SM and Unilever, two of the country’s leading companies in retail and consumer goods, have launched a joint environment project that is set to change the way Filipinos shop.
After studying the local solid waste problem, the two companies have joined hands in spearheading efforts to raise the awareness of the consumers about their personal environmental responsibility and give them a practical tool for action. Introducing the GreenBag—a durable non-woven bag that can be reused in lieu of the usual plastic shopping bags. The GreenBag will reduce the consumption of single use shopping bags and encourage reuse and recycling.
“We are aware of the reach of SM and how we can influence our consumers’ mindset,” revealed SM Supermarkets director Herbert Sy. “We’ve been meaning to bring in reusable shopping bags for a while now. The GreenBag comes at the right time because more shoppers are becoming concerned about what’s happening to the planet. We hope that through our efforts, Filipinos will start making green choices a part of their lifestyle.”
According to Unilever chairman and CEO Sanjiv Mehta, “This concept is not new but SM’s determination and commitment enabled us to make this project possible. With the use of SM’s advantage card, rewarding our consumers who shift their shopping habits was made possible. It took a large committed team to put this project in fruition.”
Compared to other shopping bags, the recyclable GreenBag has a low energy usage during manufacture. It can also last for approximately two years’ worth of weekly trips to the grocery.
SM shoppers can get the GreenBag for free with every purchase of PHP500 worth of SM Supermarket Yellow Tag items, inclusive of one Unilever product. To encourage reuse, SM Advantage Club cardholders get an additional two points every time they present their GreenBags for carrying their groceries home. For every visit, a maximum of three GreenBags can be used.
Internally, Unilever’s Project Eliminate has become a benchmark in eco-friendly manufacturing. In 2004, Project Eliminate identified critical areas where waste occured. After extensive garbage segregation, recycling, composting and process improvements, Unilever was able to convert its former Paco factory storage into clean parking spaces and even provided livelihood to a Smokey Mountain community. Its latest major milestone was the support for the establishment of a Materials Conversion Facility in 2006. The facility processes factory residuals and converts them into concrete products such as hollow blocks, pavement tiles, and drainage pipes. The initial products of this facility were donated by Unilever for the construction of a church in Smokey Mountain.
