The LCF CSR Institute (CSRI) successfully concluded the 2024 Navigating the ESG Journey: Strategies for Corporate Foundations and Parent Companies Workshop. The event was held virtually on November 15, 2024, and in person from November 19, 2024, at the Makati Sports Club, and on November 21-22, 2024, at the PSFI Finance Center in BGC, Taguig City.
16 participants representing 9 organizations (7 LCF member-organizations and 2 non-member organizations) took part in this year’s Workshop, as follows:
Dr. Arnel Onesimo Uy, Professor, Department of Accountancy, RVR College of Business, De La Salle University
Mr. Paulo M. Gooco, Department Head for Environmental Management, Energy Development Corporation
Dr. Benito “Ben” L. Teehankee, Corazon C. Aquino Professor of Business and Management, Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University
Ms. Ma. Victoria C. Españo, Trustee, Institute of Corporate Directors
The Navigating the ESG Workshop aims to help its participants understand the core components and importance of ESG in corporate foundations and parent companies; explore best practices in ESG frameworks, reporting standards selection, and materiality assessment; develop sustainable practices, community engagement strategies, and ethical leadership principles; design and initiate sustainability protocols within the corporation aligned with organizational goals; and learn effective strategies for engaging stakeholders, building coalitions, and addressing concerns.
To learn more about CSRI’s program offerings, contact Ms. Remy Alyssa Tubig, CSRI Program Officer at programs@lcf.org.ph, or click HERE.
The League hosted the 2024 LCF Annual Members’ Meeting and Year-End Get-Together on November 14, 2024, at the Ayala Banquet Hall at Makati Sports Club in Makati City. . The distinguished members of the LCF Board of Trustees and Steering Committee (STEERCOM), as well as special guests, were among the 118 attendees, who represented 55 of LCF’s member organizations.
Following the completion of preliminary procedures and the determination of a quorum, the event began with a business meeting. Sebastian C. Quiniones, Jr., the Executive Director of the Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. and the Chairperson of the LCF Board, led the delivery of the Chairperson’s Report, certain segments of which were presented by other members of the Board of Trustees. The League’s accomplishments and actions throughout the past year are described in detail in the Chairperson’s Report.
Members expressed gratitude to Sebastian C. Quiniones, Executive Director of Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., an outgoing member of the Board of Trustees (BOT), for his exceptional contribution to LCF as the Chair and Board Oversight of the LCF Enterprise Development Committee.
Philip Francisco Dy, Executive Vice President of Metrobank Foundation, Inc., was also welcomed by attendees as a new member of the LCF Board.
Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to the leadership of the seven Membership Committees in recognition of their exceptional service.
The members of the LCF COMELEC were also honored for having ensured a seamless and efficient BOT election. They were COMELEC Chair Marie Angeles, Executive Director of Ronald McDonal House Charities; Phoebelyn Carrera, CSR Manager of TELUS International Philippines Foundation, Inc.; and Sebastian C. Quiniones, Executive Director of Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc.
Honored as well were this year’s batch of 13 Loyalty Awardees. They are:
Following lunch, members took part in a year-end get-together where they performed numbers to the enjoyment of their fellow members, enjoyed one other’s company, and competed for prizes by playing entertaining activities like “Human Bingo,” “Guess the song,” and dancing to Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive.”
On October 4, 2024, The League of Corporate Foundation, together with its partners SWITCH-Asia and ASEAN Circular Economy Business Alliance (ACEBA), held a Kapihan sa LCF Session entitled “Circular Economy: A Practical, Responsible Business Opportunity” via Zoom. The event brought together panel speakers from across industries to explore how businesses can embrace a practical and responsible business opportunity. A total of 41 attendees representing a wide range of organizations across various sectors were in attendance.
The learning session covered key topics related to the circular economy and responsible business practices in Southeast Asia. Ms. Loraine Gatbalayan, Senior Expert at SWITCH-Asia, discussed SWITCH-Asia’s support for the circular economy and recent policy developments in the Philippines. Mr. Thomas Thomas, Co-convenor of ACEBA and Senior Expert at SWITCH-Asia, spoke about the evolving ASEAN landscape for inclusive and responsible business practices. Mr. Rene Van Berkel, Co-convenor of ACEBA, focused on the circular economy as a responsible business opportunity in Southeast Asia. Mr. Sebastian C. Quiniones, Jr., Executive Director of Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. and LCF Board Chairperson, welcomed the attendees, and Mr. Edric Calma, Vice President of Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. and LCF Board Trustee, delivered the closing message.
Further, the session showcased two key examples of circular economy business practices in the Philippines. The featured speakerswere Ms. Anna Lagon, Co-founder of Bayo Manila, and Ms. Leah Magallanes, Vice President of SM Hotels and Conventions Corp.
As the Philippines continues its journey toward a more circular and sustainable economy, events like Kapihan sa LCF serve as important platforms for knowledge-sharing, cooperation, and innovation. The conversations at this event focused on the role that company leadership will play in spearheading the transformation of opportunities that await those that are open to adopting these new frameworks.
On September 18, 2024, Inquirer ESG Edge conducted its first General Members’ Meeting entitled “Advancing ESG: A Collaborative Gathering for Shared Action” at work.able at Robinsons Exxa and Zeta Towers in Bridgetowne in Quezon City.
The topic for the meeting was Quality Education and Gender Equality, which are Goals 4 and 5 respectively of the Global Goals. The Goals outline a path to ensuring a sustainable life for everyone and every organization, including businesses.
Guest speakers for the session were:
Quality Education: Nico Candelario, Education and Governance Innovator, AIM – Circularity Club 22; Diane Fajardo-Valencia, Deputy Executive Director, Philippine Business for Education (PBEd)
A panel discussion after the speakers presented was moderated by Neil Arwin Mercado, News Anchor of Inquirer.net.
LCF is one of the 11 organizations from the business, civic, education, and environment sectors that have partnered with the Philippine Daily Inquirer to found the Inquirer ESG Edge. ESG Edge is a component of the Asia Sustainability Impact Consortium, a regional media group PDI has forged with Star Media Group of Malaysia and Kompas Gramedia of Indonesia. The consortium is the first cross-border alliance that promotes sustainability principles as the main driver of regional economic growth to stakeholders such as the business sector and the general public.
39 attendees representing 23 organizations attended the session.
Through CSR on the Go, LCF reaches out to corporate foundations, organizations, private companies and business communities outside of Metro Manila and provides them with a deeper understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR on the Go also facilitates the learning and sharing of best practices in delivering social investments and open opportunities for networking and partnership building among the participants. It also aims to recruit more companies to become CSR practitioners.
On September 4, 2024, LCF held the University Lecture Series – CDO at two separate sessions in its partner universities, Liceo de Cagayan University and Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan. Approximately 150 students (including from PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College) attended the session at Liceo de Cagayan University, whereas about 160 students attended the Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan session.
The University Lecture Series – CDO is organized as a precursor to CSR on the Go – CDO which takes place on September 5.
The University Lecture Series is designed for university students, particularly those taking up business and social sciences courses. It is a half-day session on the Basic Concepts and Principles and Best Practices of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The Series is offered free as part of LCF’s CSR advocacy and commitment to pursue and support CHED Memo 39 and the National CSR Week Celebration.
LCF’s CSR Institute (CSRI) has successfully concluded the 2024 Resource Mobilization: Grant Writing Workshop. The workshop was held virtually from August 27 to 28 and in person at the Rockwell Club in Makati City on August 29.
Nine individual participants representing seven organizations (four LCF member-organizations and three non-member organizations) took part in this year’s Workshop, as follows:
The Resource Mobilization: Grant Writing Workshop aims to help participants appreciate the importance of the grant writing proposal process; create and present a clear, logical, and compelling proposal/grant request on behalf of their organization and in alignment with funders/grant providers framework; and gain a better perspective of collaborating with other stakeholders in relation to requests for funding.
To learn more about CSRI’s program offerings, contact Ms. Remy Alyssa Tubig, CSRI Program Officer at programs@lcf.org.ph, or click HERE.
LCF has successfully concluded this year’s Communicating Your CSR: Doing Good and Telling It Well Workshop, held on July 24 and 29 at the Rockwell Club in Rockwell Center, Makati City.
16 participants representing 10 organizations (6 LCF members and 5 LCF non-members) attended this year’s Workshop:
The Communicating Your CSR: Doing Good and Telling It Well Workshop aims to help participants acquire information on the value and principles of CSR communication, identify different media to be used for internal and external stakeholders, develop and design an effective CSR Communication Plan; and demonstrate the capacity to utilize different communication tools, both in positive and crisis situations.
In partnership with Telus International Philippines and the LCF Environment Committee
In July 2023, LCF in partnership with Energy Development Corporation and the LCF Environment Committee, committed to make the 2023 Conference and Expo carbon-neutral through organizing the League’s first Net Zero Tree Planting Activity. This was held on November 25, 2023, at the U.P. Sierra Madre Land Grant in Siniloan, Laguna.
Through the 2024 CSR Conference and Expo, 6th Guild Awards and inaugural Medal of Recognition
The League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) continues to lead the celebration of National CSR Week in the Philippines and celebrate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) excellence through its 2024 CSR Conference and Expo; 6th CSR Guild Awards; and inaugural Medal of Recognition awarding ceremony. These served as the League’s culminating activities to mark this year’s celebration of National CSR Week, which is held every first week of July.
Harnessing technology and innovation to amplify CSR impact
The League organized the 2024 Conference from July 3-4 at the Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City. The Conference served as a rallying point for CSR practitioners to get together, learn about the promise technologies and innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) offer as well as the disruptive impacts they can have—especially upon more vulnerable members of society—and determine how practitioners can collaborate to harness the potentials these technologies can offer while overcoming their risks.
Themed “Reimagining a New and Inclusive Future”, this year’s Expo brought together leaders, experts, and representatives across different industries to tackle significant topics ranging from how technology can enhance CSR practice and ESG reporting to AI’s role as a catalyst for innovation and as a source of disruption. It also showcased small-group breakout sessions that served as venues for attendees to garner new insights and tactics regarding how AI and other revolutionary technologies could be leveraged across such crucial areas as enterprise development, health, environment, education, disaster resilience, arts and culture, and financial inclusion.
The speaker lineup included Keynote Speaker, Dr. David R. Hardoon, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aboitiz Data Innovation; Forum Speakers Leo de Velez, co-founder of Frontlearners, Inc.; Sherwin Yap, founder of Kaizen Robotics International; and Sherlo Reyes, Director for the Center for Partnership & Development, School of Deaf Education & Applied Studies at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
For the thematic sessions, speakers included Ted Monroy, country representative, United Nations Industrial Development Organization; Dr. Alvin Marcelo, Philippine Digital Health Strategy Technical Working Group, Department of Health; Ms. Cindy Burdette, Chief Commercial Officer, KonsultaMD; James Elrond B. Lagare, Managing Director, Geodata Systems Technologies, Inc.; Prof. Erika Fille T. Legara, Aboitiz chair in Data Science and Associate Professor, Asian Institute of Management; Hon. Nolasco A. Mempin, Undersecretary for Administration, Department of Education; Ms. Aprille P. Tijam, Associate Director and Head of Exhibitions and Collections, Ayala Museum; Engr. Sergio Ramos III, president of PCI Innovations Tech Center; and Esteban Masagca, Executive Director, People’s Disaster Risk Reduction Network.
Celebrating CSR excellence
The 6th CSR Guild Awards, organized annually by LCF, recognized corporate member-foundations of LCF for developing outstanding CSR projects that created a positive impact on the communities they serve.
As LCF approaches its 30th anniversary, the organization also rolled out the Medal of Recognition awarding ceremony—the culmination of its inaugural effort to recognize outstanding CSR initiatives of organizations which are not members of LCF.
LCF also continued to hold the Expo—an exhibition of CSR initiatives in a public setting—from July 4-5, with this year’s venue being the Glorietta Activity Center in Glorietta Mall, Makati City.
“Since its inception in 2019, the CSR Guild Awards has been our way to acknowledge the ongoing commitment of corporations to perform as responsible members of society by behaving according to ethical principles and contributing to national economic development, while improving the community they operate in and serve and the environment itself,” said Ramon Derige, 2024 LCF CSR Guild Awards Chairperson, LCF Board Trustee, and Executive Director, SEAOIL Foundation, Inc.
For his part, Sebastian C. Quiniones, Jr., LCF Board Chairperson and Executive Director, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, said, “In line with its work and mission to grow awareness of and promote the practice of CSR, LCF now works to recognize CSR excellence undertaken by non-LCF members through the Medal of Recognition. We are pleased that our inaugural effort has been enthusiastically participated in by our entrants this year, and look forward to next year’s effort.”
Outstanding CSR
After a rigorous nomination, screening, and judging process by an external panel of judges and the membership, eight CSR Guild Awards were bestowed under two major categories: seven Program Awards (Arts and Culture, Disaster Resilience, Enterprise Development, Environment, Education, Financial Inclusion, and Health); and one Collaboration Awards, which recognized initiatives undertaken by two or more LCF members or partnerships composed of multiple organizations.
League of Corporate Foundations 