Project P.L.A.N.E.T.
(Protect, Love, And Nurture the Environment Together)
Philippine National Bank
Project Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
INTRODUCTION
Philippine National Bank (PNB) believes that sustainability should start from within and that efforts to help the environment should start from their own backyard. As such, PNB launched an internal environmental and sustainability awareness-raising and call-to-action campaign for their employees assigned to PNB Head Offices in Pasay and Makati in 2019. Project Protect, Love, and Nurture the Environment Together (P.L.A.N.E.T.) was developed with the objective to raise environmental and sustainability awareness among the bank employees, encourage them to reduce their environmental footprint at work and in their own homes, and provide them with eco-friendly, healthy, and sustainable alternatives. A major component of Project P.L.A.N.E.T. is a 6-month long campaign piloted at the PNB Financial Center and PNB Makati Center that aims to reduce the Bank’s consumption of single-use plastics as their commitment to mitigate the effects of climate change, protect the seas and oceans, and preserve underwater wildlife.
FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGY
Project P.L.A.N.E.T. is aligned with PNB’s sustainability thrusts on efficient use and management of resources and reduction of the environmental footprint of the bank and their employees. The goal of the campaign is for employees to practice sustainability at the workplace and embrace sustainability principles in their personal life to share with their own families and communities. Project P.L.A.N.E.T. raised awareness on sustainability through materials released via email to all employees. The bank also held webinars on climate change and environmental sustainability, Zero Waste 101 and environment-conscious living, physical fitness, mental health care, financial wellness, basics of urban gardening, and sustainable eating. Employees were encouraged to efficiently reduce their environmental footprint by posting signages in identified areas within the office. The bank banned single-use plastics and introduced proper waste segregation and management. Sustainability fairs were also organised to provide employees with eco-friendly, organic, and sustainable alternatives.ACHIEVEMENT AND IMPACT
PNB’s Project P.L.A.N.E.T. contributed to the decrease in the electricity consumption of the bank’s Pasay and Makati head offices in 2019 (18,141,964.4 KWh) which was far less compared to 2018 (18,603,611 KWh). The most observed outcome of the campaign was how drastic the reduction was in the single-use plastics consumption of the bank. In the past, Project P.L.A.N.E.T. canteen concessionaires have 42,760 pieces plastic bags for viands, 21,225 pieces plastic spoons, and 21,959 pieces plastic forks. A month after the implementation of the campaign, there were only 220 pieces plastic bags for viands, 50 pieces spoons, and 50 pieces forks issued. Moreover, most employees brought their reusable food containers and cutleries when buying food. Canteen concessionaires use food containers made of paper and utensils made of food-grade materials such as starch. To encourage employees to bring their own reusable food containers and utensils, canteen concessionaires charge extra if they opt to buy and use plastic as well as food-grade utensils and containers.FUTURE DIRECTION
Project P.L.A.N.E.T. was adopted to the current work-from-home set-up of employees. In addition, PNB plans to bring Project P.L.A.N.E.T. to their branches and offices nationwide, as well as in countries overseas where they have a presence. Postpandemic plans for Project P.L.A.N.E.T. include setting up of waste segregation bins in the bank’s Head Office and branches, exploring the possibility of setting up a materials recovery facility, integrating efficient resource use and management in the KPIs of employees, and organising CSR initiatives for employees and external communities that are aligned with the bank’s environment and sustainability thrusts such as the PNB CommuniTree: Together as One for the Environment. Instead of organising a big tree-planting activity to commemorate the bank’s 105th anniversary in July 2021, the bank enjoined their employees nationwide to plant forest or fruit-bearing trees in their own backyards or communities.
Philippine National Bank (PNB) is the fourth largest privatelyowned
Philippine commercial bank. Their banking activities include
deposit-taking, lending, foreign exchange, remittance, retail, trust
services, and treasury operations. PNB has a wide network of 704
domestic branches and 71 overseas offices.
