SM Prime’s Green Movement maximizes scalable sustainability through SM Supermalls

 

Since its launch the SM Green Movement has demonstrated the power of strategic, collective action in effectively tackling environmental challenges to achieve one goal--the protection and preservation of the planet's resources for present and future generations.

Even before the industry mandate on sustainability, SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) recognized that meaningful sustainability can only be achieved through long-term, consistent, community driven efforts. This understanding guided the development of programs designed to evolve alongside stakeholder priorities and shareholder responsibilities. Leveraging on the scale and reach of its nationwide network of supermalls, SM Prime embedded sustainability efforts within malls operations, actively engaging customers, tenants and communities in its environmental journey. 

This "micro to macro" approach strengthened the SM Green Movement unifying efforts under a practical and scalable framework built on three core pillars of environmental action: waste management, water stewardship, energy efficiency and renewable energy.

“What began as simple actions—reducing waste, conserving water, and adopting cleaner energy—has grown into an interconnected ecosystem involving partners, tenants, employees, and millions of mallgoers nationwide,” said Joaquin San Agustin, SM Supermalls Executive Vice President for Marketing. “By turning everyday habits into systemic results, the SM Green Movement extends beyond corporate spaces and into the heart of Filipino communities.”

Focusing on three core pillars: Water, Waste, and Energy 

At the core of the waste pillar, SM works closely with recycling partners and SM GUUN — the circularity platform of the SM Green Movement — to divert paper, plastics, multi-layer packaging, compostables, and other materials away from landfills and back into productive use.

SM Prime’s water stewardship is anchored in long-term water management systems and conservation practices that promote a water-resilient future. SM Supermalls pioneered water recycling in retail spaces, with early sewage treatment plants and low-flow fixtures that reduced consumption across properties.

Energy management is another cornerstone of the SM Green Movement where efficiency and renewable generation converge to reduce environmental impact while enhancing comfort and reliability in SM properties. The 100MWp celebrations in SM City North Edsa are a milestone of the program’s expansion of solar generation capacity across malls nationwide — a visible demonstration of how clean energy supports both climate action and everyday mall experiences.

Shared Responsibility, Lasting Impact 

What unites these three pillars is the belief that sustainability thrives when communities are invited into the conversation and, when scaled collectively, can reshape systems. For SM Prime, sustainability is not just a corporate mandate but a shared journey that requires awareness, participation, and collective action.

With measurable progress, growing partnerships, and visible results across waste, water, and energy portfolios, the SM Green Movement is laying the foundation for lasting change, one where sustainability becomes part of everyday life for Filipinos and communities across the archipelago.

“The SM Green Movement reflects our vision to scale simple, everyday acts into systemic impact,” said San Agustin. “By advancing energy, water, and waste initiatives together in our malls, we safeguard communities and build a more sustainable future.”  

SM Prime: Living in Tomorrow’s Water-Resilient Future

  At SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), water stewardship has come a long way since its early initiatives. As part of its environmental sustainability strategy, the programmatic Water for Tomorrow campaign looks beyond water recycling and efficient water management.

For SM Supermalls, this urgent call to action to protect and preserve a valuable resource makes any large-scale investment in water security a sound opportunity to do good for both people and planet.

SM Southmall in the late 90’s. Located in the water-challenged area of Las Pinas, the mall was the first to have a sewage treatment plant (STP) for water recycling. It opened to the public in 1995, followed by SM Bacoor in 1997, saving a significant volume of water otherwise used for flushing.

Amplified impact
With 89 malls nationwide, SM Supermalls high-impact yet practical water management systems and circularity practices build long-term capacity for future water disruptions and reflect the malls’ greater ecosystem.

A community solution. At the launch of SM City Baguio’s Rainwater Treatment Facility (RTF), innovation meets sustainability and sets a benchmark for water efficiency.

Having introduced sewage treatment plants nearly three decades ago, well before any compliance requirements, SM Supermalls also made significant investments in efficient low-flow fixtures and water-saving technologies to prevent unnecessary consumption at scale. In 2023, the first rainwater treatment facility by a mall opened in Baguio to convert rainwater into another potable resource, alleviating pressure on the local water grid.

At a cultural level, SM Supermalls becomes a living sustainability classroom where mallgoers, employees, and tenant-partners are made aware of its water, waste, and energy programs. Partnerships with NGOs, government agencies, and civic groups also sustain water conversations through the mall’s broad reach and are crucial to the sustainability agenda.

SM Cares engages communities, mallgoers, and tenants in water conservation initiatives that inspire mindful consumption and collective action. 

Embedding the message of water sustainability, SM Cares champions UN SDG6 – using every mall touchpoint and social media to create content on water conservation, access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for health and well-being

Water sustainability is a shared responsibility across all SM malls. SM Cares engages and promotes water conservation initiatives that inspire mindful consumption and collective action.

As a vital community hub, the malls promote the wider SM Green Movement campaign, empowering people to practice responsible water use.

The first mall to receive LEED Gold Certification in 2017, SM Aura’s wastewater treatment plant and smart water management technologies ensure responsible and efficient water use.

Building what matters, today
Water’s essential role supports human activity and economic growth. As climate concerns accelerate and affect water supply, SM Prime’s unified stance on water stewardship prepares for challenges ahead.

SM Supermalls not only assists larger partner-tenants with compliance and the bottom line. It similarly inspires smaller businesses and other stakeholders that depend on mall operations to adopt innovative solutions.

“The scale of what we are doing today for water is already proof that we are reaping the benefits of the innovative vision of our leadership,” says Steven T. Tan, President of SM Supermalls.

“What makes our programs truly meaningful is how they bring people and purpose together. It creates a ripple effect of sustainability that reaches beyond our walls,” said Tan.  

SM Prime: Smarter Water Management for a Resilient Future

 Water is a limited resource, and many Philippine cities face pressure on their supply due to rapid urbanization and climate change. SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, prioritizes water efficiency as a core operational strategy to pave the way for a water-resilient future. 

One of the world’s largest shopping malls, the SM Mall of Asia remains a sustainable marvel thanks to its water-saving solutions.

The result is a portfolio-wide water intensity of 0.44 m³/m²/year, already surpassing water efficiency standards of some of the leading global benchmarks.

For SM Supermalls, every chance to collect and conserve water is explored. Simple low-flow fixtures and the adoption of water-saving technologies prevent unnecessary consumption at scale. Recycling air conditioning condensate and processed water minimizes dependence on fresh water, and innovative approaches that capture portions of floodwater for non-potable use support sustainable water management. 
Managing water through innovation. SM City Laoag achieves everyday water responsible practices by recycling non-potable water for landscaping and garden irrigation, cleaning, air conditioning systems, and toilet-flushing.

This efficiency means that for every square meter of mall space, SM Supermalls' water use translates into millions of liters saved annually.

Beyond equipment and systems upgrades, culturally integrating sustainability values is part of the solution. Water education campaigns for tenant-partners, employees, and mallgoers promote the wider sustainability campaign of the SM Green Movement. 

SM Supermalls was ahead of the Clean Water Act in 2004. SM City North Edsa lessens its dependence on freshwater sources for non-potable uses, optimizing resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact. The mall’s Sky Garden’s 400-meter green roof development is a green space in the dense urban jungle.

Creating a sustainable mall experience like no other, SM Supermalls believes that investing in efficient and scalable water management systems also means bringing everyone together to ensure water for tomorrow.

“Our mall water management systems are already at par with some of the best in the world. We do this because we understand that every liter saved eases the pressure on local water resources and secures our operations for the long term,” said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan. 

Water efficiency is nationwide for SM Supermalls. SM Seaside Cebu, the fourth-largest mall in the Philippines, uses recycled water for toilets, cleaning, and landscaping needs

Every drop makes a difference, and conserving the planet’s valuable resources is communicated through SM Cares’ large and unique community platform, whether in the malls or on social media. The interactive and visually rich content is especially appealing for the younger, digitally active millennial and Gen Z workforce. 

 “Our work in the malls is to make sure that we give you the best experience without compromising the needs of tomorrow, but of course, we cannot do it alone. When we combine all our actions as a community, no matter how big or small these are, we can all enjoy a water-resilient future,” said Tan.