SM Prime Holdings created the SM Cares program which consolidates Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, ranging from environmental conservation, assistance to persons with disabilities and special needs, elderly and nursing mothers, as well as care for children, women and OFWs. The SM Environment Committee is just one of the groups under SM Cares and it specifically aims to promote environmental sustainability through, mall, tenant and community endeavors while simultaneously combining “going green” with good business. SM malls highlight award-winning projects that include, among others the Trash to Cash recycling market held in the malls every first Friday and Saturday of the month, the Green Retail Agenda forum for mall tenants, contractors, and suppliers and of course, the SM Supermalls Green Bag. The SM Environment Committee aims to involve education as a primary way to cultivate the love of the earth.
The SM Green Film Festival (GFF) project aims to educate and make Filipinos aware of the Earth’s plight today, a visual information campaign for eco-awareness. Starting June 2015, SM open its cinemas to students for a free screening of environmentally-theme films and documentaries. The GFF is to be held every third Tuesday of the month, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in 57 cinemas of the SM Supermalls and Waltermart. The target is to reach 1 million grade school and highschool students. March and December will have special screening dates on the first Tuesday of the month due to the class schedules. The malls are encouraged to add more screen dates for special student groups to reach the goal.
The materials to be screened will consist of environmentally-themed films and documentaries. SM Supermalls prefer films in the vernacular for school children to better understand the issues and concerns we all face in the Philippines. GMA 7 has agreed to provide the initial materials, two station-produced documentaries entitled “Ground Zero” and “Pagbangon” which run for approximately 50 minutes each. The former features natural disasters here and abroad while the latter is an award-winning documentary on the effect of Super Typhoon Yolanda on survivors. The Climate Change Commission has also contributed a 5-min info video on the Top 15 Ways to LEDS (Low Emission Development Strategies).
To spread the environmental advocacy using the visual medium, SM aims to show the beauty of our planet, to teach the value of conserving shared resources and to plan and practice environmental efforts towards a sustainable future for our children’s
children.
SM Prime Holdings President, Mr. Hans T. Sy, is also a member of the Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and has committed to furthering disaster awareness locally, in places of operation as well as tenants and customers which SM consider stakeholders in the company.