features, reduces the company’s carbon footprint, attracts more tenants and locators, and encourages greater productivity among its workforce.

About SM Prime

 

SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the leading property developers in Southeast Asia, is committed to providing safe and sustainable spaces for its stakeholders.  Its development strategy is anchored on the responsible use of resources. In the communities it serves, it is able to promote resource conservation, environmental protection, and disaster resiliency by implementing solutions for water, waste, and energy management.

SM Prime is a key player in the SM Green Movement that aims to improve the quality of life of communities through sustainable solutions to promote a green planet, green living and a green culture.

Find out more about SM Prime and the SM Green Movement-- visit www.smprime.com and www.sminvestments.com/sustainability/sm-for-the-community/sm-green-movement/

SM Prime and AboitizPower Secure Long-Term Cleanergy Deal

 

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), one of the leading property developers in Southeast Asia, secures a long-term deal with AboitizPower for Cleanergy supply, realizing its goal of increasing its renewable energy portfolio to more than 50%. This is in support of the Department of Energy’s program of moving up the renewable energy supply component of the country to 35% by year 2030.

 

Under the agreement, AboitizPower is poised to supply reliable and responsibly-sourced energy from Tiwi and MakBan Geothermal Power Plants, and PV Sinag’s Power Plants, operated and managed by AboitizPower subsidiary, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. (ARI). This long-term contract will power SM Prime properties, including malls, leisure homes, offices, hotels, and other establishments under the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) by the end of 2022.

 

“This partnership with AboitizPower is aligned with our unwavering commitment to being a catalyst for economic growth and steward of nature. We will continue providing world-class amenities within our sustainable lifestyle cities that have been beneficial and inspirational to millions of Filipinos,” said Jeffrey Lim, SM Prime Holdings Inc.’s President.

 

SM Prime builds legacy communities based on its core sustainable pillars: Economy, People, Environment, and Community. It is dedicated to generating value sustainably through its diverse business segments.

 

“AboitizPower is thrilled to be SM Prime’s partner in building sustainable lifestyle cities. We thank SM Prime for trusting us to be their partner in their transition to clean and renewable energy. It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to power various SM Prime properties with our renewable assets”, said Sandro Aboitiz, Senior Vice President of the Commercial Operations Business Unit. 

 

“We consider it a great milestone for our group to be in support of SM’s transition to renewable energy and are working to rapidly expand our renewable portfolio as the demand for Cleanergy grows. We have supported a growing number of corporations transitioning to clean and renewable energy and we are excited at the prospect of seeing a future where Cleanergy is the norm.” said David Aboitiz, Aboitiz Renewables, Inc. (ARI) Vice President for Commercial Strategy, Sales, and Engagement.

 

The leading renewable energy provider plans to expand its Cleanergy portfolio in the next 10 years to support the government’s plans of boosting the renewable energy industry in the country. AboitizPower is targeting approximately 50:50 Cleanergy and thermal capacity mix by 2030. 

 

  

About SM Prime

 

SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the leading property developers in Southeast Asia, is committed to providing safe and sustainable spaces for its stakeholders.  Its development strategy is anchored on the responsible use of resources. In the communities it serves, it is able to promote resource conservation, environmental protection, and disaster resiliency by implementing solutions for water, waste, and energy management.

 

SM Prime is a key player in the SM Green Movement that aims to improve the quality of life of communities through sustainable solutions to promote a green planet, green living and a green culture.

 

Find out more about SM Prime and the SM Green Movement

 

SM Prime’s Costa Del Hamilo, Inc. safeguards a 20-hectare mangrove forest

Hamilo Coast through its developer, SM Prime’s Costa Del Hamilo, Inc. safeguards a 20-hectare mangrove forest, the largest of its kind in Nasugbu, Batangas. Together with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines), Hamilo Coast continues to preserve over 50,000 mangrove trees to date as it remains committed to its advocacy for environmental and social sustainability.

#SMPrimesCostaDelHamiloInc

#hamilocoast