SM joins Earth Hour 2022

Through its corporate social responsibility arm SM Cares, SM Supermalls joins the world in observing Earth Hour as part of the company's sustainability efforts. With this year's theme, "Shape Our Future," the focus of the Earth Hour is to call everyone and work together in halting and reversing climate change and nature loss by 2030.

Launched in 2007 by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), Earth Hour is an annual campaign that encourages the turning off of non-essential lights as part of energy conservation efforts for the planet. Since its first observance in the country in 2008, SM has joined the campaign each year, being one of the first in the private sector to support it.

This year, SM continues to promote the campaign by being one of the official partners of WWF for the Earth Hour Virtual Run. This will run from March 26 to April 22. All SM malls will also join the light switch-off on March 26 from 8:30 PM to 9:00 PM.

"SM is proud to have been supporting Earth Hour throughout the last 14 years. We partake in this significant movement every year because we want to inspire people to action and tell them that no matter how small their contribution is, it will go a long way if we work together," said Engr. Liza Silerio, SM's Vice President for Corporate Compliance and Head of Sustainability.

"Through Earth Hour, we want to engage over a billion people worldwide and engage decision-makers, whether in business, institutions, and governments, to move nature's agenda up the priority list in the global sphere and the national agenda. We want people to lend their voices as we're shaping our future, and hopefully, we'll be changing the ending for the positive – for both people and the planet," said Atty. Angela Ibay, Climate and Energy Program Head of WWF-Philippines

Aside from joining the campaign every year, SM has been active in environmental protection in many ways. For one, all SM malls are equipped with energy and water conservation facilities. The company also regularly joins tree planting activities and has waste management initiatives such as Trash-to-Cash, e-waste and used acid lead batteries collection programs, and the plastic waste collection program with the Plastic Credit Exchange.

SM has also been investing more in renewable energy. Eight malls in the country and three in China are now equipped with solar panels, with more to follow in the coming months. SM also pledged to increase its use of renewable energy to 50 percent of its overall energy usage by year-end.

SM's other sustainability initiatives include the annual Green Film Festival, the AweSMSeas project, and the International Coastal Cleanup joined by thousands of volunteers every year, to name a few. The Green Film Festival promotes environmental awareness among students and the youth through films, while the AweSMSeas project promotes awareness of the negative impact of plastic waste on seas and oceans.

SM Cares is the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, supporting initiatives that focus on communities and the environment. In addition to its environmental programs, SM Cares' advocacies include programs on women and breastfeeding mothers, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, children and youth, and the Bike-Friendly SM Program.

Visit www.smsupermalls.com/smcares to learn more.