P&G commits to revive ‘Forest for Good’ in Sierra Madre

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Procter & Gamble Philippines has launched a program that aims to help revive the forests of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range.

The company recently held a virtual Sustainability Summit, built on the theme ‘#ItsOurHome,' where it declared accelerated commitment towards achieving its global Ambition 2030 goals. This aims to encourage responsible consumption among consumers through holistic, comprehensive interventions across 4 aspects which the company controls: its brand innovations, supply chain operations, trusted partnerships that impact society, and their employees.

P&G also revealed in the summit that current efforts have reduced over 80% of its greenhouse gas emissions in its local operations. This is way ahead of its global target of cutting 50% by 2030.

The event focused on increased awareness on the climate and solid waste landscape and discussed the solutions P&G, its consumers and partners could take towards greater sustainability. The summit panel included National Solid Waste Management Commissioner Crispian Lao, Plastic Flamingo Chief Revenue Officer Gauthier Belhomme, Ecomatcher founder and CEO Bas Fransen, and Anne-Marie Bakker, director for Partnership at Fostering Education and Environment for Education.

Company employees, business leaders, external partners, and sustainability advocates were also present.

Among the highlights was the launch of its Philippines Forests for Good program in “Luzon’s backbone,” the Sierra Madre, as part of its long-term commitment to make an impact in environmental areas of climate, water, and waste.

This is part of its global initiative P&G Forests for Good program, which is one of its efforts to support natural climate solutions that help conserve, protect and restore forests along with global partners like the Conservation International.

Apart from targeting net zero emission, the whole program aims to protect nature through 12 pilot programs in 12 months across its Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMA) region. The Philippines is one of the pilot countries supporting this natural climate solution and will help forestation efforts in the mountain range.

To kick off the program, P&G entrusted each employee with trees, planted on their behalf by farmers in the Sierra Madre. Employees can name their tree, virtually travel to see it up close, check on it and learn more about it as it grows. They can also learn more about the farmer who planted it.

To date, there are 5,000 trees and counting in the P&G Forest for Good in Sierra Madre. P&G will continue to help in the reforestation efforts in the Philippines’ longest mountain range.

P&G has partnered with EcoMatcher to pilot blockchain technology in the AMA region to increase forestry transparency and accountability, together with local conservation organizations in each country where they are starting this journey.

In the Philippines, FEED Inc. is the local conservation partner of Ecomatcher and P&G. This allows employees, partners and consumers to have strong visibility and track the impact they have made from planting trees.

Aside from reforestation, another program of P&G to address climate change is achieving carbon neutrality by the end of the decade. This will be achieved through cutting its greenhouse gas emissions through the use of 100% renewable energy in its sites. Currently, its Cabuyao plant is already using renewable electricity and has cut more than 80% of its manufacturing GHG emissions ahead of the company’s global targets.

Boosting efforts for water conservation and waste management

The company’s 2030 goal is to promote and support water conservation and protection for people and nature.

P&G is on track to achieving its global water goals to increase water efficiency at its sites and source at least 5 billion liters from circular sources, as seen at its Cabuyao plant that tracks its overall water consumption and recycles wastewater.

Aside from this, P&G is innovating its brands and products such as laundry brands Tide and Ariel to help reduce consumer in-home water use.

As for P&G AMA, it recently announced acceleration of these goals by developing a water stewardship action plan. This is in accordance with the externally recognized Alliance for Water Stewardship standard for 100% of P&G’s manufacturing sites in high water stress areas by end of 2022. This will significantly alleviate water scarcity, a challenge in many parts of the world including several across the AMA region.

P&G said it will work with its partners and invest in packaging design to pilot waste infrastructure interventions across several of its markets. This is in keeping with its commitment to reduce post-consumer waste.

Currently, the P&G AMA certified that 100% of its plants as Zero Manufacturing Waste to Landfill, including its local Cabuyao manufacturing plant.

In the Philippines, P&G has also eliminated the virgin plastic overwrap packaging on its Safeguard multi-packs and are now using 100% recycled paper carton material. This effort saves 8,500 kilometers worth of plastic waste every year, equivalent to one thousand times the length of the world-famous Boracay shoreline. P&G’s new Herbal Essences bio: renew collection now uses post-consumer recycled material for its bottle packaging.

Ultimately, P&G will make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2030 and will also cut the use of virgin plastic in packaging by 50%.

“We will reduce the use of virgin plastic and start using alternative materials in our Philippines’ product bundling activities as well as point-of-sale materials found inside stores,” said Raffy Fajardo, P&G President and General Manager for Philippines.

Employee participation to achieve greener tomorrow

Fajardo also emphasized the importance of employee participation through their creation and integration of sustainable actions in their work and at home. For example, P&G’s IT team has developed an internal “Green Citizen” app that gives all employees a platform to learn, do and track sustainable acts that reduce their individual footprint at home. Every achievement earns them points that entitles them to more trees planted in their name in the P&G Forest for Good in Sierra Madre.

These declarations and programs are the latest from P&G, who is putting its weight behind being a Force for Good and a Force for Growth. For more info about P&G’s global commitments and progress, visit P&G’s ESG website or read P&G’s 2020 Citizenship Report.

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands. The company is known for global brands Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide.