Globe encourages its customers to further support sustainable living and contribute to reversing environmental damage through two eco-friendly subscriber identification module (SIM) options –  the eSIM and Eco-SIM.

With its very small size, the effect of SIM cards on the environment may seem insignificant.  However, their combined weight represents an estimated 20,000 tons of plastic and other polymers consumed each year.

The situation prompted Globe to look for alternatives that meet its ambition to cut electronic and plastic waste and reduce carbon footprint.  The company is at the forefront of environmental sustainability, enabling programs that support climate action.

The eSIM is a digital SIM embedded in certain mobile phone models. Globe was the first company to offer it in 2018 as an alternative to traditional SIM cards.

Apart from being environment-friendly, the e-SIM technology allows for additional innovative capabilities such as the ability to manage multiple profiles using different mobile numbers on just one device and effortlessly switch lines for any purpose that fits their lifestyle.

Plus, e-SIM now allows for gadgets beyond the mobile phone like smartwatches to be connected under one mobile number. This revolutionary technology was recently made available to the Apple Watch cellular. As such, Globe postpaid iPhone users are now able to go out and stay connected even without having their iPhone on-hand.

To avail of a Globe eSIM, Postpaid customers can simply request at any Globe Store nationwide.

On the other hand, the new Eco-SIM card is made from 100% recycled materials using refrigerator interiors, the first-of-its-kind to be commercially launched in Asia. Developed by Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies, the card was introduced to Globe postpaid mobile subscribers beginning the fourth quarter of 2021.

“Being eco-conscious doesn’t mean sacrificing on progress. As with the eco SIM and e-SIM technologies, Globe postpaid customers are able to enjoy the latest technological advancements in telecommunications and lessening their carbon footprint at the same time,” said Coco Domingo, Vice President for Postpaid and International Business. 

Globe became the first Philippine company listed by the Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi) committed to setting science-based targets and net-zero emissions by 2050.  This is in line with the Paris agreement, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, as well as the UN-backed Race to Zero global campaign rallying non-state actors to help halve global emissions by 2030 and deliver a zero-carbon world by 2050.

Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 12, which highlights the roles of responsible consumption and production patterns as crucial steps toward building a circular economy. Globe is committed to upholding the United Nations Global Compact principles and contributing to 10 UN SDGs.

To know more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

The Southeast Asia (SEA) region is facing a potentially damaging gap between climate reality and people’s understanding of its catastrophic effects, according to the results of its Climate Reality Barometer from global technology leader, Epson. The survey captures global experiences and perceptions of climate change from 15,264 consumers across Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

Timed to help frame discussions at the upcoming COP 26 in November 2021, the goal of the Epson Climate Reality Barometer is to raise greater public awareness of climate change impacts, influence transformative business decisions, and better inform policy makers.

Reality Deficit: The Gap Between Perception and Climate Reality

The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report noted that cities intensify human-caused warming locally, and further urbanisation together with more frequent hot extremes will increase the severity of heatwaves. Despite this, well over half (56.4%) of people surveyed as part of the Epson Climate Reality Barometer in Southeast Asia, are optimistic that we will avert a climate disaster in their lifetime.

For those who are optimistic, the most popular reasons supporting this optimism is the belief that people are more aware of climate change dangers (35.8%) and the opportunity to use science and technology to solve problems (29.2%). 

On the other hand, just 15.7% were pessimistic that they will avert a climate disaster in their lifetime. Overall, the majority of those who are pessimistic are driven mostly by a belief that people are not aware of climate change dangers (41.4%) or a feeling that there’s a lack of government action (22.4%). 

Reality check: Where we are today

The study suggests that optimism may be the result of a failure to recognise climate change and, therefore, its scale. In Southeast Asia, some of the top events most associated with climate change include more flooding (80.4%), wildfires (79.7%) and higher temperatures (79.2%), extreme weather (77.5%), and rising sea levels (73.1%). At the same time, the least associated with climate change are insect outbreaks (49.2%), thawing permafrost (53.4%), mass migration (60.5%) and more deaths in cities because of heat waves (64%). 

Siew Jin Kiat, Regional Managing Director of Epson Singapore (SEA Headquarters), said: “As the climate emergency unfolds before our eyes, it is of real concern that so many people in our region fail to recognise its existence. This is a wake-up call for us to act together and act fast. The pressure is on for governments, businesses and individuals to work together to make decisions and inspire the rapid action needed to mitigate climate change.” 

Reality responsibility: Who should take actions

Many see the responsibility to tackle the climate emergency belonging to state and industry actors. Of those surveyed, nearly a third in Southeast Asia (32%) believe governments and 14.7% believe businesses are “most responsible for tackling the climate emergency” – with 2.8% not believing in climate emergency.

That said, there is evidence that the idea of personal and collective responsibility is widely held too. Encouragingly, respondents in Southeast Asia (27.5%) see that they are personally “most responsible”, while almost one in five (19%) believe that we are all responsible – with action incumbent on governments, businesses and individuals alike.

Reality action: Individual steps

Individually, people are taking their own actions to mitigate the climate emergency. The study suggests that more people are walking or cycling more often (63.8%), reducing plastic use (67.5%) and improving recycling habits (57.3%).

Despite this, there are still gaps in terms of what people are willing to do, which will be important in reaching net zero targets at a global and national level. While there is openness in Southeast Asia to adopt new behaviors like switching to an electric vehicle, installing solar panels and switching to renewable energy; reducing international travel for business and leisure and adopting a plant-based diet are some behaviors that respondents indicated more resistance towards. 

Business reality: The time to act is now

All in all, the Epson Climate Reality Barometer and its discovery of the Climate Reality Deficit shows that there is a long way to go if we are to take the fundamental actions necessary to avert irreversible climate change. Greater understanding and collective endeavour, however, will enable and empower rapid action.

Companies can empower other businesses and consumers with sustainability supporting innovations. At Epson, this has seen the development of, for example: initiatives to reduce customer impact through the use of highly energy efficient PrecisionCore Heat-Free technology; and R&D into environmental technologies such as naturally derived (non-plastic) materials.

Beyond product and materials innovation, businesses can make a big difference by promoting and demonstrating climate responsibility. Epson carries this forward by: transitioning to 100% renewable electricity and engaging with initiatives such as the RE100 renewable energy project; working to close the resource loop for example, by promoting product refurbishment and reuse; and engaging in high impact partnerships such as its work with National Geographic to promote protecting permafrost through the Turn Down The Heat campaign.

Yasunori Ogawa, global president of Epson, commented: “The discovery of the Climate Reality Deficit shows that awareness coupled with action, will be critical to tackling the emergency. Epson’s goal is to bring this awareness and the technologies needed — by our company, other businesses and consumers — to action transformational change. Sustainability is central to our business plan and backed by significant resources — because while we know there is a long way to go, we believe we can build a better future.”

What if every Filipino, no matter where they’re based in the country, can be a “force for good” simply by sticking to routine—like, say, enjoying their morning cup of coffee?

Davao-based Coffee for Peace (CFP) proves this can be the case as its CEO and co-founder Felicitas “Joji” B. Pantoja confirms that they are a growing community of farmers and business owners practicing and advocating inclusive development principles in the coffee industry. Social entrepreneurship is their business approach to achieve justice and harmony in society and environment.

“As a reputable processor for good beans and an experienced roastery, CFP means business continuity for business owners but equally: support for farming communities. CFP even gives buyers the option to create their own brand under a MOA where 10% of very kilo sold goes back to farmers,” says J. Pantoja. 

Where does the customer from Luzon or Visayas ordering through the online shop fit into the peace building in Mindanao? “CFP by design allocates 25% of its net profit for its Peace and Reconciliation Teams, composed of volunteers from conflict-affected areas and international volunteers. They are trained in inter-faith dialogue, cross-cultural comms, trauma healing, relief and medical operations,” says J. Pantoja.

Because at the heart of CFP’s operations is training farmers on coffee processing to develop skills to produce high-quality coffee beans.​ CFP provides knowledge on the market for farmers to understand what consumers want in coffee, and the value of what they do for awareness on  fairer trade pricing. “We want farmers to be confident about the business side of farming, understand their market, correctly price and inspire the next generation to be farmpreneurs too,” says J. Pantoja.

Once the training is complete, CFP offers to partner communities post-harvest services at cost such as: coffee pulping, coffee dehulling, and coffee drying. Coffee for Peace also offers to partner-farmers and those who buy from them shared services such as: toll roasting, packaging, label design, and photography. The training result is a higher quality coffee product produced by a community in the Philippines.

Nurturing grassroots ‘farmerpreneurs’

At the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition, the top five awards went to Specialty Arabica coffee farmers from Davao del Sur. For jury member Byron Pantoja, CFP VP for operations, this indicates “farmers taking ownership of their craft as producers of some of the best coffee in the Philippines. We need to give more farmers the freedom, knowledge, and opportunity to innovate their coffee processes based on the demands of the market and the limitations of their land. That sense of ownership over what they do is what’s going to make them the best.”

Nurturing community ‘farmerpreneurs’ and realizing the country’s potential for premium to specialty coffee go hand in hand. J. Pantoja says, “Only 25% of the country’s 111M population is served by Filipino coffee farmers. Local cafes are challenged in sourcing good beans. We partner with DTI on bridging gaps such as training, equipment and drying space but getting to a scale that boosts our national reputation as a good coffee producer will take time. From 2,000 kilos at start, we are now at 32,000 kilos and encouraged to continue.”

Coffee for Peace has trained close to 880 farming families from different parts of our country, representing 13 tribes, including some Muslim areas. “Our model is to create our own competitors by giving them the secrets to making good coffee. We want to groom ‘farmerpreneurs’ who are also skilled in coffee tasting, financial management and conflict resolution. We want barista interns to dream of having their own coffee kiosks. For every kilo of coffee, one can make 140 cups of 6 ounces, and a barista in Davao nets 5K a day with his own coffee cart. The same can be done anywhere in the Philippines. Imagine if every region’s farmers had their own pop-up café or coffee cart, neighborhoods will also be educated to buy local,” says J. Pantoja.

“Premium specialty coffee from the Philippines” requires a mindset change that’s supported by the fact that local coffee has scored 80% special quality standard, points out Pantoja. A member of the National Coffee Council, she spoke about the need to streamline various resources from government policy and services and link these to smallholder farmers. “We want every island to join the national movement within the coffee industry to raise the level of coffee quality. Grassroots farmers also mean less carbon footprint for supplying the coffee locals want. We’ve gone to uplands to help a micro-lot owner assess the possibility of coffee farming. We’ve also linked roasters, who used to order coffee from us, straight to the farming community.”

Coffee and PH culture

Coffee is innate in the Filipino culture. “When we visit high-conflict communities, coffee served from a palayok is good quality. When I brought a sample to Canada where I used to live, the roasters said there was potential for premium quality to specialty. But we can only produce limited quantities. Opening opportunities for our farmers drove me to collaborate—inspire baristas to educate customers, get roasters to work with traders who source from farmer,” said J. Pantoja.

Operating for 13 years now, Coffee of Peace started with peacebuilding work. “Coffee is the vehicle but the ‘product’ is peace. In our peacebuilding work in Maguindanao, Basilan, and Sulu, we saw that coffee makes Moslem and Christians sit together and dialogue to settle conflict. In our environmental work, we saw that Arabica trees are included in our national greening program. Giving life back to forests also give locals a new, sustainable means of livelihood. I tell farmers: ‘You don’t have to go to the city, the buyers will come to see protected forest.’ We also advise farmers to get to know their customers, then the process follows,” said J. Pantoja.

As a case, Korean buyers came to Davao looking for fine Robusta. Local farmers have since expanded to Robusta. Explains B. Pantoja, “While specialty Arabica has fruity flavors like blueberries and strawberry, fine Robusta has a super smooth, full-bodied chocolatey taste like black tea.”

This distinction in tastes can be a strength of the Philippines as a group of islands since, explains J. Pantoja, we can’t compete with the land mass and harvest volumes of Vietnam, Brazil or Colombia, and we can’t produce for large coffee chains. “Instead, our edge is premium specialty coffee, with micro-lot orders of 1 to 2 tons that are of a quality and fetch a good price. Each island can produce a different taste profile depending on soil and fauna of that area. Arabica alone has 3,500 subvarieties, while Robusta has 2,400 subvarieties. The higher, the elevation, the sweeter the coffee.” The growing community of coffee champions and curiosity of millennials can only drive excitement over developing Philippine variants that are also ‘Just’ coffee of the social-justice kind.

For more information, visit www.coffeeforpeace.com and peacebuilderscommunity.org. Follow Coffee for Peace at www.facebook.com/coffeeforpeace.