Fast food firm cited for CSR program

MANILA, Philippines - Rommel Juan, president and CEO of Binalot Fiesta Foods, took home a Ramon Orlina sculpture/trophy as part of the Intel-AIM Corporate Social Responsibility Award (IACRA) 2010 in the recently concluded 9th annual Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (AFCSR) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

IACRA was launched at the AFCSR four years ago to pay tribute to Asian companies that integrate CSR into their business. The award aims to promote good corporate citizenship in Asia.

Binalot attributes the recognition to DAHON (Dangal at Hanapbuhay Para sa Nayon), a program that adopts banana-farming communities and taps them to supply the Filipino fast food with banana leaves used for packaging. Spurred by a scarce supply of leaves brought about by a typhoon, DAHON has since grown to become a full-blown CSR program tapping not only farmers in Laguna but also Aeta tribes in Zambales.

Juan said they weren’t expecting any recognition when they started the program. All they were thinking of was doing good while doing well. And since their efforts have been recognized, they will continue to be inspired to grow and improve.

The next step is establishing a foundation. “At present DAHON is integrated into our operations but as the program grows we’re seeing a need to separate operations so that we can get people to manage the program full-time. This will give us more opportunities to develop the project and the communities.”

Aside from the DAHON Program, Binalot has also launched an eco-friendly “Go Green” campaign. From promotion of the use of only bio-degradable packaging materials for its packaging, it is taking things up a notch by building eco-friendly stores using construction materials and equipment that are certified green. “We continue to strive to prove that Binalot is not just a business but an institution that advocates the environment and contributes to nation-building,” he said.