BPO firm supports coffee industry through GForest

CEBU, Philippines — Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firm TaskUs has inked partnership with GCash in a bid to support the coffee farmers across the country.

“This partnership with GCash is aligned with our core values and commitment to supporting the communities where we are present. Social responsibility is strongly embedded in our culture, and we encourage our teammates to make a difference in issues they care about,” said Dean Van Ormer, Senior Vice President – Southeast Asia of TaskUs.

The collaboration was formally sealed through a ceremonial tree-planting event, which paves the way for TaskUs to plant 10,000 coffee seedlings in Cavite, through GCash’s GForest, an interactive climate tech platform, that allows users to contribute to reforestation and tree-planting initiatives.

GCash and its partners plant actual trees in strategic sites across the Philippines for every digital tree planted in-app. Through this feature, users are also encouraged to shift to digital transactions which can help reduce their carbon footprint.

The partnership also enables TaskUs to build more communities and create lasting positive impact. Beyond doing good for the environment, TaskUs will also be purchasing beans directly from local women coffee farmers.

For GCash, the partnership showcases how corporations can work with the fintech giant in fulfilling their sustainability commitments through GForest.

“GCash is an advocate of tech for good—not only are we empowering financial progress for all, but we are also using our platform in ways that can create significant positive social impact, from protecting the environment to creating sustained opportunities for our local farmers. GForest is proof that innovative solutions can engage individuals and corporations to act for our planet and local communities,” said CJ Alegre, Sustainability Head of GCash.

Planting 10,000 coffee seedlings is a welcome initiative for the Philippine coffee industry, which has been advocating for the local development of coffee to meet the Filipinos’ coffee demand.

“Coffee has historically been an integral component of the Philippine economy, but today, we see a huge opportunity for companies to support local coffee farmers. We laud the partnership between GCash and TaskUs as they leverage innovative platforms to grow coffee seedlings and boost the livelihood of local farmers. Actual planting will begin during the rainy season, at the third to fourth quarter of 2024,” noted Chit Juan, President of Philippine Coffee Board, Inc.