San Miguel Global Power wins big at ESGBusiness Awards 2024
It has been recognised for its greenhouse gas accounting initiative and marine conservation projects.
San Miguel Global Power (SMGP), the energy generation arm of San Miguel Corporation, landed two prestigious wins at the ESGBusiness Awards 2024. The company was recognised for its pioneering greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting programme and its transformative marine conservation projects.
SMGP was honoured for institutionalising its monitoring and reporting programme for GHG emissions, which has enabled effective management of its carbon footprint. Additionally, the company’s coral reef rehabilitation programme has successfully restored marine ecosystems, uplifting coastal communities in the process.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) accounting
Recognising the need for a reliable baseline study to accurately commence the GHG emissions accounting, SMGP partnered with global multidisciplinary consultancy firm, GHD. This collaboration identified key activities and emission sources within SMGP's operations, providing a comprehensive overview of the company's GHG emissions profile and a baseline for the company's future decarbonisation initiatives.
SMGP also developed a GHG Inventory Tool to ensure consistent and efficient monitoring, with no cost incurred for its development.
The tool is Excel-based and follows the methodology of the globally recognised GHG Protocol Standard. It calculates GHG emissions based on various fuels and materials, using emission factors from multiple globally recognised agencies. It features simplified data entry, automated calculations, and analytics, as well as report summaries.
Aside from the customised tool, SMGP has also established an internal system to streamline the monitoring and reporting process. Each SMGP facility inputs data directly into the tool, which is then validated by its technical teams and Carbon Accounting Analyst before consolidation.
This data is then used to generate reports on Scope 1 and 2 emissions and trends, which provide the senior management with valuable insights into the GHG profile of the company.
SMGP’s tool, together with its systematic reporting process, has significantly reduced errors by minimising manual data entry, standardised calculation methods across all SMGP sites, and enabled the identification of emissions hotspots within the operations. This has resulted in accurate reporting of SMGP’s total GHG emissions.
By performing scenario-based analyses using the emissions data, the company has projected its future emissions profile and has developed a clear decarbonisation roadmap.
“The GHG Accounting Programme serves as a solid foundation for future sustainability initiatives, demonstrating not only accountability but also exemplifying our commitment to building a sustainable future,” SMGP said.
The company won the Carbon Disclosure Award - Philippines title for this major accomplishment.
Ridge to reef conservation
SMGP also recognises the critical importance of marine life preservation in today’s times. Coral reefs, as vital marine habitats, play a key role in environmental conservation and maintaining marine biodiversity. This has led the company to collaborate with community partners, the local government, and subject matter experts to establish a programme that creates a lasting positive change for both the environment and host communities.
With this, SMGP launched Project 747, a flagship initiative under the Ridge to Reef Conservation Programme that aims to plant seven million upland and mangrove trees within 4,000 hectares in at least seven key provinces in the Philippines. It also aims to protect and restore fish habitats, enriching marine resources along the coastal areas and its coral reef ecosystems.
The project rehabilitates and improves the coral cover of the marine areas of the project sites. The marine protected areas are selected through a collaborative recommendation from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, local government units, non-government organisations, the academe, and local fisherfolk associations, for the mitigation, treatment, monitoring, and restoration of coral reef habitats.
Amongst the most successful settings for Project 747 is in Malita, Davao Occidental, where the coral rehabilitation project has already made a significant impact — 250 artificial reef cubes installed, 200 coral fragments transplanted, and 12 coral species with five species and seven reef fishes type recruited.
Beyond marine restoration, the project’s holistic approach benefits both the environment and communities. To date, 6,527,895 seedlings and propagules have been planted for upland & mangrove rehabilitation; 1,625 hectares of upland and 472.6 hectares of mangrove areas have been rehabilitated, with survival rates of 91% and 88%, respectively, and 99-kilometre streambanks have been adopted, with a survival rate of 93%. The programme also incorporates a livelihood component that boosts local communities’ capability for additional income streams.
“The synergistic approach of Project 747 ensures that SMGP remains a responsible and proactive partner of communities and local governments for sustainable development, continually applying lessons learnt to improve and expand our efforts across all our host communities,” the company said.
For this effort, SMGP has secured the Marine Conservation Award - Philippines category in the awards programme.
The ESGBusiness Awards celebrates companies that are leading the way in building a sustainable future. It also highlights businesses that demonstrate outstanding commitment and achievement in environmental, social, and governance practices.
The ESGBusiness Awards is presented by ESGBusiness. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding commitment and achievement in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez at [email protected].
