Close to 50 participants from eight Lopez companies and foundations attended the session“Leave no one behind” was the message that resonated with the participants of the Lopez Group toolkit session as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were discussed by speakers from the United Nations Development Programme, the National Economic Development Authority and the First Philippine Holdings Sustainability team.

The last Lopez Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI) toolkit session for 2017 was held at the Rockwell Business Center on September 20. With the theme “Strengthening Private Sector Investment in Development through the SDGs,” it was attended by 49 participants from 19 Lopez companies and foundations.

The whole-day activity gave an overview of the 17 goals, 169 targets and 232 indicators, which do not only continue
the gains of the Millennium Development Goals or MDGs in addressing global development concerns by focusing on poverty and income inequity. They also “address the drivers of change such as economic growth, job creation, reduced inequality and innovation that makes better and more judicious use of resources."

In her opening statement, LGFI president and executive director Cedie Lopez Vargas said the “Lopez Group is not far behind in addressing these concerns. Sustainability has always been a major concern in the Lopez Group, both in our CSR and most especially in the way we do business.”

Vargas stressed that “sustainability is the driver that pushed us to embrace clean energy and invest in renewable source of power.”

One major objective of the toolkit session is to familiarize the Lopez companies and foundations with the SDGs. This will facilitate the CSR investment reporting of the Lopez Group. Starting with 2016, it will be done in line with the SDG goals and targets and will be collated and reported to the public by LGFI.

This will make the reporting of social development investments more relevant.

Angela Lopez Guingona said in her closing speech that no matter how “diverse our development initiatives are, we remain one Lopez and we can show our public that it does take more than caring, passion and commitment to change the world. It takes all our hearts, hands and minds working together for a common goal, a shared dream of improving the lives of others.”(Story/Photos by: Faith Bacon)

UNDP governance specialist Cleto Gales Jr.

NEDA chief economic development specialist Ramon Falcon