The significance of the agreement, in which the Philippines played a part, should not be lost on PR professionals here in the Philippines. In fact, it should impel us to put this issue up and even at the top of our priority concerns in counseling our clients and the companies we work for. This is most especially because we can expect the government—the executive, legislative and judicial branches—to become more proactive in passing laws or tightening up regulations or deciding on cases relating to adherence of these companies to more stringent environmental standards. This would be particularly true for departments relating to the environment, such as the departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Energy, and Trade and Industry.
We can also expect both local and international environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs), such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Greenpeace, which are represented in the Philippines, to monitor more closely the operations of business firms and hold protests more frequently against those they perceived to be causing harm to the environment in one way or the other. Needless to say, these protests would likely be extensively covered by the media, resulting in negative publicity for the companies. PR professionals should familiarize themselves with these groups, get to know their leaders and hold continuing dialogues with them and constantly assure and reassure them of the environment-friendly policies and activities of the companies they represent.
Need to be more proactive
BUT rather than merely being defensive about the issue, PR professionals should advise their companies to not just be environmentally friendly, but to be more proactive and to undertake programs and projects that help promote environmental conservation. They should also, through various PR tools and techniques, generate greater public awareness of the need, not just to protect the environment, but to enhance and sustain our natural resources.
PHL companies among environmental leaders
IT is heartening to note that several leading Philippine companies have been among the first in the world to undertake major initiatives to promote environmental conservation. One such company is the Ayala Corp., which, through its foundation, has long been undertaking environmental conservation projects that helped win for it the Environment Leadership Award from WWF in 2012. A more concrete and more recent example of Ayala’s environment consciousness—which is actually a business project but with corporate social responsibility aspects—is the project of one of its companies, Manila Water, which supplies the water needs of the eastern part of Metro Manila.
The project, dubbed “Tubig Para Sa Barangay” or “Water for the Poor,” was designed specifically for low-income communities with informal settlers who previously had no access to piped water. They resorted to making illegal connections that resulted in low-quality water, which pose significant health risks. So far, Manila Water has gotten nearly 2 million people into the program who are assured of a regular supply of clean water and for which they pay less than the regular rates.
Yet, the program has proven to be a revenue-earning venture, where before they were losing money from the illegal connections. The program has vastly improved the state of sanitation in these needy communities and reduced the incidence of water-borne diseases among the residents.
Another company that has taken major environmental conservation initiatives that also proved commercially viable is SM Prime Holdings. In December 2012 the company installed solar-power panels in the rooftop of SM City North Edsa, making the mall the first solar-powered SM mall in the Philippines and the largest solar-powered mall in the world. SM gained a lot of publicity for the project, especially since no-less-than President Aquino turned on the switch during the inauguration of the project. The president gave a speech lauding SM for the project that helped reduce the country’s usage of energy derived from nonrenewable fossil fuels.
Also worth-noting was a project by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., “Kwentong Kabataan, Kuwentong Kalikasan,” a nationwide story-writing contest among schoolchildren. The winning stories were later compiled into children’s books and distributed to public schools throughout the country. The project helped immensely in impressing upon Filipino children the need to protect and conserve the environment.
Possibilities are endless
BUT aside from the aforementioned projects, which admittedly require substantial funding and logistical support, even small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can do relatively simple and inexpensive projects like tree-planting or cleaning up their companies’ premises and their surrounding communities with the participation of their rank-and-file employees, thereby making them also environment-conscious.
For commercial establishments, they can give out or sell at a nominal price, shopping bags made of recyclable materials, instead of plastic or paper. Companies can also show their concern for the environment by helping provide assistance for relief and rehabilitation efforts for victims of areas hit by natural disasters, such as Leyte when it was ravaged by Supertyphoon Yolanda. Many companies have already been doing the aforementioned environmental projects, as well as many other such projects that are not widely known. This just goes to show that the possibilities are endless.
Indeed, we, PR professionals, can do a lot in generating awareness of the urgent need to protect and conserve the environment, and assure a safe and sustainable future for our country and our people. To do nothing less would not be acceptable. That would be tantamount to consigning our country to a bleak and—heaven forbid—apocalyptic destiny.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the International Public Relations Association, the premier association for senior professionals around the world. Rene Nieva is the chairman and CEO of Perceptions Inc.
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