Sustainability Forum 2023 underscores the urgent need to go sustainable

By Carla Mortel Baricaua

Manila Bulletin’s Sustainability Forum is a grand meeting of today’s corporate leaders paving the way to bring awareness of sustainability and its practice into Filipinos’ everyday lives. The forum provides opportunities to engage in meaningful discussion and exchange of experiences and ideas It is also designed to inspire people to imbibe the community spirit and build a more sustainable future.

Inaugurated last year, the MB Sustainability Forum focused on redefining sustainability and its impact on society. Its theme underlined how sustainable living goes beyond green and transcends the social and governance aspects. The forum also encouraged corporate leaders to share resources and collaborate on sustainable partnerships and projects.

“The forum serves as a vehicle for the public to gain a better understanding and appreciation of what sustainability is all about. We know that many companies are pushing for sustainability, but people are unaware of how real these initiatives are and how they are affecting their lives as consumers. We brought these different companies together to generate a conversation on sustainability and create a new mindset that sustainability is something we could live by even on a soft impact basis. This year’s forum draws attention to the urgency to go sustainable, and what could be done by stakeholders toward this goal,” says the project lead, Philip Cu-Unjieng.

In its second edition, the forum highlights the main topics: Making clean energy more accessible and affordable (SDG 7); Encouraging innovation in industry and infrastructure (SDG 9); Creating sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11); and Fostering responsible production and consumption (SDG 12). These categories were lifted from the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) aimed to eradicate poverty by 2030. These discussion points suitably fall under the forum’s theme: “If not now, when? Addressing the Urgency to go Sustainable.”

In the first category, the presentations will center on the recent developments and achievements in accessing affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy. With the country’s large population, growing economy, and high energy costs, it is very timely to invest in renewable energy. The Philippine government envisions the country being energy-sufficient in 2030.

The second category covers the urgent need to upgrade industries and infrastructure to be resilient, sustainable, and innovative. In response to this challenge, sustainable Filipino industries must address the nation’s needs with solutions driven by science and technology, productivity, and development. These improvements are crucial to meet the country’s target of attaining upper middle-income status by 2025.

The third category focuses on the latest strides in the creation of sustainable cities and communities. It recognizes that there are continuing improvements in addressing the challenges of making cities, building communities, and developing human settlements that are inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

The last category consists of updates on integrating sustainable consumption and production principles in the national and local policies, business practices, and consumer behavior. The inefficient use of our resources has contributed to climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution, poor health, and poverty. Thus, there is a call for development to meet the needs of the people without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Corporate partners who have stepped up in support of the Sustainability Forum 2023 will delve and discourse about their initiatives and involvement in sustainability around these mentioned topics. The forum will take place on Nov. 21-22 at the School of Statistics Auditorium, University of Philippines Diliman. A Partners Recognition Night will be held on Nov. 22 at the Ascott Bonifacio Global City.

Hosted by the Manila Bulletin, the Sustainability Forum 2023 is co-presented by IKEA Philippines, Ayala Corporation, and ACEN Corporation, and supported by major partners such as Aboitiz Infracapital Inc., Aboitiz Power Corporation, Acer Philippines Inc., Arthaland Corporation, Coca-Cola Philippines, Filinvest Alabang Inc., Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, NEO, PH Global Jet Express Inc., SM Investments Corporation, The Ascott Limited, and Watsons. The University of Philippines Diliman participates as the forum’s academic institutional partner.

If you are interested to join and support the event, please send an email to: mbsustainabilityforum@gmail.com