A diverse group of Philippine corporations and associations have come together to address pressing sustainability and climate change issues, at the recent joint summit of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE) and SustainabilityPH (SPH).
Octavio Peralta, founder and volunteer CEO of PCAAE, emphasised that the scale of these challenges necessitates a collaborative approach. Dave Devilles, acting president of SPH, concurred, noting that while the required capabilities, technology, and political will are still developing, associations can play a crucial role in mobilising resources and building social capital.
“We need more of our members to become sustainability champions in the communities they serve,” stated Devilles. Fortunately, more companies and organisations have realised the need for thinking about sustainability and putting leadership in place, he added.
For instance, Forbes’ 2024 State of Sustainability Report revealed that 65 per cent of C-suite executives now rank sustainability as a top-three priority, up from 28 per cent just three years ago.
Industry leaders from various sectors also discussed strategies for addressing climate change and environmental concerns.
In a panel comprising Unilever Philippines, Ayala Corp. and SGV & Co., speakers agreed that adaptation, which focuses on reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience, has a more immediate impact than mitigation, which involves projects to reduce climate change and environmental harm and requires more time and investment.
Meanwhile, another panel comprising SM Investments, Energy Development Corp., Apex Mining and Filinvest Development Corp., favoured practical solutions, citing disaster preparedness and resilience initiatives such as financing renewable energy, collaborating with SMEs, implementing water catchment and elevated seawall projects, and constructing disaster-resilient buildings.
