Universal Robina Corporation bagged two awards at the inaugural ESG Business Awards in Singapore, another monumental milestone in the company’s ongoing journey toward becoming a truly sustainable global enterprise.
The company’s “Flourish Pilipinas: The CEO Initiative” was honored with the Job Creation award, while “Project Laminates to Energy (LTE)” won the Industrial Energy Efficiency award.
The Job Creation award recognizes initiatives that create or foster a conducive environment for new employment opportunities, stimulate economic growth, and support entrepreneurship. The Industry Energy Efficiency award, on the other hand, highlights projects that successfully improve the energy efficiency of industrial processes or facilities. URC was presented with both awards at the ESG Business Awards gala dinner, held on November 6, 2023, at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre.
Flourish Pilipinas, launched by URC’s Flour division in 2017, is an innovative learning enhancement program that aims to build a nation of entrepreneurs by recognizing and supporting the skill, talent, and passion of young Filipino bakers. In 2022, the baking business competition “URC Flourish Pilipinas 2022” was created to further enhance the skills of its participants and provide them with the tools needed to turn their dreams into reality.
Project LTE (Laminates to Energy), meanwhile, is the first waste co-processing initiative implemented in the company. URC was able to shift to a more sustainable plastic waste management system by establishing cost-sharing agreements with cement plants and by implementing a single trip, dual pick-up logistics strategy, while generating savings from the lower cost of transporting waste. Before this, waste laminates from its plants were disposed of through contracted garbage haulers. As of the end of 2022, ten plants have implemented this project and a total of 323 metric tons of waste were sent to cement plants for co-processing, diverting them from landfills.
The ESG Business Awards honors businesses that demonstrate outstanding commitment and achievement in environmental, social, and governance practices, as well as those leading the way in building a more sustainable future. The awards also aim to recognize and appreciate the exceptional efforts and dedication of businesses in creating a positive impact on the world. Part of the Charlton Media Group, a leading publisher of print and online business magazines in Asia, ESG Business (esgbusiness.com) is the industry portal serving the globe’s dynamic ESG sector.
The panel of judges for this year’s competition consisted of Brian Ho, Partner and Sustainability and Climate Assurance Leader at Deloitte Asia Pacific and Southeast Asia; Dr. Niven Huang, Managing Director of KPMG Sustainability Consulting in Taiwan and Head of ESG at KPMG Asia Pacific; and Sammie Leung, Partner, Regional ESG Services (Asia Pacific) at PwC.
For more information on URC, visit urc.com.ph
