‘CSR 2.0’ projects form half of all Aboitiz Foundation 2016 initiatives
The Aboitiz Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of the Aboitiz Group, worked hard to deliver more purposeful and impactful projects in 2016, implementing P123 million worth of “CSR 2.0” projects out of the total of P245 million allotted for all CSR projects in education, enterprise development, environment, and health & well-being.
This figure accounted for 50% or half of all Aboitiz Group projects in 2016—higher than the 16% and 7% allotments for CSR 2.0 projects in 2015 and 2014, respectively.
In 2015 the Aboitiz Foundation began implementing CSR 2.0 projects, seeking to go beyond mere one-time dole-outs (CSR 1.0). Under CSR 2.0, the Aboitiz Foundation began executing community projects that deliver longer-term benefits, are aligned to the Aboitiz Group’s core competencies, encourage team member engagement, and are scalable initiatives with positive sustainable impact of national scope.
As the Department of Education’s largest private partner in education, the Aboitiz Foundation invested the largest portion of its budget here. To date, this has included adopting 35 technical vocational high schools and 10 special science elementary schools, constructing 932 classrooms and 246 Aklat, Gabay, Aruga tungo sa Pag-Angat at Pag-asa (AGAPP) Foundation classrooms, rewiring 4,331 classrooms, and the donation of 1,695 stand-alone and 2,185 thin-client computer units. A total of 561 college students also benefited from scholarships distributed nationwide.
Under enterprise development, the Aboitiz Foundation has to date provided P29.3 million worth of loans funded through leading microfinance institution Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), Inc. benefiting 2,597 individuals and donated 719 livelihood kits under Pilmico’s sustainable entrepreneurship campaign Mahalin Pagkaing Atin, benefiting 705 families.
Under environment, the Aboitiz Group remains on track to growing nine million seedlings by 2020 (revised upward from an initial goal of three million seedlings by 2015, met a year ahead of schedule) after ending 2016 with 3.8 million trees planted groupwide (with an average seedling survival rate of nearly 80% as of end-2015), a part of which was planted under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ National Greening Program. Further, the Aboitiz Cleanergy Center, the country’s first and only renewable energy education facility, and the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park, an eight-hectare outdoor biodiversity park and marine protected area, has to date welcomed 28,791 and 3,763 visitors, with the latter being home to 8,517 planted mangroves, 2,726 discovered and 2,655 transferred pawikan eggs from 17 discovered nests, 1,876 released pawikan hatchlings, and 55 discovered bird species.
For health and well-being, the Aboitiz Foundation has to date constructed 15 health centers and 20 daycare centers and donated 49 water systems to host communities nationwide. WeatherPhilippines Foundation, meanwhile, has deployed 792 automated weather stations, and trained 3,060 individuals on basic Weather 101.
“Thanks to the active efforts of our partners and team members, we were able to significantly champion more CSR 2.0 projects in 2016. We will continue building on our progress and deliver more shared value to our beneficiaries as we help advance business and communities that are safe, sustainable, and empowered,” Maribeth L. Marasigan, Aboitiz Foundation First Vice President, said.
