In today’s marketplace, sustainability has become a prized brand attribute. Companies and brands have showcased such attribute through initiatives on recyclable packaging, carbon offsetting, and plastic reduction campaigns. A quick scan of the landscape would show that the “green” checklists are growing increasingly common. Some even tick the list as downright perfunctory as it has become necessary for building reputation; worse to submit as a reportorial requirement to regulators or to simply respond to demanding investors.
But there are a few companies that are quietly redefining what sustainability truly means and stands for, and SM Store is one of them.
Just recently, it has reaffirmed its partnerships with UNICEF Philippines, World Vision Philippines, Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, and Good Neighbors International. With this, SM Store is seriously weaving sustainability into the very fabric of its identity: not just as a responsibility, but as a business imperative and a moral compass.
These continuing partnerships represent long-term collaborations and not just token corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. Primarily, the strengthening of these relationships represents a deliberate, values-driven shift in how SM Store is positioning itself as a platform for inclusive growth, grassroots empowerment, and systemic change. By channeling its vast retail footprint and customer reach into vehicles for good, the company is helping shape a model of sustainable retail that centers not only on environmental preservation but also on social equity and community resilience.
A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Retail
Sustainability, as practiced by the SM Group, is never one-dimensional. While SM Prime has led efforts on green buildings and climate resiliency, and SM Supermalls has been innovating in solid waste management and disaster preparedness, SM Store’s impact lies in its people-focused initiatives. Its version of sustainability recognizes that a thriving planet must include thriving people, particularly the underserved, the underrepresented, and the vulnerable.
The recent renewal of partnerships clearly manifests this people-centered vision. Clearly, each of these partnerships has a focused mission: advancing children’s education and health (UNICEF), empowering agricultural and marginalized communities (World Vision), supporting persons with disabilities (Tahanang Walang Hagdanan), and strengthening grassroots development programs (Good Neighbors International).
To the untrained eyes, these partnerships could be seen as isolated and uncoordinated initiatives. But for people who truly understand, these relationships are interwoven initiatives that directly respond to deeply rooted social challenges in the Philippines.
And what makes these partnerships remarkable is how they enable ordinary customers to participate in extraordinary change.
Through SM Store’s Shop & Share movement and its nationwide donation boxes, shoppers are transformed into agents of impact. Every purchase, every peso dropped into a box, becomes a thread in a growing network of compassion and collective action.
Impact at Scale
Since launching these efforts, the results have been remarkable and meaningful to impact communities. Thousands of students in far-flung communities have received school kits, digital learning tools, and hygiene supplies, addressing education gaps that widened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with World Vision, SM Store has contributed to the self-sufficiency of farming families, not just by giving, but by fostering entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
Perhaps most endearing is the partnership with Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, where support goes beyond charity and into capability-building. Through this collaboration, persons with disabilities are being given tools, training, and opportunities to pursue sports, education, and dignified employment. Some have even gone on to represent the Philippines in Southeast Asian Paralympic events. This is truly a testament to what happens when inclusivity becomes part of a corporate sustainability strategy.
Truthfully, these are not one-off acts of goodwill. They are strategic, sustained, and scaled. They are evidence of a company not content with performative CSR but invested in transformative change.
SM Retail: Building a Sustainable Ecosystem
Indeed, the SM Retail, the umbrella organization that manages and operates the SM Group’s retail businesses that include SM Store, is a trailblazer and a role model in sustainable practices. Across its retail ecosystem, it works with hundreds of thousands of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), serving as their partner, marketplace, and enabler. At the same time, it connects Filipinos with global brands, helping transform local retail while raising the bar for quality, access, and sustainability.
To support this mission, SM Retail has launched a powerful sustainability campaign under the banners Green Store, Green Finds, and Green Habit. This is an integrated strategy that embeds sustainable practices throughout its value chain and customer experience. Main components are:
Green Store which enhances energy and water efficiency in SM retail spaces while reducing environmental impacts in packaging and promotional materials.
Green Finds which gives shoppers access to over 20,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs) that integrate sustainability in design, materials, and supply chain – making eco-friendly options more accessible.
Green Habit which encourages consumers to embrace simple, consistent shifts like using reusable bags and recycling – nudging them toward a more sustainable lifestyle.
These campaigns not only reduce environmental impact; they also help shape long-term behavioral change among both customers and partners by bringing sustainability down from the corporate boardroom and into everyday Filipino life.
The Role of Business in Uplifting Communities
There’s an important truth that often gets lost in boardroom presentations and brand campaigns: Business is not separate from society. In fact, the most resilient companies are those that see themselves as part of a larger ecosystem i.e. one where their success is tied to the well-being of the communities they serve.
SM Store’s approach embodies this ethos. By working hand-in-hand with NGOs that have long-standing credibility and grassroots reach, the company ensures that its efforts are not only strategic but also sustainable. It is not reinventing the wheel. It is powering it forward, providing much-needed visibility, infrastructure, and funding.
And as consumer expectations continue to evolve, it is becoming clear that purpose-driven retail is not just a differentiator. It is the future. More and more, customers are choosing brands not just for what they sell, but for what they stand for. SM Store’s success lies in its ability to bridge this expectation with action; inviting customers to be part of a movement that is generous, inclusive, and forward-thinking.
As SM Store deepens its partnerships and expands its community programs, one thing is certain: theirs is a sustainability story that goes beyond buzzwords. It is a narrative of people helping people, of retail serving humanity, and of business anchoring itself on compassion and courage.
In an era defined by uncertainty, whether environmental, economic, or social. SM offers a reminder that real sustainability is not always glamorous. Sometimes, it’s quiet. It’s persistent. It’s community-led. And it starts with something as simple, and as powerful, as giving.
Because in the end, what makes a brand truly sustainable is not just how it protects the planet but how it uplifts the people who call it home.