How corporate foundations stay relevant
With the changing socio-economic climate, the key to sustaining operations is through constant transformation and advancements. In order to achieve sustainable growth, innovation should be present at the heart of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives allowing traditional projects evolve to meet the needs of the changing times. With this framework in mind, the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) launched the theme “Innov8 for a Better World” for the 17th CSR Expo held at the New World Hotel and the LCF CSR at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.
This year’s CSR exhibit places emphasis on the importance of collaborative efforts in creating change not only to drive nationbuilding efforts further, but also to help each sector of the society grow individually. Aside from the numerous exhibitors showcasing innovations on social development featured in Glorietta this year, the general public will likewise witness special modules and sessions led by the committees of LCF during the two-day event.
The LCF education committee focused their programs this year to shaping the Talaga Elementary School in Rizal and the communities surrounding it. To kick off this project, they surveyed schools and assessed them based on population size, number of learners, and level of cooperation of teachers, among others. From there, they introduced videos and other technology-based learning materials to the students, which allowed them to learn current events and keep up with changing technological trends in the country. They will be teaching the communities around the school as well, incorporating seminars on financial literacy and parenting.
Edric Calma, chair of LCF committee on education and operations director of Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc., said, “We want to make it light, interactive and meaningful this year. Making education more enjoyable can spur innovative ideas that will help society.”
The committee is looking forward to holding an engaging quiz show this year at the LCF CSR exhibit to stimulate audience participation.
Acknowledging that there is indeed power in numbers, the health committee is refocusing its efforts on a unified collaboration among all the members. As part of their advocacy, the committee will stage HipHop 3.0, which includes fun group activities to encourage people to maintain an active lifestyle. This year, as part of the series, they will be teaching ballroom dancing as well.
They are also now in the initial stages of their new program “The First One Thousand Days,” an offshoot of their event in the 2016 expo. On the heels of the sustainable development goals of the Philippine government and the United Nations in line with malnutrition, this initiative supports mothers and babies from conception up to 1,000 days from birth.
According to Marievic Mariano, chair of the LCF health committee and senior program officer and head of Metrobank Foundation’s grants and healthcare unit, “It addresses the stunting of children. Feeding, in reference to feeding programs done in the past, is not really sustainable because even if you feed them for six months, there is no continuity.” This initiative is based on studies that say that if children are given the right kind of nutrition from conception up to two years old, there is a lesser chance of stunting and other physical issues or illnesses.
The environment committee is working to put together some of the best practices of different companies under their umbrella into one stronger CSR framework. Ronnie Tapnio, chair of LCF environment committee and executive director of ICCP Group Foundation, explained that they are following the theme, “Kalikasan Reimagined: Bagong Hamon sa Nagbabagong Panahon!” Part of their innovative approaches include elevating the traditional practice of tree-planting to tree-growing.
According to Gisela Tiongson, chair of LCF enterprise development committee and executive director of Jollibee Group Foundation, “The committee has been promoting the support of social enterprises as a way to help improve communities”. The committee is offering learning and skills development activities on Marketing and Operations Management. An online catalogue is currently being finalized that will showcase different social enterprises in the country, as well as guide the public on how to make use of their purchasing power to help maintain growth in their community. As part of advancing social enterprises, the Enterprise Development Committee helps nurture entrepreneurs that, in turn, help expand the small-medium enterprises sector in the Philippines.
LCF likewise promotes heritage promotion and conservation through its arts and culture committee. The team has organized various art appreciation and education, cultural preservation and mall exhibitions in the past.
The LCF has remained at the forefront of promoting, enhancing, and synergizing CSR innovations and best practices among its members and the larger business community since 1996. Visit https://lcfcsrexpo. com for inquiries and to register online at the 17th CSR Expo and Conference or call the LCF Secretariat at 892-9189 or 892-5753.