LGFI president Cedie Lopez Vargas presents tokens of appreciation to LCC speakers Marco Amurao of FPIP, Marianne Quebral of OML Center, and Robert Suntay and Joal Ascalon of SEA InstituteSeventeen members of the Lopez Group Corporate Social Responsibility Council (LCC) met at the Rockwell Business Center on March 21 for their regular semestral meeting and sharing session.

Dubbed LCC Talks Series 1, the session’s main objective was for CSR practitioners to gather and share updates on community programs and sustainable development initiatives being implemented at the ground level.

Four companies and three foundations shared their CSR programs and projects in the hope that it will create the impetus for resource sharing and synergy in the Lopez Group. 

First Philippine Holdings Corporation discussed its First Industrial Science and Technology or FIRST School project in First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) in Batangas. The LCC wanted to explore possible coordinative support such as raising funds for potential expansion of the number of student-beneficiaries as well as identifying potential employers after the students have graduated.

Another area for synergy was found in the potential of the Solar Sikat Challenge rocket stoves which can be used in indigenous peoples’ communities, or may even be commercialized to bring financial benefits to its inventors.

First Gen and FPIP shared their integrated approaches to CSR, which are not only aligned with their business models but also with the needs and concerns of their host communities. Strong partnerships were a common feature of these Lopez Group CSR Council members’ programs and projects.

On the other hand, valuable lessons were generated from the sharing of Energy Development Corporation of the result of its CSR strategy review.

The newest Kapamilya was SEA Institute whose Verde Island Passage project aims to preserve the world’s “center of the center” of marine biodiversity. The project is a shining example of synergy as various Lopez Group members currently support this effort, led by ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. (ALKFI) and the OML Center.

Lopez Group Foundation Inc. shared the result of the collated CSR report of 2016, considered a benchmark in the shift
to sustainable development goals reporting. The report showed almost a billion pesos collectively invested by the Lopez Group in CSR programs and projects; 76% of the funds were internally generated and 24% came from external donations mainly gathered by ALKFI through Operation Sagip.

The day ended with a discussion on creating a Group-wide employee volunteerism program. Areas for coordination were discussed and common schedules and activities agreed upon.(Story/Photos by: Faith Bacon)

LGFI Operations head Angela Lopez
Speakers Luis Abad of FPH, Janice Dugan of First Gen, Atty. Allan Barcena of EDC and Lyka Aguilar of Sikat Solar Challenge
The LCC gathered for the presentations of four companies and three foundations