FPH CSO Agnes de Jesus
Agnes de Jesus, chief sustainability officer of First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH), was recently conferred the Pearl of Legacy Award for Environmental Governance by the Society of Sustainability Practitioners Inc. (Sustainability PH) during its fifth anniversary celebration in Iloilo City.
A one-time pharmacy student at the University of the Philippines, De Jesus transitioned to botany and eventually went on to earn a master’s degree in plant physiology.
She joined Energy Development Corporation (EDC) for a six-month consultancy in 1981, but ended up staying for more than 30 years.
She retired from EDC in 2014 as senior vice president for environment and external relations—a stint that took her through the privatization of the company in 2007—and joined FPH immediately after.
In her acceptance speech, De Jesus urged sustainability practitioners and advocates to serve as the conscience of their communities and help drive the nation forward.
She stressed that as environmental and social challenges grow more complex, interconnected and consequential, the role of sustainability will be more crucial than ever.
The other Pearls of Legacy awardees included Koleen Palaganas (Legacy Builder), Reese Fernandez-Ruiz (Community Advocacy), Paulo Alcazaren (Media, Arts & Culture), Colin Legarde Hubo (Academe), Nanette Medved-Po (Circular Economy) and Ma. Victoria Tan (Corporate Sustainability).
