SM recently took home a total of five awards at the 12th Global CSR Awards, besting more than 300 companies from all over the world in a showcase of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives that have made a positive impact on the lives of countless individuals and communities.
SM Supermalls, through its CSR arm, SM Cares, was conferred the “Best Country Award for Overall CSR Excellence in the Philippines”, an award given to organizations that have demonstrated exemplary and relevant community-based initiatives with illustrated and long-term results for its stakeholders. The award is a testament to the company’s commitment to the creation of CSR advocacies and initiatives geared toward supporting communities and empowering the Filipino.
SM Supermalls also received the Gold CSR Leadership Award for efforts and advocacies that promote social inclusion in all its business environments, helping communities who were displaced by calamities such as Typhoon Haiyan, and care for the environment, ensuring that its business operations are sustainable.
Meanwhile, SM Foundation was given the Gold award for “Excellence in Provision for Literacy & Education” for its SM Scholarship Program, an institutional program, which to date has provided more than 5,000 underprivileged Filipino youth with access to higher education, including tertiary education and technical-vocational education, among others.
SM Supermalls also won a Silver, under the category “Best Environmental Excellence Award” for its various Mall programs and operations, dedicated to energy efficiency, water conservation, responsible solid waste management, and the promotion of eco-friendly practices among the youth, as well as the company’s efforts to help protect the country’s waters through the annual International Coastal Cleanup and its monthly Trash to Cash recycling market.
In addition, SM Supermalls won a Bronze for “Best Community Program Award” for its CSR advocacies, particularly those that have immensely benefited sectors of society who typically need more care and attention, such as women and breastfeeding mothers, persons with disabilities and special needs, and the elderly. This also includes the company’s environment and sustainability advocacies.
The Global CSR Awards is an annual ceremony that honors organizations that have showcased excellence in implementing CSR initiatives. It aims to promote community involvement for organizations, urging them to make use of their resources and influence to help those who are in need and contribute to the development of solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.
SM Cares is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, providing support to the community through partnerships with relevant stakeholders. SM Cares’ advocacies include programs on persons with disabilities, the environment, women and breastfeeding mothers, senior citizens, and children and youth. To learn more about its various initiatives, visit www.smsupermalls.com/smcares.