For the third consecutive year, Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) celebrated the exceptional sustainability achievements of its business units at the Road to Sustainability Awards 2024. Hosted at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, the event underscored RLC’s ongoing drive to integrate sustainable practices into all aspects of its operations.
RLC Executive Chairman and outgoing President and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei opened the ceremony with an inspiring message, emphasizing the shared role of its corporate divisions—spanning malls, offices, residences, hotels, estates, and industrial developments—in fostering meaningful change. “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 remarked.
Recognizing Excellence in Sustainability
One of the key moments of the event was the recognition of Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR) for its R WATER project, which earned the award for Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative. Launched in August 2024, this innovative in-house water bottling facility has replaced single-use plastic bottles with reusable glass ones at three pilot properties—Holiday Inn Manila Galleria, Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, and The Westin Manila. To date, the project has produced 25,416 glass bottles, reducing plastic waste by 8.1 tons annually and cutting carbon emissions by 64%. By repurposing underutilized space at Holiday Inn Manila Galleria, the project demonstrated RHR’s resourcefulness while setting new standards for sustainable hospitality.
Building on the theme of innovation and social impact, Robinsons Malls was honored with the Best Social Sustainability Initiative award for its inclusive A Mall for All program. This forward-thinking initiative introduced Safe Zones during events for persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, and pregnant women, ensuring accessible and welcoming spaces. Beyond accessibility, the program also collaborated with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to host trade fairs benefitting 2,200 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), generating over PHP 130,000 in sales. Additionally, partnerships with organizations like World Vision enabled workshops on financial literacy, skills training, and self-defense for over 300 women, highlighting the program’s dedication to empowering individuals and fostering community growth.
Robinsons Malls earned the Best Social Sustainability Initiative award for its A Mall for All program, which is dedicated to inclusivity, empowering individuals, and fostering community growth.
Meanwhile, the Governance Excellence Award was presented to RLC’s Controls and Compliance Department and Investor Relations Department for their exceptional work in upholding transparency and accountability. By maintaining robust compliance systems and fostering trust through timely, accurate communication, these teams demonstrated the company’s dedication to ethical leadership and strong corporate governance.
The event concluded with Robinsons Malls being named the Overall Best Sustainable Business Unit, recognizing its broad-based approach to target RLC’s seven focus areas, among them environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance excellence. This achievement reflects the division’s leadership in setting benchmarks for innovation and progress across the organization.
Driving Innovation and Responsibility
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.
Robinsons Malls was named Best Overall Sustainable Business Unit for its holistic and impactful approach to sustainability across RLC’s seven focus areas, which cover environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance excellence. IMAGE Robinsons Land
A significant addition to this year’s event was the distribution of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) pins to sustainability champions, symbolizing RLC’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and its dedication to meaningful progress.
Inspiring Change Through Stories
In his keynote address, Aljo Quintans, SDG Specialist from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), underscored the critical role businesses play in advancing global sustainability. "The SDGs opens up new opportunities and creates big efficiency gains for the private sector, especially as it drives innovation and enhances reputations,” said Quintans. “In as much as businesses are good for SDGs, SDGs are indeed good for business.”
Quintans also stressed that collaboration between businesses and organizations like the UNDP is essential to address environmental and social challenges 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.
To amplify the impact of the awards, RLC is producing a documentary series that will feature the winning initiatives. This 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.
For more details on Robinsons Land Corporation’s sustainability initiatives, view the 2023 Sustainability Report at www.robinsonsland.com/sustainability
