The Inquirer ESG Edge Impact Awards recognise sustainability initiatives by companies in the Philippines for their environmental, social and governance impact. In 2026, 30 initiatives received Gold or Silver recognition, with Concentrix Philippines and Lhoopa Inc. named Grand Winners.
Here, the judges reflect on the initiatives they assessed, from the strengths they observed to areas where businesses can strengthen their impact.
From ESG intent to lasting impact
Serving as a member of the Board of Assessors for the Inquirer ESG Edge Impact Awards 2026 was both an honour and a meaningful learning experience.
As I reviewed the entries through a biodiversity and environment lens, I was reminded that sustainability is never just a technical exercise. It is also deeply connected to the places we depend on – our forests, watersheds, coastal habitats, agricultural landscapes and urban ecosystems – and to the communities whose lives and livelihoods are shaped by them.
What encouraged me most was seeing more organisations recognise that ESG is not only about reducing emissions or meeting compliance requirements, but also about protecting the natural systems that make long-term prosperity possible.
I was especially encouraged by initiatives that treated biodiversity not as an afterthought, but as part of business risk, community resilience and long-term value creation.
The strongest submissions made it clear that environmental impact should not be measured only by tonnes of waste diverted or energy saved. It should also be seen in healthier habitats, restored green spaces, better water stewardship, reduced pressure on ecosystems and stronger partnerships with communities.
The process also affirmed that the next stage of ESG work must be more rigorous, with clearer biodiversity baselines, ecological indicators, long-term monitoring, science-based targets and site-specific conservation plans.
The entries also gave me a hopeful view of how sustainability practices are maturing in the Philippines. Large companies appear to be moving from broad environmental commitments towards more integrated programmes on resource efficiency, circularity, climate adaptation and ecosystem protection.
SMEs, meanwhile, reminded me that meaningful environmental action does not always have to begin at a large scale. It can be practical, creative and rooted in local realities.
This matters deeply in a country where biodiversity loss, water stress, pollution and climate-related hazards directly affect food security, public health, livelihoods and business continuity.
To this year’s winners and participants, my message is simple: continue the work with courage, humility and discipline.
Recognition should not be the endpoint. It should be a platform for deeper accountability and more ambitious action.
I hope organisations will keep asking harder questions: Are our projects restoring more than they consume? Are we protecting habitats before they are degraded? Are communities genuine partners in conservation? Are our supply chains reducing pressure on land, water and biodiversity?
Most of all, I hope sustainability will move beyond CSR and become part of core programming, investment decisions, operations and measures of success.
For me, the 2026 entries showed that many Philippine organisations now understand a truth that can no longer be postponed: the future of business is inseparable from the future of nature.
The challenge is to turn this awareness into lasting transformation: from intent to evidence, from pilot projects to landscape-level impact, from CSR to core strategy, and from doing less harm to actively restoring what has been lost.
If the energy, innovation and accountability reflected in these entries continue to grow, I believe companies can help move the country towards a more resilient and nature-positive future – one where prosperity is measured together with the health of our forests, waters, coasts, biodiversity and communities.
Dr Neil Aldrin Mallari
President
Centre of Conservation Innovations
Building institutions that endure
Serving as a member of the Board of Judges for the Philippine Daily Inquirer ESG Edge Impact Awards 2026 gave me an encouraging view of how Philippine businesses are beginning to redefine what responsible and sustainable enterprise means.
I was impressed by the quality, diversity and seriousness of the entries from both large companies and SMEs. Many went beyond traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) by integrating environmental stewardship, social inclusion and good governance into their operations and long-term strategies.
Some entries exceeded my expectations because they demonstrated that ESG is increasingly being treated not merely as a compliance requirement, but as part of organisational identity and competitiveness.
There is, however, room for improvement. Companies should strengthen their measurement of impact. Good intentions and innovative programmes must be supported by clear baselines, measurable outcomes, credible data and evidence of long-term sustainability. The next frontier is moving from compelling ESG stories to demonstrable ESG impact.
Collectively, the entries give me reason for optimism. They show that sustainability is gaining deeper traction across Philippine business – not only among large corporations with substantial resources, but also among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are finding innovative ways to create social and environmental value.
What is particularly encouraging is the recognition that profitability and sustainability need not be competing objectives. Businesses can generate economic value while protecting the environment, empowering communities, investing in their people and strengthening governance.
If these practices are scaled and institutionalised, the private sector can become an even more important partner in addressing climate change, inequality and sustainable development.
To this year’s winners and participants: do not consider this award the culmination of your ESG journey. Consider it a challenge to go further.
Continue innovating, measuring your impact, sharing good practices and holding yourselves accountable. More importantly, make sustainability part of your organisation’s culture rather than simply a programme or annual report.
Our shared future will be shaped not only by governments and international institutions, but also by businesses willing to exercise responsible leadership. Profit creates successful enterprises; purpose, accountability and sustainability create institutions that endure.
Dr Gary Ador Dionisio
Professor
School of Diplomacy and Governance
De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde
Sustaining the ESG momentum
It is a privilege to contribute to this special ESG publication. Having served as a judge for the Philippine Daily Inquirer ESG Edge Impact Awards 2026, I have been deeply impressed by the high calibre of entries.
The entries I witnessed not only met but frequently exceeded my initial expectations. Many organisations have successfully moved beyond superficial “greenwashing” or tokenistic corporate social responsibility (CSR). Instead, they are integrating ESG principles into their core business strategies.
To improve, however, I believe participants should focus on more rigorous, standardised impact reporting. While qualitative narratives are compelling, entries that provide consistent, verifiable quantitative data are significantly more persuasive.
A clearer link between ESG initiatives and measurable long-term business performance is an area ripe for further development.
These entries reflect a robust maturation of sustainability practices among large companies and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines.
We are seeing a shift from philanthropic “one-off” activities to systemic “shared value” models where the business inherently benefits from its social and environmental contributions.
This is a highly encouraging trend. I am genuinely optimistic that these organisations can, and will, make a tangible difference to our shared future. Their initiatives are increasingly data-driven, scalable and embedded into daily operations, which is crucial for lasting resilience.
For this year’s winners and participants, my advice is simple: sustain the momentum. True sustainability is not a destination but a continuous process of evolution and improvement. Do not view these awards as the peak of your achievements, but as a platform to further elevate your efforts.
Continue to foster inclusivity, champion transparency and maintain an unwavering commitment to the communities you serve. By constantly refining your strategies and leveraging the collective strength of your partnerships, you will lead the way in creating a more sustainable, equitable and prosperous landscape for all.
Pol Sangalang
Founder
Sangalang & Gaerlan, Business Lawyers
From promises to practice
As an environmental scientist, I look at sustainability the way I look at any observation: I want to see the evidence. I have spent most of my career measuring air and water quality, and in my current work I help manage facilities for the University of the Philippines, so I judge entries on both the numbers and the operations behind them.
This year’s entries exceeded my expectations. Far Eastern University (FEU), for example, now sources 98.3% of its power from renewable energy – a combination of on-site solar and renewable procurement – saving Philippine peso 12mil and avoiding thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to 200,000 trees. What impressed me even more was that FEU’s administration building, a National Cultural Treasure, earned EDGE certification with a 33% cut in energy and 46% less water consumption – living proof that heritage and sustainability can go hand in hand.
As a water scientist, I was also delighted by practical entries like the water softener initiative – smart water stewardship that doesn’t require heroic budgets, just good engineering sense.
Where I hope everyone can improve: do not let sustainability live only in reports. Embed it in daily operations, open your numbers to scrutiny and be honest about the challenges you have not yet solved. Credibility is built on honesty.
These entries tell me that sustainability in the Philippines has moved from promises to practice. Large companies brought scale and ambition; smaller enterprises showed that ingenuity often matters more than size.
For me, FEU’s achievement is especially meaningful because it comes from the education sector – it proves that a Philippine institution can decarbonise at scale under a governance framework of internal controls, board reviews and regular audits, and that the model can be replicated by other schools. Seeing that, I am genuinely optimistic.
My own work – monitoring air quality, helping manage water quality in the Laguna de Bay region and running pollution control programmes at the College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman campus – has shown me how much remains to be done. Initiatives like these give me hope because change does not begin with grand pronouncements; it begins with institutions that decide to measure, act and share what they learn. Multiplied across many companies and schools, these consistent small actions are how we secure our shared future.
Congratulations to all the winners – you have earned this recognition, and with it comes the responsibility to inspire others. To every participant: please do not treat this as a finish line. Sustainability is a journey of continuous improvement. Keep setting bolder targets, keep measuring your results honestly and keep sharing what you have learned, including your setbacks, because those are lessons, too.
As a scientist, I can tell you that change is real when you can see it in the data. As someone who works with facilities every day, I can tell you that every improvement, however small, matters. The Philippines needs more champions like you, because together, we are building the future we want to leave behind.
Dr Mylene Cayetano
Professor and UP scientist, Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology
Founding head, Environmental Pollution Studies Laboratory
