The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is organizing a series of activities in June, in partnership with various local and international institutions, to establish the Philippines’ first Sustainability Awareness Month.
“With four decades of following the principles of People, Planet and Profit since the 1980s, BPI is in a good position to help jumpstart the country’s maiden month-long Sustainability campaign via a Sustainability Awareness Month, or SAM, which we intend to become an annual Philippine tradition,” said BPI President and CEO Jose Teodoro K. Limcaoco.
“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.”
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.
A good number of the bank’s sustainability efforts have centered on green financing covering big and small projects related to Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and Climate Resilience which includes Green Buildings, as well as Sustainable Agriculture.
Aside from that, the bank helps support small businesses, self-employed micro-entrepreneurs as well as overseas Filipinos. BPI encourages savings, financial responsibility, investing and preparing for a financially secure future.
“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 said.
He believes that achieving economic gains that benefit various stakeholders through Environmental, Social, and Governance-related projects is key to achieving true Sustainability.
