MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has collaborated with the SM Supermalls to “promote corporate social responsibility” for businesses with sustainable practices on Friday, August 29.
“Businesses must set their sight on real, tangible goals — not pretty brochures, not slogans, but numbers you can measure, promises you can check,” DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said, emphasizing the need to protect the environment.
The partnership aims to bring the DOST’s scientific expertise and innovation directly to SM tenants, which include 70 percent micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
According to SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, DOST’s guidance will be vital amid the insufficient resources or knowledge of several small businesses “to adopt sustainable practices.”
“This is not just SM and DOST. It’s SM, DOST, and our tenants. With DOST providing knowledge, SM offering the platform, and MSMEs applying innovation, we can create a real impact,” Tan explained.
SM has been actively involved in various economic activities, including investing in sustainability initiatives, such as water recycling in the 1990s, and installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations nationwide.
“Sustainability is not just about business — it is a responsibility. Somebody has to start, and it is big companies like us that should push the envelope,” he added.
