LGFI president Cedie Lopez Vargas with her fellow GRI summit panelists, Ruel Maranan of Ayala Foundation, Ramon Gil Macapagal of SMIC and Mike Liwanag of JG Summit, and moderator Coco AlcuazCedie Lopez Vargas, president of Lopez Group Foundation Inc., spoke at the 2018 Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Summit, themed “Together Towards a Sustainable Philippines,” held in Pasay City on October 8.

Vargas spoke at the “Family Businesses and Foundations: A Force for Sustainable Development” session, where she discussed how the Lopez family practices sustainable development. Vargas started by talking about how the Lopezes and their businesses survived calamities and disasters in the past. She stressed that “…at each juncture we endured and adapted, seeking new opportunities to survive.”

These lessons were carried forward to the next generation and were deeply embedded in the DNA of the Lopez family, shaping the mission, vision and values of Lopez companies and foundations today.

“Today the companies face a new challenge, which is climate change. In response to this, the Lopez companies have made a difficult but strategic decision not to invest in coal for the long term,” added Vargas.

The Lopez companies are taking steps towards a better world; hence, they have taken the sustainable path with each one contributing to climate stability guided by the GRI protocols in varying levels of competence.

Vargas ended her talk by stating that “for the Lopez Group, corporate social responsibility is so integrated into our business strategies, it is difficult to tell where the business ends and foundation work begins.” (Story/Photos by: Jose Carlos Campos)