11 June 2021, Makati City, Philippines – The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) named the winners of its first 2021 Europa Awards held virtually on Thursday.
The six organizations were recognized for their outstanding sustainability efforts and initiatives across six categories. The winners and finalists per category of the 2021 Europa Awards are:
Winner of the Smart and Safer Mobility Award – Scandinavian Motors Corp. (Volvo Cars Philippines) Finalists: Aboitiz Equity Ventures; Honda Philippines, Inc.; Scandinavian Motors Corp. (Volvo Cars Philippines)
Winner of the Clean and Efficient Energy Award – Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) Finalists: Aboitiz Power Hedcor Group; Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation; Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. (CCBPI); METPower; Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX)
Winner of the Circular Economy Award – H&M Hennes & Mauritz, Inc. Finalists: H&M Hennes & Mauritz, Inc.; Metpower; Nestlé Philippines
Winner of the Sustainable Food and Nutrition Award – Pilmico Foods Corporation Finalists: Century Pacific Food, Inc.; East-West Seed; GEA Westfalia Separator Philippines, Inc.; Nestlé Philippines; Pilmico Foods Corporation
Winner of the Green and Inclusive Finance Solutions Award – CreditBPO Tech, Inc. Finalists: CreditBPO Tech, Inc.; Engie Services Philippines; The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited - Philippines
Winner of the Water Resource Management Winner Award – Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. (CCBPI) Finalists: Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc.; Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. (CCBPI); Republic Cement Services, Inc.
Winners in each category received a trophy designed by creative designers Rita Nazareno and Gabriel Lichauco of Nazareno/Lichauco for ZACARIAS 1925 who served as Trophy Sponsors for the Awards. The Awards were co-presented by Republic Cement Services, Inc. for Circular Economy; Procter & Gamble for Clean and Efficient Energy; Mazars in the Philippines for Green and Inclusive Finance Solutions; and Villar SIPAG at Tiyaga Foundation, Inc. for the Sustainable Food and Nutrition Category.
“We received more than 70 entries beginning mid-March until the end of April. Eventually, this was narrowed down to 22 finalists,” ECCP Executive Director Florian Gottein said.
“All of them are exceptional in their own right and we are fortunate enough to have the support of an equally exceptional panel of judges to help us review the merits of these entries throughout the process,” added Gottein referring to the technical judges invited to evaluate the entries.
SGV & Co. is the Official Tabulator for the ECCP 2021 Europa Awards. The Firm also tabulated the scores and rankings of the finalists and winners of the Awards.
The technical judges include Jean-Marc Arbogast, Country Manager of International Finance Corporation Philippines; Atty. Jose Layug Jr., President of Developers of Renewable Energy for AdvanceMent, Inc; Dr. Jose Bienvenido Manuel Biona, Executive Dean of the De La Salle University Enrique K. Razon Jr. Logistics Institute; Bonar Laureto, Executive Director of Business for Sustainable Development; Cherrie Atilano, President and Founding Farmer of AGREA Agricultural Systems International, Inc.; and Christopher Ilagan, Chairperson of Philippine Water Partnership.
Ambassador Luc Véron of the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, and former Undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Member of the Board of Trustees of the Manila Observatory Dr. Antonio La Viña sat as final judges.
During the online event, the ECCP also launched the publication of its Sustainability Whitebook containing the Chamber’s policy recommendations on six thematic areas of mobility, energy, circular economy, agriculture, finance, and water management and how these policy advocacies are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Philippine Development Plan.
The organizers also released a special edition of the EuroPH membership magazine featuring in-depth accounts of the winners’ entries. Judges and some event partners also contributed articles on thought leadership, success stories, and best practices on sustainability. All publications related to the Europa Awards can be accessed by visiting eccp.com/2021-europa-awards.
“The number of nominations we received demonstrates the growing commitment of the business community to adopt sustainable business practices in their core plans and strategies,” added Gottein. “We are proud to share their stories and achievements, and are grateful to those who participated in and made the Awards possible.”
The Event Partners of the Awards are the Villar SIPAG at Tiyaga Foundation, Inc. and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation. It is also supported by its Platinum Sponsors, Procter & Gamble and Mazars in the Philippines. Gold Sponsors of the event include Damosa Land, ING Bank Philippines, PPI Pazifik Power, Pru Life UK, Bosch Philippines, Straive, and Vivant Corporation. Its Silver Sponsors are Prime Infrastructure Holdings Inc. and Nestle Philippines.
Its official Media Partners are One News and BusinessWorld. The Awards also received support from its Sustainability Partners, Austrian Embassy Manila, Royal Danish Embassy Manila, Embassy of the Netherlands, and the Embassy of Sweden Manila. Its Advocacy Partner is GeiserMaclang.
Various organizations also supported the Awards as its Endorsing Partners which include AGREA, Airline Operators Council, Business for Sustainable Development, Developers of Renewable Energy for AdvanceMent Inc., Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers, Inc., Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance, Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture, and Philippine Water Partnership.