Joy for Tomorrow: A Global Sustainability Agenda With New Business Practices

The Jollibee Group’s Global Sustainability Agenda is geared towards sustainable business practices that focus on food, people, and the planet.

Sustainability is a buzzword that has been used by many businesses, but on a global scale, the Philippines has a long, long way to go. In fact, the country placed 158th out of 180 countries in the 2022 Environmental Performance Index based on progress toward improving environmental health, protecting ecosystem vitality, and mitigating climate change.

The need for sustainability, however, is imminent, especially since the country’s growing economy can give rise to social issues like overpopulation, rising social inequalities, lack of access to education, health services, and more. These warrant the need for what the report calls “sustainability in the Philippines that will promote inclusive and equitable economic growth that is balanced with considerations of the environment and society.”

That being said, the Jollibee Group stepped up with its very own Global Sustainability Agenda. Dubbed “Joy for Tomorrow,” its aim is to strengthen the 45-year-old’s company’s commitment to sustainable business practices. 

Jollibee Group’s Global Sustainability Agenda

According to the conglomerate, the Global Sustainability Agenda aims to “purposely [integrate] all its sustainability efforts into a more cohesive framework that unites the Jollibee Group community, including employees, business partners, suppliers, vendors, and other stakeholders, toward a set of shared sustainability goals.” 

“Our challenge in Jollibee Group is how to sustain our success while creating a positive impact on our society and planet,” says Jollibee Group President and CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong.

“As one of the fastest growing restaurant companies in the world, and with our vision to become one of [the] top companies in our industry, we recognize that we have a significant role and responsibility in impacting positive change,” he adds.

Joy for Tomorrow

The Jollibee Group’s “Joy for Tomorrow” agenda centers on three pillars—food, people, and the planet. These pillars consist of a total of ten focus areas, which are as follows:

  • Community Support
  • Employee Welfare
  • Energy and Water Efficiency 
  • Farmers’ Livelihood
  • Food Safety
  • Food Quality
  • Good Governance
  • Nutrition and Transparency
  • Packaging and Recycling
  • Waste Reduction

Jollibee Group Chief Sustainability and Public Affairs Officer Pepot Miñana says that “Joy for Tomorrow” is meant to “serve as a roadmap for achieving the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit.”

“It’s a call to action for everyone in Jollibee Group, amid the pursuit of our sustainability pillars of Food, People, and Planet,” he says. “It is our commitment to future generations to preserve and improve natural resources from which they can benefit.” 

Putting the Sustainability Agenda Into Practice

While “Joy for Tomorrow” was only recently announced, Jollibee Group has already been implementing sustainable practices that focus on its three sustainability pillars.

Food

Jollibee Group has always given high priority to food safety and quality in order to maintain the trust of its customers. In fact, in 2022, the company conducted over 15,000 Food, Service, and Cleanliness (FSC) Audits across its stores worldwide. What’s more, over 125,600 online training hours were devoted to Food, Service, Cleanliness & Condition.

In addition, all of the company’s stores, commissaries, and logistics facilities have undergone regular Quality Management audits.

People

Jollibee Group likewise gives high priority to creating an inclusive work environment—not just for its employees, but also for its partners, farmers, and even the communities. 

How? By focusing on inclusivity. As of 2022, women make up 59% of management positions and 51% of the total workforce of the company. Employees likewise receive regular training—including training on Unconscious Bias, Inclusive Leadership, and Anti-Discrimination. 

What’s more, outside the company, the Jollibee Group Foundation’s Farmer Entrepreneurship Program (FEP) has enabled over 700 smallholder farmers across the Philippines to deliver their produce directly to Jollibee Group. In fact, a number of fresh produce the Jollibee Group’s restaurants use—including tomatoes, white onions, and peppers—already come from FEP farmers. 

Planet

In the company’s environmental sustainability priority, attention is given to certain key areas, such as packaging and recycling, energy, water, and waste. In fact, at the end of 2022, Jollibee Group’s manufacturing sites were able to attain the following achievements in comparison to benchmarks made in 2020:

  • 21% reduction in energy use ratio
  • 23% reduction in water use ratio
  • 38% reduction of waste with almost 50% of waste now being recycled

Jollibee Group notes that stores that have installed solar panels have recorded a 3 to 7% reduced consumption from the grid per solar panel. 

What Can Be Learned From This 

While there has always been an impression that capitalism is generally harmful to the environment and does not champion sustainability, companies like Jollibee Group show that this isn’t necessarily the case. Taking a leaf out of their book, companies have to make the conscious decision to implement sustainable practices that benefit not only the environment but also their workforce. 

Not only do these kinds of practices have a long-term effect on both people and the environment, but they also have benefits for the company itself. These include reduced costs, a healthy work environment, and more sustainable branding that can attract clients who also champion sustainability.