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Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles have emerged as a transformative force in the business world since it was introduced several years ago, pushing companies to consider broader impacts beyond financial returns. It aims to create a sustainable and equitable future by addressing environmental issues, social responsibilities, and governance practices.

Are you familiar or at least aware of the Philippine Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production (PAP4SCP)? Taking off from our first article on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022 (the EPR Act) last week, let us deep dive into the EPR Act and see how it aligns with PAP4SCP.

“I have the duty to hope.” These are the words of Ms. Nanette Medved-Po, founder of Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX), when asked what keeps her inspired and enlightened to continue the fight against plastic pollution during her interview with the veteran CNN broadcast journalist, Mr. Rico Hizon.

Over the weekend, my nephew was watching a certain movie on Netflix which caught my attention. The story revolves around the Once-ler who arrives in a lush land and begins chopping down Truffula trees to make “Thneeds” for his business.

On top of a myriad of factors that can disrupt business operations, including a changing business environment and economic uncertainties that stir global financial markets, businesses are now increasingly concerned about how they can help address environmental issues, and for good reason. The effects of climate change are more apparent, with a study released by the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) showing that in 2021, greenhouse gases, the primary cause of climate change because they trap heat within the atmosphere, spiked to hit new record levels. They warn that these levels will continue to rise through 2022.

These days, it is an accepted fact that the burden of reversing the climate crisis lies largely on the shoulders of governments and corporations. After all, research shows that less than 100 companies are responsible, whether directly or indirectly, for majority of carbon emissions throughout history. Thus, companies have been under scrutiny to ramp up their sustainability initiatives. The recent Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) even saw that 42% of the surveyed Philippine mid-market firms are ready and likely to invest in sustainability reporting and initiatives.

In April 2021, the Philippines committed to a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its 2020 numbers as part of the Paris Agreement. It also aimed to increase renewable energy (“RE” or “renewables”) usage to 35% to enable this goal. Plans are still in motion for the country’s RE transition, but as far as progress is concerned, Southeast Asia’s Green Economy 2022 Report found the Philippines to be a laggard in the race for green energy. According to the report, this slow pace is due to a lack of concrete implementation to accompany our loftier plans, so high hopes rest on the incoming administration to catch up and make good on our commitment to GHG reduction.

As early as 30 years ago, businesses had to make a tough choice: make more profit or save the planet. Even back then, focusing on environmental initiatives was costly for business. The costs for going green were steep, and corporations saw little returns for their business in such a scenario. This has pushed them to question whether adopting environmentally friendly practices poses a win-win situation for business on one hand and saving the environment on the other.