BERDE as part of corporate social responsibility

Building Green – The CEO Forum

“UK and the Philippines: Working Towards the Development
of a Green Building Rating System in the Philippines”
Makati Shangri-La, Rizal Ballroom
January 28, 2010

Christopher Cruz de la Cruz

Chairman, PHILGBC
Understanding Corporate Social
Responsibility
• A key developmental strategy to maintain good
relations with the public;
• Companies highlight its importance;
• Some investors make CSR a criterion;
• A constant challenge to evince its importance;
• Very good press material;
• Very much celebrated in the corporate world – it
positions companies as good public stewards.
 Why Green Building and CSR?

• We create public spaces;

• The Property sector fulfils a basic need –
Housing;
• We design and build healthcare facilities;
• We design and build recreational facilities.
Key areas of Green Building

• Energy;
• Water;
• Air;
• Sustainable Sites;
• Resource Management;
• Climate Change;
• Heritage Conservation.
We dictate the fate of the climate

• we design communities and townships – do

we create enough open spaces;
• We heavily influence the public’s travel
behaviour;
• Is our design climate friendly;
• We have control over our emissions.
 Cost of Green Building vs. CSR

• We tend to over analyze the costs associated

with Green Building;
• CSR budgets are rising – is Green Building part
of its agenda?
• What is the real social cost of doing business?
Green Building is a Public Good

• Addresses public health;

• The public space is essentially a public good;
• Public health is also a public good;
• It improves the living context and relationship
between citizens and their environment;
• Green job creation;
• Promotes Heritage and Cultural Conservation;
• Economic development;
• It ensures better quality of life.