SM Supermalls celebrates World Environment Day, World Oceans Day
This June, SM Supermalls, through its Corporate Social Responsibility, SM Cares, will celebrate two of the most important dates in the global movement on sustainability —World Environment Day on June 5 and World Oceans Day on June 8. In line with these celebrations, SM Supermalls remains committed to promoting sustainability and environmental protection across all of its stakeholders, inspiring Filipinos to adopt sustainable lifestyle practices.
Filipinos are among the largest contributors to marine plastic pollutants in the world. According to recent figures from the Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey Center for Business and Environment, the Philippines ranked third among the world’s largest contributors to global plastic pollution, producing 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste each year. It also revealed that about 20% or 52,000 tons of these plastic waste end up in our seas and oceans.
In another report by the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines published in October 2020, Filipinos consumed about 2.15 million tons of plastic in 2019, 35 percent of which was leaked to the open environment as pollutants. Furthermore, the plastic waste recycling rate for the said year was only at 9 percent, the report revealed.
In terms of electronic waste, while there are no figures pointing specifically to Filipinos, the numbers are still considered alarming. According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2020 report, the world generated about 53.6 million metric tons (Mt) of e-waste in 2019, a 21-percent jump from 44.4 Mt in 2014. By 2030, this number is expected to increase to 74.7 Mt. This continuous rise can be attributed to advancements in technology that are also shortening the average life spans of electronics, coupled with increased consumption of electronic devices.
All SM Supermalls nationwide have drop-off bins to collect electronic waste from customers
The global outlook for the consumption of fresh water is also a cause for concern. The World Bank predicts that by 2025, about 1.8 billion people will be living in countries with water scarcity. Similarly, as reported by the International Energy Agency in March this year, carbon dioxide emissions from energy-related usage globally were 2 percent higher in December 2020 compared to the same period in the previous year, after it rebounded as the world started to recover from COVID-19.
SM has always been aware of the impact of its operations on the environment, which is why it has been continuously implementing initiatives that help minimize its environmental impact. For instance, SM has been investing in its solar energy and water recycling efforts. In 2020 alone, the company was able to generate a total of 9,620 MWh of clean energy from solar roof panels installed in seven different malls nationwide.
Solar Rooftop at SM City North Edsa, Quezon City
In its effort to help manage water resources, all SM Supermalls across the country recycles its water. All recycled water is used back for the mall’s non-potable needs such as aircon coolers, water for toilet flushing, and other industrial needs. In 2020, SM was able to save 3.4M cubic meters of water through this initiative.
On solid waste management, SM has several initiatives that have helped divert trash from ending up in landfills or large bodies of water, such as the Trash-to-Cash Market recycling market; the Plastic Waste Collection program, in partnership with Plastic Credit Exchange; the Electronic Waste Collection program, and Used Lead-Acid Batteries collection program, which both promote and encourage the proper disposal of electronic and hazardous wastes.
These initiatives support many of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13: Climate Action, and SDG 14: Life Below Water.
Other sustainability projects of SM Supermalls include: the annual Green Film Festival, which promotes environmental awareness to students; the AweSMseas project in partnership with the USAID and PRRCI, a campaign that promotes responsible plastic waste management affecting our seas, and the International Coastal Cleanup gathers thousands of volunteers every year, among others.
SM Cares is the Corporate Social Responsibility of SM Supermalls, with programs to support communities, promote social inclusion and care for the environment. Its advocacies include Programs for the Environment, Persons with Disabilities, Women & Breastfeeding Mothers, Children & Youth, Senior Citizens, and the creation of bike-friendly SM Malls. To know more about SM’s programs on the Sustainability and the Environment, you may visit https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSMCares/.