Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) headed by bankero TG Limcaoco is organizing a series of activities in June, in partnership with various local and international institutions, to establish the Philippines’ first Sustainability Awareness Month.
Limcaoco said the Ayala-led bank is in a good position to help jumpstart the country’s maiden month-long sustainability campaign via a Sustainability Awareness Month, with four decades of following the principles of People, Planet and Profit since the 1980s.
“Through this month-long campaign, we can help Filipinos realize that the Philippines is among the most vulnerable in the world when it comes to natural disasters such as typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. More importantly, we aim to discuss how companies, communities, and citizens can collectively help tackle the problem of climate change,” the bankero said.
For BPI, sustainability does not stop at encouraging recycling and minimizing consumption of single-use plastics. It also means providing opportunities for financial wellness for individuals, communities, and businesses from different economic backgrounds, as well as financing geared towards a greener economy and resilient society.
The bank’s sustainability efforts have centered on green financing covering big and small projects related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate resilience, including green buildings, as well as sustainable agriculture.
Aside from that, BPI helps support small businesses, self-employed micro-entrepreneurs as well as overseas Filipinos.
“More than just helping our clients attain better financial returns, BPI strives to achieve sustainability by creating shared value for its stakeholders that include clients and shareholders, employees and our communities. The faster we transition into sustainable lifestyle and habits, the faster we see economic returns not only in every Filipino’s home but for the country as well,” Limcaoco added.
BPI is supporting the World Bank’s International Finance Corp. (IFC) as it continues to espouse the use of the Building Resilience Index (BRI) as well as the green building certification standard called EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies).
A forum dubbed Environmental and Climate Risks: Identification to Mitigation will be held on June 16 with speakers coming from BPI, Climate Change Commission, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, World Wide Fund for Nature, and BPI MS Insurance.
Likewise, BPI Foundation and Bayan Academy will launch the BPI Small Enterprise Acceleration Lab (BPI Seal) Track 1: Small Enterprise Growth Agenda (SEGA) “Empowering small and micro enterprises to achieve sustainable development” on June 17.
The Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) will also lead the discussion Managing Transition Risks for Sustainability, scheduled on June 24.
On June 28, PIC Philippines and BPI will lead a presentation on Sustainability Imperatives for the Swine Industry and Philippine Economic Updates.
Capping the roster of special events in June, a webinar by the Philippine Star will feature BPI and other subject matter experts to discuss From Surviving to Thriving: The Making of a Sustainable Philippines.
