CSR—indeed an integral part of the auto industry

Top executives of the local auto industry together with their associates all came excited and eager during the awards night of the 1st SPMJ ‘Driven to Serve’ CSR Awards, which was held at the Ceremonial Hall of the Marriott Grand Ballroom within the Resorts World Manila Complex.

They were all excited because for many of them, after so many years of giving back to the society that have warmly received them and supported them, their efforts are now being recognized. Further from being recognized, they are eager that their endeavors are now being closely scrutinized and reviewed thus giving them the opportunity to improve on their efforts to be of better service to the communities and citizens they are currently involved in.

SPMJ or the Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists is a non-stock, non-profit Foundation composed of editors, columnists, TV producers & hosts as well as top-notched print, broadcast and online journalists covering the motoring and auto industry beat.

After successfully embarking on a road safety project some years back the group realized that despite the numerous CSR projects that many of those in the local auto industry engage in, most of these are not aptly recognized despite the benefits that many communities enjoy with their endeavors. With such realization the 1st SPMJ ‘Driven to Serve” Awards project was born.  

Aside from the fitting recognition that the award-giving exercise would achieve, SPMJ also hopes that it would also encourage those that have not embarked on a CSR project to start their own and those that are already into it to level up and do better.

The CSR projects have been grouped based on their thrust and objective, namely, Road Safety, Education & Training, Environment and Community Development. The awards have been ranked depending on the number of points given by the judges with a required minimum number for each of the following; Platinum, Gold and Silver. In some categories there are clear winners while some ended at dead heat. There is a category wherein the entries had few points separating them, which therefore couldn’t produce a clear Platinum winner.         

Here are the winners of the 1st SPMJ ‘Driven to Serve’ CSR Awards

A. Education & Training

                Platinum – Toyota Motor Philippines

                Gold – Isuzu Philippines Corporation

                Silver – Porsche Center Philippines

B. Road Safety

                Platinum – Ford Philippines

                Gold – Volkswagen Philippines

                Gold – Honda Cars Philippines

C. Environment

                Gold – Toyota Motor Philippines

                Silver – Mitsubishi Motors Philippines

                Silver – Isuzu Philippines Corporation

D. Community Development

                Platinum – Toyota Motor Philippines

                Silver – Nissan Philippines

                Silver – Ford Philippines

The industry’s top executives mostly with their partners that came all dressed to the “nines” included (in their order of arrival), Hajime Koso, president of Isuzu Philippines; Dave Macasadia, managing director of SsangYong Philippines; Raymond Rodriguez, president of Lexus-Manila who came almost as the same time as its first and immediate past president, Danny “Sir John” Isla; Ford Philippines president Lance Mosley; Tata Philippines president, Jon Fernandez; Kia Philippines president Ginia Domingo; and Mark Tieng, Managing Director of BYD Philippines.

The venue was as elegant as their guests were dressed, thanks to Resorts World Manila (RWM) who eagerly gave support to make sure of the Awards Night’s successful staging.

“We are deeply involved in CSR projects ourselves that we could easily relate to the efforts of SPMJ,” remarked Martin Paz, Chief Integrated Marketing Officer of RWM during my on cam interview just before the event. 

SPMJ would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the project’s Cooperating Sponsor, the Manila North Tollways Corporation for their unconditional support together with our major sponsors, Petron Corporation and CAMPI (Chamber of Automobile Manufacturers in the Philippines).

Corporate Social Responsibility should be an integral part of every corporate entity’s DNA.

Happy Motoring!!!

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