Environmental sustainability may be a common word in an overly stimulated world. However, its importance in our present time has become necessary due to the prevalent changes in our lives. As we faced multiple storms and natural disasters this year (and possibly more upcoming disasters this December), it is living proof that Climate Change has a huge impact on the damage to our environment. And as it progresses, more environmental disasters, resources, and human lives will continue to be affected by these disasters. So why should we care and focus on sustainability before 2025 ends?

Large corporations have their own methods of promoting sustainability among their stakeholders. Reducing waste and having tumblers instead of plastic bottles might be a better option for some companies. However, to ensure sustainability extends beyond small projects, sustainable development plans for a greener environment should be more comprehensive and built for the long term.

That’s why BDO Unibank has been championing sustainability in a more simplified and effective way through its initiatives. They recently got in touch with us as they discussed their sustainability goals and joint panel discussions during their online workshop, Sustainability in Focus: A Virtual Learning Workshop by BDO.

This workshop showcases more than mere talks about business. The speakers truly gave us a glimpse of how we can integrate these developmental goals into action in a more inclusive and doable way.

Getting to Know the Sustainable Development Goals: History, Pillars, Principles, and the 17 SDGs

During our class in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, we integrate our lessons in disaster management with how people from local and international organisations implement plans to reduce these incidents. The first part of this workshop opens the public to a broader definition of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The same topic we had in our curriculum.

During our online workshop, our first speaker, Ms Elle David, is a UP-CIFAL Philippines Communications Officer, who talked about GETTING TO KNOW THE SDGs: History, Pillars, Principles and the 17 SDGs.

Focusing on the five key pillars: people, prosperity, planet, peace, and partnership, the Sustainable Development Goals create a more comprehensive and inclusive plan on a global scale. Ever since the Philippines’ alliance with the United Nations, the laws and policies we have are more aligned with these international agendas. As an Educator, it is easy for me to integrate these pillars when we teach about sustainability plans and their implementation.

How BDO Effectively Implements Sustainability under SDG?

On a global scale, most of the environmental risks and disasters we’ve experienced,until this present time,  are caused by the abuse and mishandling of corporate waste. It is also evident that most industries tend to undermine sustainability when it comes to their business deals and practices.

Corporations like BDO Unibank have been there from the beginning in championing sustainability at its very core through their #BDOSustainabilityFramework. During their BDO Virtual Online Workshop,  Marla Garin-Alvarez, BDO First Vice President and Head of the Sustainability Office, shared that “We seek to achieve resilience by incorporating sustainability in the way we do business and in everything we do, from making business decisions to assessing relationships to creating products.”

Alvarez shares that the BDO Sustainable Finance Framework has the most comprehensive in the country, with 29 eligible categories aligned with global standards. Making their banking practices more sustainable and greener for their stakeholders.

With these initiatives, BDO showcases more effective and stronger sustainability goals that aim for a greener and long-term banking around the globe.

Here are some of the BDO’s Sustainable Finance Framework that is aligned with global standards:

• Green Buildings, Clean Transport & Water Management – BDO’s sustainability bonds have financed top-rated green buildings, clean transport systems, and projects that save more than 2.6 million cubic meters of water annually while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by tens of thousands of tons.
• Renewable Energy – BDO’s renewable energy funding has reached ₱1.04 trillion since 2010, supporting 63 large-scale projects that generate 2,679 MW of clean energy annually—equivalent to removing over 1 million passenger vehicles from the road each year.
• Blue Bond Impact – financed projects provide solutions to address clean water supply scarcity and ocean pollution prevention (US$50 million out of US$100 million for three businesses in Bulacan, Tarlac, Rizal)
• Social and Gender-Responsive Financing – Projects or enterprises with a substantially gender diverse and equitable workforce, and/or gender inclusive value chains, that ensure gender pay equity and equal workplace and employment-related rights to all regardless of gender identity

What should you do with this knowledge about sustainability, then?

With all these things in mind, what should be our response to make our world a greener place to live? In a wide range of information we consume on the internet nowadays, there’s a bigger role that needs to be fulfilled in order to make our digital space safe and effective in advocating for sustainability.

For the third session of our online workshop, Business Mirror columnist Malou Talosig-Bartolome shares practical tips and best practices on how we can use our social media platforms to promote sustainability and environmentally optimal methods to our community.

As technology plays an essential role in our daily lives, Mam Malou encourages the participants to use our social media presence to influence change and invite people to apply sustainability best practices in our everyday lives.

• Tone in Digital Content – creating content about sustainability and the environment in a most authentic, approachable, and empowering way.
• Accuracy and Responsibility – Be responsible and knowledgeable in sharing information about sustainability by means of fact-checking, citing affiliation, and verifying information from reliable sources.

This topic taught us that no matter how low or little our influence are, we as citizens of the world can make a change and difference in our community, one post at a time.

BDO and its Sustainability Outlook for a Greener Future

Through this workshop, I was able to further check on the things I need to work on so I can effectively equip my students on their journey towards a more sustainable and safe environment. The jampacked discussions about the BDO Sustainability Framework and its alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals build an informative advocacy that other corporation needs to evolve.

Therefore, as we get to our regular routine, we can always remember that the small steps we cultivate to make greener choices benefit our next generation. More than for our sake, let’s make a sustainable and greener planet for them.