AboitizPower advocates sustainability to power progress, achieve goals
AboitizPower’s decades-long presence in the Philippine energy sector has cemented its place as one of the country’s leading corporations. Beyond its interests in power generation, distribution, and retail electricity, the organization also makes empowering people and uplifting lives part of its business.
This connection is rooted in AboitizPower’s advocacy for sustainability. It is apparent in company-wide initiatives aimed at contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
For AboitizPower, a “better world” means having abundant energy, an environmentally sustainable society, and a thriving future.
The 17 UN SDGs or Global Goals, under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, are a “shared blueprint for dignity, peace, and prosperity for people and the planet, now and in the future.” Since the goals were proclaimed in 2015, civil society, the private sector, and governments across nations have translated this shared vision into their respective plans and strategies.
“We believe that small steps help achieve big goals,” AboitizPower President and Chief Executive Officer Manny Rubio said. “That’s why we are encouraged that our commitment to sustainability and UN SDGs contribute to powering progress, a thriving future, and a better world.”
Rubio shared that AboitizPower endeavors to do its part in adding value to as many global goals as possible. However, as a pioneer in the energy industry, the company has the most significant impact on SDGs 7, 10, and 11 and, thus, looks for purposeful ways to make deeper positive impressions here.
AboitizPower’s generation and distribution businesses are crucial in helping the company push forward UN SDG 7, which is about “ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Closest to AboitizPower’s core is SDG No. 7, which is about “ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.”
In line with this, Rubio enumerated three ways it is cooperating to achieve it.
First, the company announced that it is investing ₱190 billion to grow its renewable energy portfolio threefold to 4,600 megawatts (MW) by 2030. With over 1,000 MW of disclosed projects, it is well-positioned to hit its targets by the end of the decade. Second, the company is also exploring pathways to lessen the carbon footprint of its thermal assets, particularly ammonia and hydrogen co-firing in its coal power plants. Third, Rubio said that their distribution business’ rural electrification programs are on track to light up its franchise areas and provide electricity to every household. As of September, AboitizPower’s distribution utilities in Visayas and Mindanao have energized over 99% of its franchise areas, with only 69 sitios or rural communities left to power before the end of 2022.
AboitizPower is also blazing the trail for SDG No. 10 in the Philippines, which is about “reducing inequality within and among countries.” Under its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) program, the organization is among the first companies in the country to include same-sex and common-law partners as eligible beneficiaries in its team members’ HMO coverage.
Lastly, as SDG No. 11 is about “sustainable cities and communities,” Rubio pointed out that the company’s presence in communities puts them in a vital spot to significantly impact people’s lives.
“We are looking at ways to ensure the places we serve, especially the franchise areas of our utilities, become more resilient and smart,’” Rubio said. “AboitizPower can do this by investing in the digitalization of its distribution networks and introducing new technologies such as smart metering and prepaid electricity, among other things.”
According to Rubio, these initiatives serve as a jump-off point for growing its beyond-the-core enterprise, which includes creating ecosystems for sustainable cities and communities through smart homes and businesses, networks and infrastructure, and sustainable transport systems.
AboitizPower’s top executive said while the scale and scope of these global goals are unprecedented, everyone, not just companies and governments, has a role to play in sustainable development.
“Sustainable development is not something the private or public sectors can do alone.
We believe that various stakeholders must collaborate to understand better what we’re currently doing and what else needs to be done to make a larger positive impact,” Rubio stressed.
AboitizPower strives to integrate the SDGs into its business practices, and community engagements as this enable the company to bridge gaps and, ultimately, build prosperity for all.
The Aboitiz Group, the mother company of AboitizPower, is likewise committed to operating with a sustainability mindset that upholds best practices in environmental management, social responsibility, and good governance while ensuring long-term financial growth and business capability.
“The Aboitiz Group believes in striking a balance between the interests of people, the planet, and profit. We have made proactive investments to ensure that our business success continues to bring meaningful societal change,” Aboitiz Group President and Chief Executive Officer Sabin M. Aboitiz said.
The Group is also heeding the call of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) ー in which Aboitiz participates ー on the SDG Ambition. This accelerator initiative urges participating companies to “set ambitious targets” and fast-track the integration of identified SDGs into their business operations.
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