The HR Council gathered more than 100 employees for one of the Lopez Group’s biggest annual gatherings, the Lopez Learning Synergy Summit (LLSS) held at the Rockwell Business Center Tower 3 on Nov. 23.

HR Council head Mercedes Lopez-Vargas welcomed participants to the 2023 iteration of the LLSS, themed “Working Towards a Regenerative Mindset: Learning Behaviors Towards More Inclusive, Just, and Sustainable People Practices” and gave an overview of what they can expect from the day’s session.

First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH) chairman Federico R. Lopez (FRL) in his welcome message recalled the Group’s regenerative journey, the seeds of which were planted after typhoon Yolanda devastated the geothermal sites of Energy Development Corporation (EDC) a decade ago.

“None of us can ever unsee the violence and injustice of that climate disaster; it was clear that the planet had changed and ‘business as usual’ wasn’t going to cut it anymore,” FRL said as he retraced the Group’s shift to the regenerative path.

FPH went on to cut coal out of its portfolio in 2016; at the height of the COVID19 pandemic, it went all-out for regeneration with its updated mission—“To forge collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future.”

FRL recalled the global climate change events of 2023—including heat waves, heavy rainfall, tornadoes and wildfires—as he stressed the need to focus on the main goal.

“… We must keep in mind that the overriding goal is to ‘solve the climate emergency’ by mitigating and reversing emissions as well as adapting to its impacts that are already here and intensifying,” the FPH chairman cautioned.

‘AmBisyon Natin’

The first keynote speaker, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) OIC-Usec. Monica Pagunsan, presented the government’s vision for the country as encapsulated in “AmBisyon Natin 2040.” NEDA served as the lead agency for the 25-year guide, which also contains inputs gathered from surveys and FGDs with the youth, persons with disabilities, government workers and other sectors. Pagunsan said Filipinos envisioned a stable and peaceful life without hunger and poverty for all by 2040.

Agnes de Jesus, chief sustainability officer of FPH, tackled “The Regenerative Culture and the Perception of the Future” in the morning’s second keynote speech. The process towards a regenerative culture, where one consciously builds up the earth’s capacity, has four levels: risk mitigation mindset (be less harmful), zero harm or sustainability, the do-good mindset where one repairs and replenishes and, finally, being regenerative. After following the path of sustainability, by 2020 FPH pivoted to regeneration, which seeks to heal and renew the planet and society, De Jesus explained. She presented the company’s regenerative road map which outlines its decarbonization and regeneration plans and aligns FPH’s path with the regenerative future framework.

Regenerative workplace models

Spearheading the lively roundtable discussion on regenerative workplace models were Jun Roy, author and HR and organization development consultant; Kristine Maglaque, LinkedIn director; Jo Ann Eala, Bank of the Philippine Islands sustainability head; and Atty. Allan Barcena, EDC corporate social responsibility head.

In the second half of the summit which focused on organizational behaviors on regeneration, the participants were split into two groups for the breakout sessions. “Navigating DEI in the New Decade” featured Josefina Oloricisimo, ATRIEV Computer School for the Blind president; Elyse Go, executive life coach and Hand and Heart pillar head for business planning; and Ronn Astillas, Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce chairperson.

Miren Sanchez, Future by Design Pilipinas founder and CEO and senior HR officer at First Gen and FPH, led the other session, “Regenerative Culture Lab.”

Closing keynote speaker Jun Cabochan, founder of Pandayan, expounded on “Using Filipino Psychology as a Key to Peak Performance Practices.”

Kaleidoscope of insights

Rina Lopez lauded the LLSS for offering a kaleidoscope of insights that resonated with the Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc.’s (KCFI) own vision of nurturing happier and holistically developed Filipinos.

The president and executive director of KCFI, whose closing remarks were delivered on her behalf by vice president Edric Calma, said: “Our mission to provide transformative learning experiences through media and technology, and especially serving the underserved, aligns with the regenerative mindset we aspire to have.”

Serving as the LLSS 2023 hosts were Sam Herrera of First Philec Inc. (FPI) and Angelo Tancangco of First College, with Dianne Gutierres of FPI, Mia Santos and Addie Lalucis of First Gen and Rae Patalinghug of Rockwell Land Corporation as moderators. Ayesha Volpane of First Gen and Jimbz Como of FPI hosted the socials that capped LLSS 2023.