Social enterprise store opens in shopping mall
THE Ayala Group on Monday said it opened its Sinag Sarisari Social enterprise Store in Glorietta in Makati.
The project is a joint initiative of Ayala Land Inc. through Alagang Ayalaland and BPI foundation under its Sinag program, that aims to nurture and empower the social enterprise sector through capacity building, financial support and market access.
Following the first Sinag Sari-sari Social enterprise Store in trinoma in Quezon City last year, Glorietta is hosting 19 Sinag social enterprises with products inclusive of eco-friendly items, locally-produced shoes, bags and home accessories, among others.
“This partnership with BPI foundation and Bayan Academy is special. I feel that we’re going to have the right formula to ensure the success of the social enterprises,” Bernard Vincent O. Dy, Ayala Land president and CEO, said.
Alagang Ayalaland is a community engagement program focused on generating livelihood and jobs through social enterprise, providing disaster relief to surrounding communities, and promoting a sustainable environment.
Glorietta is one of 32 Ayala Malls with Alagang Ayalaland Centers.
This program supports more than 1,100 social enterprises and impacting over 1,000 families.
BPI foundation, the social development arm of BPI, and its implementing partner, Bayan Academy organized the participating Sinag merchants. Sinag is the foundation’s flagship
program that empowers social enterprises as they address the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. this partnership with Alagang Ayalaland is an enhancement of the Sinag program that started last year to provide market access to social enterprises.
“For eight years now, through our social development arm, BPI foundation, we have been supporting social entrepreneurs—a special breed of business innovators who pursue not only profit, but also help protect our planet and provide a livelihood to people in need, through the BPI Sinag program,” BPI President and CEO Jose teodoro K. Limcaoco said.
“This three-way collaboration on social enterprise will lead to other things. I’m sure the Ayalamalls will continue to spread this throughout the country. entrepreneurs really are the building blocks of our economy in every way so for us to be able to do some small part to help is just a pleasure,” said Ayala Corp. Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala in his message.