As part of the company's sustainability efforts, SM Supermalls, through its corporate social responsibility arm SM Cares, is once again joining the world in observing Earth Hour, with this year’s theme "Shape Our Future," focusing on how we can work together in halting and reversing climate change and nature loss by 2030.
Earth
Hour is an annual campaign launched in 2007 by the World-Wide Fund for Nature
(WWF) that encourages the turning off of non-essential lights as part of energy
conservation efforts for the planet. Since its first observance in the
Philippines in 2008, SM has been joining the campaign every year, being one of
the first in the private sector to support it.
This
year, SM will continue to promote the campaign by being one of the official partners
of WWF for the Earth Hour Virtual Run, to be held from March 26 to April 22.
Aside from this, all SM malls will be joining the light switch-off on March 26
from 8:30 PM to 9:00 PM.
"SM
is proud to have been supporting Earth Hour throughout the last 14 years. Every
year, we partake in this very important movement because we want to inspire
people to action and tell them that no matter how small their contribution is,
it will go a long way if we work together," said Engr. Liza Silerio, SM’s
Vice President for Corporate Compliance and Head of Sustainability.
“Through
Earth Hour, we want to engage over a billion people worldwide and engage
decision-makers whether in business, institutions, and governments, to move the
agenda of nature up the priority list in the global sphere and in the national
agenda. We want people to lend their voices as we're shaping our future, and
hopefully, we'll be changing the ending for the positive – for both people and
the planet,” said Atty. Angela Ibay, Climate and Energy Program Head of
WWF-Philippines.
Aside
from joining the campaign every year, SM has been active in environmental
protection in many ways. For instance, all SM malls are equipped with energy
and water conservation facilities. The company also regularly joins tree
planting activities, and has waste management initiatives such as
Trash-to-Cash, e-waste and used acid lead batteries collection programs, and the
plastic waste collection program with the Plastic Credit Exchange.
SM
has also been investing more in renewable energy. Eight malls in the country
and three in China are now equipped with solar panels, with more to follow in
the coming months. SM also pledged to increase its use of renewable energy to
50 percent of its overall energy usage by year-end.
SM's
other sustainability initiatives include the annual Green Film Festival,
promoting environmental awareness among students and the youth through films;
the AweSMSeas project, promoting awareness on the negative impact of plastic
waste on seas and oceans; and the International Coastal Cleanup joined by
thousands of volunteers every year, to name a few.
SM
Cares is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings,
supporting initiatives that focus on communities and the environment. In
addition to its programs on the environment, SM Cares’ advocacies include
programs on women and breastfeeding mothers, persons with disabilities, senior
citizens, children and youth, and the Bike-Friendly SM Program.
Visit
www.smsupermalls.com/smcares to learn more.
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