The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has recognized the SM Group for its strong support of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Program, highlighting the company’s comprehensive efforts to reduce plastic use, recover plastic packaging, and strengthen on-ground waste management systems across its diverse businesses.
During an event held on January 30, 2026, the DENR commended SM’s coordinated, group-wide approach that goes beyond compliance with Republic Act No. 11898, or the EPR Law of 2022. The agency cited SM for advancing plastic recovery and reduction initiatives, driving innovation, and promoting inclusive circular economy practices aligned with the national “Zero Waste to Nature” agenda.
Among those present at the recognition ceremony were DENR Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla; DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Atty. Jonas Leones; DENR Assistant Secretary for Environment and concurrent Environmental Management Bureau Director Jacqueline A. Caancan; Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS) President Engr. Jess G. Reyes; SM Supermalls Assistant Vice President for Waste Management and Sustainability Solutions and SM GUUN President George Cheung; SM Investments Corporation Head of Investor Relations and Sustainability Timothy Daniels; and SM Retail, Inc. Vice President for Sustainability Suyin Liu.
“This award is a credit to every part of the SM Group, and we’re very grateful to receive it,” said Timothy Daniels, Head of Investor Relations and Sustainability at SM Investments Corporation. “From our retail operations to our banks and logistics companies, our businesses have been actively reducing their plastic footprint in packaging and influencing consumers to use less plastic.”
SM’s property arm, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., has taken a major step forward through its #SMWasteFreeFuture initiative. In partnership with Japanese waste processing firm Guun Co., Ltd., SM established its first waste processing facility in Consolacion, Cebu. The facility converts waste into new materials and reinforces circular practices.
Across its properties nationwide, SM has installed RDC-labeled bins, meaning Recyclable, Disposable, and Compostable, to improve waste segregation and recovery. Recyclables such as bottles, cans, and paper are sent to recycling facilities. Disposables, including cups, straws, and rags, are processed into alternative fuel for cement kilns. Compostable materials like food scraps are converted into landscaping soil within 48 hours.
“GUUN represents a collaboration across the Group that ensures consumption or waste is not the end of the economic cycle,” said George Cheung, SM GUUN President and SM Supermalls Assistant Vice President for Waste Management and Sustainability Solutions.
The #SMWasteFreeFuture campaign integrates various environmental initiatives across SM’s ecosystem into a centralized sustainability framework, reinforcing the Group’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable communities.
Under this initiative, SM Supermalls continues to lead through its long-running Trash-to-Cash (TTC) program, a monthly recycling market held in malls nationwide. Customers can exchange recyclables, including paper, plastic, metal, and even old appliances, for cash. The program facilitates the collection of over 1.5 million kilograms of recyclables annually. E-Waste Collection bins are also available in Cyberzone areas, while Plastic Waste Collection vans operate in 15 malls.
Meanwhile, SM Markets, the umbrella brand for SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, and Savemore, has promoted greener retail practices since 2007 by encouraging customers to use eco-bags instead of single-use plastics. In 2025 alone, SM Markets sold 20.8 million Green Bags, preventing the use of an estimated 31.2 million plastic bags.
“When we look at plastics, which remain a significant challenge in the Philippines, we have taken a wide range of practical and commercially viable actions across the Group,” Daniels added. “What these initiatives have in common is that they deliver meaningful and measurable impact in addressing the plastics problem.”
