SM and DOST Lead the Future of Sustainability

SM Prime Holdings, Inc., through SM Supermalls, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the ARISE Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, held the inaugural SM Sustainability Expo (SUSTEX 2025) at the SMX Convention Center Aura in Taguig.

The two-day event, entitled "Innovation for Environmental Stewardship," brought together over 50 exhibitors, government agency officials, the corporate sector, the international community, and sustainability activists to display cutting-edge solutions that create a greener and more resilient world.

Symbolic Opening: “Beat of Sustainability”

The Expo began with a ceremonial "Beat of Sustainability," headed by DOST Secretary Renato Solidum and SM Prime Executive Committee Chairman Hans T. Sy, who each hit the Solidrum, a bamboo drum shell manufactured by the DOST - Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI).

They were accompanied by SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, SM Prime Vice President Jessica Sy-Bell, and Vice President Engr.  Liza Silerio and other dignitaries played the angklung, a UNESCO-recognized bamboo instrument.  The performance represented harmony and joint action to advance sustainability.

Leadership Perspectives

In his opening remarks, Hans T. Sy emphasized that sustainability lies at the heart of SM’s business and highlighted the importance of partnerships.

“Public-private partnerships such as this show how science and business can unite to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. We encourage more of this as the private sector can provide support to projects by local scientists. May this Expo be more than an event. May it be a catalyst for collaboration, a hub for practical solutions, and a reminder that business can be a force for good—when guided by purpose, discipline and partnership.” ~Hans T. Sy, Chairman of the SM Prime Executive Committee

Secretary Solidum echoed this view, noting that SUSTEX demonstrates how innovation and science can strengthen national resilience and drive a circular economy, as championed by similar DOST efforts.

“Through OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All, we ensure that the science, technologies and innovations we develop are not just theories in journals or prototypes in laboratories—they are real solutions, accessible to businesses, communities, and every Filipino. This is also what we mean by Agham na Ramdam—science that is not distant; science that is felt, lived, and experienced by people in their everyday lives. My call is simple: enough talk. We’ve had summits, forums, declarations that fill up shelves and inboxes. What we need now is proof. Businesses must set their sights on real, tangible goals—not pretty brochures, not slogans, but numbers you can measure, promises you can check.” ~Renato Solidum, DOST Secretary

Innovation Marketplace: Over 50 Exhibitors

SUSTEX 2025 included over 50 exhibitors displaying innovations, projects, and products that exemplified Filipino ingenuity and international collaboration.  Notable exhibitions included SM Prime and SM GUUN's "Waste-Free Future" campaign, which emphasized their collaborative effort with Japan's GUUN Environmental Company on innovative waste management. 

ARISE Philippines highlighted efforts to improve catastrophe resilience through private-sector collaboration.  The DENR's Loop Forward Program encouraged circularity and large-scale trash reduction.  The DOST-FPRDI centerpiece showcased sustainable Lalang Pandan furniture, essential oils derived from Philippine plants, and bamboo musical instruments.  Meanwhile, the DOST-CHRG showcased breakthroughs in electric car technology.

A Catalyst for Action

Running from August 29 to 30, the Expo featured interactive sessions, product showcases, and knowledge exchanges. The event reinforced SM’s continuing sustainability roadmap, including its Waste-Free Future campaign and commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2040.

Celebrating 40 Super Years of Evolving with Every You, SM Supermalls—one of Southeast Asia’s largest mall developers—continuously evolving to lead the way in sustainable development by integrating green design, energy efficiency, disaster resilience, and environmental stewardship into its 88 malls in the Philippines, all while creating inclusive spaces that enrich communities, support climate action, and ensure a better, more sustainable future for generations of Filipino shoppers.