Cebu Pacific Catering Services (CPCS) won praise from international NGO Lever Foundation for committing to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs across its operations by 2030. This commitment aligns CPCS with a growing movement among international airline caterers to advance animal welfare standards in their supply chains.

“Our commitment to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs by 2030 reflects CPCS’s dedication to aligning with global sustainability standards while maintaining the highest quality in airline catering,” said Sherwin B. Olivar, General Manager at Cebu Pacific Catering Services Inc. “This initiative represents an important step in our ongoing efforts to implement responsible sourcing practices that meet international standards.”

A joint venture between MacroAsia Corporation, Cathay Pacific Catering Services of Hong Kong, and MGO Pacific Resources Corporation, CPCS prepares over 2000 meals daily for International flights at Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The company’s commitment follows similar pledges by major airline caterers worldwide, including its partner Cathay Pacific Catering Services in Hong Kong, demonstrating a coordinated industry shift toward more responsible sourcing practices.

“CPCS’s full transition to cage-free eggs demonstrates its strong leadership in sustainability within the airline catering sector,” said Robyn del Rosario, Sustainability Program Manager at Lever Foundation, which worked with the company on developing its new commitment. “Their decision will influence regional supply chains and show how international partnerships can drive positive change in the aviation services industry.”

Cage-free egg production, in which hens are given the freedom to move in open indoor environments, improves animal welfare and significantly lowers food safety risks compared to caged egg production. Exhaustive research by the European Food Safety Authority found that cage-free egg farms are up to 25 times less likely to be contaminated with key strains of salmonella than caged egg farms. The production of caged eggs has been banned across Europe, as well as in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Bhutan and parts of India, Australia and the United States. An increasing number of consumers have also been leaving eggs off their plate as the best way to help laying hens.

PepsiCo continues to proactively find solutions to address plastic waste and invest in solutions that benefit communities and the environment. In 2024, as part of its broader pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) ambition to drive sustainable change across its value chain, PepsiCo joined hands with Evergreen Labs Philippines to support solid waste collection and diversion efforts through its Loop Lokal program—strengthening local systems and advancing progress toward a circular economy.

pep+ aims to drive action and progress across three key pillars—Positive Agriculture, Positive Value Chain, and Positive Choices—bringing together PepsiCo’s efforts under a comprehensive sustainability framework.

“Plastic waste is a complex challenge, and addressing it requires steady, collaborative effort. Through our partnership with Evergreen Labs, we’re taking a practical step to strengthen local waste systems while avoiding harmful practices like open burning or co-processing. Instead, we’re supporting a model that upcycles plastic waste into something of value—driving better environmental outcomes and meaningful impact for local communities,” said Aditya Ahuja, General Manager, PepsiCo, Malaysia and Philippines (Foods).

In 2024, the Loop Lokal Program was launched across Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Cebu, Iloilo, and Guimaras Island, activating 11 communities and diverting over 180 metric tons of plastic waste. The program validated the effectiveness of a bottom-up, community-driven recycling model that empowers local government units (LGUs) and residents to expand existing environmental programs with targeted support from the private sector. By alleviating the financial burden of incentivizing community participation, the model promotes shared responsibility and demonstrates a scalable, replicable solution for a broader environmental impact.

A critical component of the Loop Lokal Program is PepsiCo’s investment in strengthening sorting and segregation infrastructure, particularly at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Biñan City, Laguna. Previously operating at limited capacity, the Biñan Ecopark is now being transformed into a hub suited for growth—with our investment enabling the addition of advanced equipment, including the installation of a mechanized sorting line, baling machine, and plastic crushing equipment. These enhancements aim to improve the site’s operational efficiency, streamlined material flow, and increased its capacity for pre-processing and recovery.

This infrastructure investment drives market efficiency by reducing leakages in the waste value chain and laying the groundwork for a replicable, scalable model of municipal waste recovery. Most importantly, it strengthens the collection and diversion infrastructure needed for the Philippines to meet its increasing targets under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law.

Across the 11 communities, Evergreen Labs Philippines implemented a range of community-centric engagement activities—from offering food incentives for plastic donations to partnering with LGUs and local organizations to strengthen existing waste diversion systems. The collected plastic waste was processed by local partners and upcycled into boards, lumber, and bricks—products that are now being used and sold locally, creating livelihoods and keeping value within the community.

“Funding from companies like PepsiCo makes it possible for us to design models that directly engage communities in sustainable waste management and environmental conservation. These efforts generate livelihoods, strengthen government systems, and ultimately keep tons of plastic waste out of our oceans and landfills,” shared Erica Cardoso, Managing Director of Evergreen Labs Philippines.

The Loop Lokal Program between Evergreen Labs Philippines and PepsiCo is slated to continue in 2025.

Supporting children’s education and making meaningful connections within the communities it serves, Emirates has engaged with several educational entities across Asia; to provide 700 handmade schoolbags and essential stationery supplies directly to young students. Each schoolbag is a piece of history—a limited-edition bag from Emirates’ Aircrafted range, made from the fabrics and parts of Emirates’ iconic aircraft.

With 1300 bags already distributed across Africa, the Asia Aircrafted KIDS delivery is part of a larger initiative by Emirates to repurpose and upcycle materials for the benefit of children across the globe.  

Aircrafted Kids by Emirates goes to Asia

In India, Emirates collaborated with Smile Foundation India, a respected institution that provides education, healthcare, and livelihood programs to children aged between 6-14 years. In Bangladesh, Emirates partnered with Kanan, Thikana (Shelter Home), and Ahsania Mission Shishu Nagari – three sister entities across Dhaka that provide shelter for women and children, and a safe place to nurture education and wellbeing. In Pakistan, Emirates worked with SOS Children’s Villages, a renowned entity which serves local communities by creating a nurturing and inspirational space for financially disadvantaged youths to continue their education. In the Philippines, Emirates has been a long-time partner of Virlanie Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to help disadvantaged children reach their full potential and reintegrate them into society. Through the Emirates Airline Foundation, Emirates has a long history of supporting children’s welfare programs, and Aircrafted Kids is an extension of this work.

Emirates has a local office in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, so each entity was visited by the Emirates representatives who helped pack the bags and distribute them and were eager to connect with the organizations who do such important work in the community. Inside the bags, Emirates provided school supplies such as stationary, calculators and essentials, as well as a variety of books that can be shared throughout schools.

The next stop on the Aircrafted Kids schoolbags trail is Egypt, with more destinations in the MENA region to follow.

The making of Aircrafted Kids schoolbags

As part ofan environmental strategy that includes responsible consumption, Emirates committed to repurposing more than 50,000 kilograms of materials, from 205 aircraft that are undergoing a cabin interior refit and refresh. The team at Emirates Engineering brainstormed a myriad of ways in which the old materials could be reused and upcycled and settled on a range of sturdy backpacks. The high-quality seat fabric of Emirates Economy Class seats is 95% wool and 5% nylon, a flat weave structure sourced from Germany and Ireland which is ideal for upcycling due to its durability and non-flammable nature.

In a dedicated workshop at Emirates, a team of 14 EngineeringMaintenance Assistants creatively designed and tailored a whole range of backpacks for children of different ages. The Emirates Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand team then identified charitable entities, schools and foundations, where the bags could be distributed for most impact, communicating with the NGOs on what their preferences would be. The teams spent weeks researching styles, ensuring the bags were safe and comfortable for children to use. Across all the bag designs, the fabrics were professionally laundered, then further deep cleaned by hand, leather-conditioned for the accents, and thoroughly disinfected before being sewn into unique pieces. Brand new lining was added to the bags, along with functional zippers and adjustable straps, before being packed into specially branded ‘Aircrafted Kids’ boxes and shipped to their final destinations.

With the transport and logistics fully supported by Emirates’ SkyCargo teams, and dnata Logistics across the continents – Aircrafted Kids by Emirates connected the community of employees within Emirates to achieve a meaningful goal.

Aircrafted by Emirates Limited Edition Luggage for sale

Emirates fans can also get involved in this ‘connecting communities’ initiative, by purchasing limited edition luggage in the coming months, as the Aircrafted by Emirates retail range prepares to launch a second phase of the capsule collection. Like the first collection, which sold out in a matter of days – proceeds after costs are donated to Emirates Airline Foundation supporting humanitarian projects around the world. Customers and fans can also donate to Emirates Airline Foundation any time, and help children in need.