The Philippines remains among the countries that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This is according to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released in August 2021.
As a response, corporations continue to design Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and programs that aim to mitigate the adverse effects of global warming and climate change in the country.
To forge collaborations and help corporations and various sectors to better strategize their CSR efforts, the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) is set to hold the 20th CSR Conference and Expo with the theme, “Creating the Future We Need: Striking a Path During a Period of Transition.” The expo will be held virtually from July 4 to 7, while its closing ceremony will be a face-to-face event that will happen on the afternoon of July 7 at the Blue Leaf Events Pavilion.
For this year’s Expo, LCF has invited Helle Bank Jorgensen as its keynote speaker. She is the author of the groundbreaking book “Stewards of the Future,” which is focused on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).
Jorgensen will provide the framework and discuss the best ESG practices adopted by world-leading companies and, in turn, challenge the Philippines’ business sector to take actionable steps towards realizing the future that the country needs, starting today.
Two reactors from the energy sector will join Jorgensen and contextualize how ESG is practiced in the Philippines. They are Lorelie Quiambao-Osial, Country Chair and first Filipina President and CEO of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation; and Ricardo B. Tantoco, President/COO of the Energy Development Corporation.
The two will impart how they direct their companies towards creating sound policies that balance business growth and expansion vis-à-vis the impacts on the environment and society.
“We hope that the Expo will continue to serve as a call to action to collaborate and find solutions that will bring long-lasting change and positive impact to the country and our people,” said Sebastian Quiniones, LCF Chairperson.
“Our logo for this year symbolizes the Expo’s goal of achieving collaboration between and among stakeholders for long-lasting impact that leads to a resilient future. We believe that our Strategic Pillars, namely Collective Impact, Practice Leadership, and Institutional Sustainability, will pave the way to the future that we need,” Shem Jose Garcia, LCF Public Affairs Director added.
National CSR Week
Following the Presidential Proclamation, which declares the first week of July as “National CSR Week,” LCF has annually held the CSR Expo since 2001.
Through the conference and an exhibition, the LCF CSR Expo gathers the Philippine business community and other sectors to discuss, network and exchange ideas about the latest CSR trends, models and best practices, and promote a common framework for action in support of sustainable national development.
The LCF, with 91 current members, is a network of the largest operating and grant-making corporate foundations and corporations in the Philippines. The League serves as an avenue for exchanging ideas, information, experience, and technology, as well as other concerns relevant to its CSR mandates and plans.