Across Ayala Land’s expansive estates—with developments situated within Bonifacio Global City, Nuvali, the Makati Central Business District, and Vertis North—a story of sustainability and innovation is unfolding. Known as the "lolo and lola" of Philippine real estate, Ayala Land has long been a cornerstone of the country's urban growth. Recently, the company has gone beyond simply developing spaces, focusing on shaping a future firmly rooted in environmental resilience.

This vision comes to life through the insights of Anna Gonzalez, one of the key figures driving sustainability at Ayala Land. As the corporate sustainability head, she shares the company’s journey—highlighting where they are now and how they got there—using the analogy of a roadway to illustrate the path ahead, all under the guidance of the company’s leadership.

Central to this transformation are four sustainability pillars: site resilience, pedestrian mobility and transit connectivity, resource efficiency, and local economic development. These principles guide every project, from retrofitting streets in Makati for pedestrians to managing private carbon forests.

Gonzales emphasized a pragmatic approach to sustainability, highlighting the importance of understanding challenges and crafting thoughtful solutions: “Sustainability really is about assessing your situation, being observant like a scientist, identifying the problems, and looking for ways to solve them.”

Sustainability meets innovation
Ayala Land’s sustainability milestones walk the talk. The company achieved carbon neutrality for Scopes 1 and 2 emissions in 2021—covering its energy use and operations—and is now addressing the more complex Scope 3 emissions linked to its supply chain and tenants. Additionally, 90 percent of its commercial properties shifted to renewable energy in 2023.

Through collaborations with companies like SteelAsia, which uses recycled steel, and innovative experiments with plastics in construction, Ayala Land demonstrates that even major emitters, such as the steel and cement industries, can take significant steps toward decarbonization. The company has also introduced plastic eco-hubs, where the public can drop off clean, dry plastics to be repurposed into construction materials. This initiative not only reduces waste but also deepens the developer’s engagement with the communities it serves.

In 2024, Ayala Land became the first publicly listed developer with SBTi-approved net zero goals. It also issued the Philippines’ first sustainability-linked bond of its scale. “The investors are confident that you have been reducing your emissions these past years and that you are actually going to hit that target. It’s a vote of confidence,” Gonzalez explained. Unlike conventional loans, these bonds offer lower interest rates tied to Ayala Land’s environmental performance, proving that doing good for the planet makes good business sense.

Bridging the gap
Hans Lopez-Vito, Ayala Land’s head of brand experience and strategy for residential, estates, and corporate group, brought a fresh perspective to the conversation. “I think it's really great that Ayala Land has geeks like Anna,” he quipped. “I’m not a nerd—I’m a marketing guy. My role is to ensure that the rest of the world knows, understands, and appreciates the incredible work being done on sustainability.”

Lopez-Vito highlighted the importance of communication in amplifying Ayala Land’s sustainability efforts. “If people know what Anna and others are doing—whether at Ayala Land, Megaworld, RLC, or SMDC—you can support these initiatives,” he said. “The more you do, the more sustainable our actions become. Sustainability has to make business sense to be truly sustainable.”

He also emphasized the role of Ayala Land’s 7,000 employees and 53,000 suppliers and partners in spreading the message. “That’s over 60,000 advocates who can share our story,” he explained. “If each of them reaches just a few others, the impact grows exponentially.” He introduced simple checklists tied to Ayala Land’s sustainability pillars to make complex goals more relatable and actionable. This approach empowers employees and partners to internalize sustainability, creating ripples that extend far beyond the workplace.

As the discussion concluded, Gonzalez and Lopez-Vito reiterated that sustainability is a continuous journey, with Ayala Land building a movement that starts within the company and spreads to the communities it serves. Through bold goals, collaborative efforts, and a clear message, the developer is setting a precedent for the real estate industry—proving that progress is not just about building structures, but about creating a lasting, positive impact on the planet.