THE 2023 CSR EXPO: FROM EXTRA TO ESSENTIAL

This year’s CSR Expo theme, “From Extra to Essential”, is a rallying cry to ensure not just compliance to the law, but also the full embodiment of the principles of good corporate citizenship through accountable governance.

While ESG and sustainability reporting are now required for publicly-listed companies in the Philippines, the imperative for CSR and ESG transcends regulation.

In 2022, beset by the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked towards a more secure, sustainable, and stable future. While we are beginning to overcome the pandemic, we are held back by challenges both old and new, including climate change, food insecurity, subpar education, and many more.

CSR and ESG are two sides of the same coin: while CSR helps businesses stay true to their social commitments, ESG helps companies quantify and measure these social efforts and commitments.

We turn to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to help us better integrate concerns of sustainability and accountability in our work. Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting, which helps stakeholders understand that sustainability extends beyond environmental issues to social and governance aspects, also comes to the fore.

The 2023 CSR Expo will establish the need, the requirement and value for both CSR and ESG Reporting, particularly in the Philippine context.