RDC in Action: Sustainability Champions Help Build a Waste-Free Future Manila, Philippines

Manila, Philippines — Since its group-wide launch last year, the SM Waste-Free Future campaign has made everyday segregation simple and doable through its RDC model— Recyclable, Disposable, Compostable.

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), one of Southeast Asia’s leading integrated property developers, understands that working together for a sustainable future also means engaging the group’s communities to participate in the ambitious challenge that no single group can solve
alone.

With all mall tenant-partners actively supporting the campaign, SM Supermalls proves that community hubs – mall-goers, business owners, customers, employees, and families can learn to “bin it right” and become part of the solution.

Gathering Forces for Good

Among the earliest champions for a waste-free future were the Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), Goldilocks, J.CO, and Jollibee Foods Corporation, who helped bring the campaign to life inside their stores.

Affirming community action. SM Cares broadcasted the SM Waste Free Future internal launch across all SM Supermalls in 2024, gathering 323 partner-tenants and orchestrating 126 online watch parties for the RDC rollout.


Goldilocks operationalizing RDC. Efficient and standardized QSR kitchen operations applies to waste segregation and mall operations.

Goldilocks Bakeshop made segregation part of service by briefing its staff extensively through an official program. “Briefing our teams fully on the workings of RDC made segregation part of service. Once our staff understood the ‘why,’ the ‘how’ followed easily. Waste sorting is no longer just a backroom task but part of everyday service, and that shift in mindset makes a real difference,” explained Sheila Marie Pabalate-Rea, Vice President for Quality Assurance and Technical Services, Goldilocks Bakeshop, Inc.

A campaign for all. RDC becomes second nature for a J.CO teammate, showing that consistent actions make for impactful change.

JCO, meanwhile, placed RDC labels in all its bins and incorporated RDC checks into its Quality Assurance (QA) routine, ensuring that every branch treats segregation as standard practice “Since J.CO already has internal SOP on waste, working with SM engages our team members, especially in-store operations, to be more mindful and consistent. RDC labels and routine checks make proper segregation visible to customers while reinforcing our own standards, strengthening both awareness and practice,” said Arabelle Minaldo, QA/QC Assistant Manager at J.CO Donuts & Coffee Philippines.

The Jollibee Group’s planet roadmap also includes a rigorous campaign on waste. “We believe that partnerships are a vital part of achieving shared sustainability goals. By working with SM Supermalls, we can amplify and advance our efforts on waste reduction by contributing through the unique roles we each play. We value SM’s proactive initiatives, from developing infrastructure that makes sustainability possible, to enabling us to engage millions of mall-goers in the process. Beyond operations, this collaboration demonstrates how businesses can come together to set a stronger example of building a more sustainable future,” said Elise Veloso, Assistant Vice President, Global Sustainability, Jollibee Group

Joint Movement for a More Sustainable Future

Continued education campaigns on RDC have been supporting the movement for sustainable operations, and short social media clips challenge the mall-goers to make smart choices with their waste.

By practicing and operationalizing RDC together, SM communities prove that a waste-free future is possible. “We are working hand in hand with all our tenant-partners and customers to build habits that keep recyclables, disposables, and compostables in the right streams and out of landfills. This is how we turn the vision of a waste-free future into action,” said Liza Silerio, Vice President for Corporate Compliance, SM Supermalls.

Through the SM Green Movement, SM Prime continues to champion waste management alongside water stewardship and energy efficiency, empowering individuals, families, and communities to take simple actions that add up to lasting impact.