For the third consecutive year, Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) gathered its leaders and teams to celebrate the most impactful sustainability initiatives across its business units at the Road to Sustainability Awards 2024. Held at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, the event highlighted RLC’s leadership in sustainability and its ongoing efforts to build a better, more sustainable future.
The ceremony opened with a powerful message from RLC Chairman, President, and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei, who highlighted the transformative potential of passion meeting purpose. “This morning is about more than awards; it’s about sharing ideas, fostering collaboration, and inspiring one another to continue pushing boundaries. It’s about celebrating progress while recognizing that our journey toward sustainability is ongoing and requires the commitment of every business unit, every community, and every individual,” he said in his welcome remarks. His message underscored the shared responsibility of all business units — across malls, offices, residences, hotels, estates, and industrial developments — in driving impactful change.
A Morning of Recognition
Among the highlights was Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR) who won the Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative for its R WATER project. Launched in August 2024, this in-house water bottling facility serves three pilot properties — Holiday Inn Manila Galleria, Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, and The Westin Manila — eliminating single-use plastic bottles across guest rooms and events. To date, 25,416 reusable glass bottles have been produced, reducing plastic waste by 8.1 tons annually and cutting carbon emissions by 64%. By transforming underutilized space at Holiday Inn Manila Galleria, RHR optimized resources and set a new standard for sustainable hospitality.
Best Social Sustainability Initiative: “A Mall for All” by Robinsons Malls
The Best Social Sustainability Initiative was awarded to Robinsons Malls for its A Mall for All program, which fosters inclusivity, supports livelihoods, and empowers women. The program introduced Safe Zones for persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, and pregnant women during events, ensuring comfort and accessibility. It also hosted Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Trade Fairs, benefiting 2,200 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and generating over P130,000 in sales, while workshops with partners like World Vision empowered over 300 women through financial literacy, skills training, and self-defense lessons. These efforts highlight Robinsons Malls’ commitment to creating inclusive, community-focused spaces.
Governance Excellence Award: Controls & Compliance Department and Investor Relations of RLC Finance
Meanwhile, The Governance Excellence Award was presented to RLC’s Controls and Compliance Department and Investor Relations Department for their exceptional governance practices. These teams have upheld transparency and accountability through robust compliance frameworks and effective internal controls, ensuring ethical leadership across the organization. By fostering trust with stakeholders and delivering timely, accurate communication, they have reinforced RLC’s commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance.
Best Overall Sustainable Business Unit: Robinsons Malls
The ceremony culminated in the crowning of Robinsons Malls as the Overall Best Sustainable Business Unit, recognizing its holistic and impactful approach to sustainability across RLC’s seven focus areas, including environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance excellence. This achievement sets a benchmark for innovation and progress within the organization.
Driving a Culture of Sustainability and Innovation
The Road to Sustainability Awards inspires a culture of sustainability and innovation within RLC. This program is part of the Gokongwei Group’s broader sustainability agenda, aligning RLC’s initiatives with the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals shared across the conglomerate. By doing so, RLC contributes to creating value for shareholders, stakeholders, and communities, advancing the Group’s vision of sustainable and inclusive growth.
A meaningful addition to this year’s event was the distribution of SDG pins to sustainability champions, symbolizing RLC’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and its commitment to impactful progress.
Showcasing Impact and Inspiration
The keynote address by Aljo Quintans, SDG Specialist from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), highlighted the critical role of businesses in advancing global sustainability goals. Quintans underscored the mutual benefits of aligning corporate strategies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), stating, “The SDGs opens up new opportunities and creates big efficiency gains for the private sector, especially as it drives innovation and enhances reputations. In as much as businesses are good for SDGs, SDGs are indeed good for business.”
Quintans also highlighted collaboration between businesses and organizations like the UNDP as essential to addressing pressing environmental and social challe
Aljo Quintans, SDG Specialist from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
nges effectively. “As global-level data paints a concerning picture that only 15% of our SDG targets are on track, the need to accelerate our efforts on the SDGs is not only critical but also urgent. The role of the private sector is vital in this process,” he remarked.
Sustainability Stories to Inspire
To further amplify the impact of the Road to Sustainability Awards, RLC is producing a documentary series featuring the winning initiatives. This series will be part of a sustaining post-awards communications campaign, aimed at inspiring employees and stakeholders while reinforcing RLC’s leadership in sustainability. By showcasing the real-world impact of these efforts, the company hopes to foster even greater engagement and innovation across its ecosystem.
As the event concluded, Mr. Gokongwei left attendees with a powerful message: “Let’s take this opportunity to reflect on our collective achievements, celebrate our shared successes, and renew our commitment to building better, together.”
The 3rd Road to Sustainability Awards was more than just a celebration of milestones — it was a reaffirmation of RLC’s mission to build better, together. Through these initiatives, Robinsons Land continues to set the standard for sustainability in the Philippine real estate industry and beyond.
For more details on Robinsons Land Corporation’s sustainability initiatives, access the 2023 Sustainability Report at www.robinsonsland.com/sustainability.
Spotlight is BusinessWorld’s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with BusinessWorld’s audience by publishing their stories on the BusinessWorld Web site. For more information, send an email to online@bworldonline.com.
Join us on Viber at https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA to get more updates and subscribe to BusinessWorld’s titles and get exclusive content through www.bworld-x.com.
