HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE
Come Sept. 24, at the University of Santo Tomas, the Manila Bulletin will mount the very first Sustainability Focus Session; with the session concentrating on Real Estate and Renewable Energy in a Green-centric Future. The topic comes out of the partnership we generated for this event with the UST’s College of Architecture and College of Engineering. And the Session itself comes as a result of the clamor we received after two successful Sustainability Forums (2022 and 2023), to generate more opportunities for this kind of dialogue to exist – and by the way, the 3rd iteration of the MB Sustainability Forum happens Nov. 19 and 20, 2024, at the University of the Philippines.
In the course of doing interviews to publicize this fast approaching Focus Session, I’m often asked “Why?” And “What makes this different from the many Sustainability-related events we constantly read or hear about?”
The Why is pretty clear cut. The MB mandate is to Inform, Inspire and Empower; and the general impression I get, is that despite efforts over the years to make Sustainability a mainstream concern, understanding of the concept is still a disappointingly slow trickle down. If you ask random people what they understand about Sustainability, a great number will equate it to Environmental protection. The “green” label of Sustainability has several in the general population lumping it with climate change, global warming, and the likes.
And I get that, as all those issues are fundamental concerns of Sustainability. The problem is that it’s just a portion of the concerns Sustainability is programmed to address. The ESG mantra of Sustainability; with Environment, Social and Governance agendas all carrying equal weight like some Holy Trinity, should be the indicator of how Sustainability is more of an umbrella concept. If you scrutinize the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), you might be surprised to find that only five to six goals are directly related to the Environment.
A good number of the goals have to do with quality of life, equal opportunity, with inclusivity, with technology, and with strategic partnering to achieve these goals. It’s practically a framework, a blueprint of how to achieve a better future, of how to continue to progress, but doing so responsibly. In a nutshell, Sustainability is about having a better plan for our future, the future of our children, and that of our children’s children.
Some also mistakenly categorize Sustainability as an expanded version of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). And that’s not completely wrong; but again it’s like watching an excerpt of a play, and thinking you now know the entire play. Where Sustainability has trumped CSR is that it’s evolved to be part of the DNA of a company’s philosophy and operations.
Let’s be honest, CSR in the corporate world of the 1980’s and 1990’s was more of an afterthought. For some, it was profits pricking the conscience of the owners and investors, and seeking an outlet to scratch that itch of guilt. With several of the companies advocating Sustainability today, it’s embedded in their OpEx, and not just an afterthought - and that is so encouraging, and should be better recognized.
As to why our Focus Session could be seen as different? It’s set on a campus, with a primary audience of university students - with the talks then uploaded on our MB social media platforms. Most of the Forums we see publicized are done within an industry; for example Banking, and that’s fine. Most of the attendees will be from the industry, and it’s often esoteric talk among the already “converted.” We seek to “layman-ize” Sustainability; and have the youth invest in the concept.
We’re hoping that these students and the online audience will discern that when these companies or LGU’s speak of Zero Carbon Emissions, of going carbon neutral by 2040, these targets are part of their near-future, the world these students will be living in as full-fledged adults. And we want them to be proactive, realizing that even if on a soft impact basis, it’s important that they intertwine sustainability with their current lifestyle.
Sustainability is no longer something one can profess to support, then just idly stand by, and let others take up the struggle and challenge. That’s the attitude that brought us to the sorry state we are in – of global warming, plastic waste clogging our waterways, and being so vulnerable to natural disasters. Resilience is all about planning, prevention and preparation.
We’re hoping the Focus Session can help shine a light on the path we all need to take. And we thank Aboitiz Power, Arthaland, Ayala Land, Megaworld, RLC Residences, Shell, and SMDC for taking this journey with us!