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| (Image Source: Adobo Magazine/SM Supermalls) |
SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, recently joined this year’s Earth Day celebrations by promoting the responsible disposal of recyclables and e-waste among its mall-goers and employees, and highlighting the government’s various efforts in helping preserve the country’s waterways.
Among SM Cares Earth Day 2022 activities were the “Earth Day Trash-To-Cash,” a special iteration of SM Cares’ long-running Trash-To-Cash Recycling Market where customers and the community can drop off their recyclable waste, such as paper and plastic containers, in exchange for cash at designated collection points in all SM malls nationwide from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. In partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – National Capital Region (DENR-NCR), SM Cares also hosted a photo exhibit centered on the winners of DENR’s Gawad Taga-Ilog program, which recognizes the efforts of local government units in ensuring the cleanliness of their waterways. The exhibit was held last April 22 to 24 at SM Mall of Asia. “SM has always been a reliable partner of the DENR in promoting our various initiatives aimed at protecting the environment. What makes it better is that the company really takes their environmental stewardship very seriously, which aligns well with our goal of preserving the country’s natural beauty and resources,” said DENR Internal Audit Service Director Al O. Orolfo.
On April 22, SM Cares also held the “SM Earth Day Challenge” wherein SM employees were encouraged to bring in items for recycling such as cardboard, paper, old books and newspapers, PET and plastic bottles, tin and aluminum cans, old kitchen items, and small e-waste such as old mobile phones, chargers, earphones, computer cords, ink toner and cartridges, and calculators, among others. In total, SM was able to gather a total of more than 19 tons of recyclables and electronic waste from its Earth Day activities. “We at SM know that environmental stewardship must come from our people themselves. This is why we continue to create opportunities for them to show that they are one with the whole organization in wanting to achieve the kind of future that we want for ourselves and our loved ones, where everyone can enjoy all the beautiful things that Mother Nature can offer,” said SM Supermalls Vice President for Human Resources Cheryll Agsaoay. “The theme for this year’s Earth Day is ‘Invest in Our Future’. This is a wakeup call for all of us to start investing in the only planet we call home, so that future generations may still be able to witness its bountiful wonders. It’s the kind of investment that doesn’t require a lot of money, but the payoff is worth it,” said SM Supermalls Vice President for Corporate Compliance and SM Cares Environment Program Head Engr. Liza B. Silerio.
Through these efforts, SM Cares not only supports the goals of the global Earth Day movement, but also many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including “SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation”, “SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities", “SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production", “SDG 13: Climate Action", “SDG 14: Life Below Water" and “SDG 15: Life on Land". Other sustainability projects of SM Supermalls include the annual Green Film Festival, which promotes environmental awareness among students and the youth; the AweSMSeas project in partnership with the USAID and PRRCI, which promotes responsible plastic waste management affecting our seas; and the International Coastal Cleanup that gathers thousands of volunteers every year, among others.
